Zacch Pickens waited through Friday night’s second round of the NFL Draft but was rewarded when they announced the first pick of round three.
The former T.L. Hanna and USC defensive lineman got the call from the Chicago Bears as the 64th overall selection.
In four seasons at South Carolina, Pickens had 131 tackles with 11.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 47 games.
He was also the 2018 recipient of the 7 New Sports/High School Red Zone Star Of The Year.
Thirteen picks earlier, South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith was a second round selection of the Miami Dolphins, going 51st overall.
Smith had 27 tackles and an interception in 11 games in 2022 and he was a second team all-SEC selection.
He became the first USC player taken in this year’s draft.
