Knoxville, Tenn. – Former Murphy High School football legend and University of Tennessee star Carl Pickens will be part of this year’s Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
The induction will take place Friday, April 14, on the campus of the University of Tennessee. Pickens, a native of Texana, starred for the Volunteers from 1989-91, including back-to-back Southeastern Conference championship teams in 1989 and 1990.
Pickens was an All-Freshman selection in 1989 and was named defensive MVP of the 1990 Cotton Bowl after a big interception against Arkansas. He was named first team All-SEC as a sophomore after picking up 917 receiving yards, then was named a first-team All-American by four organizations as a junior after catching 49 passes for 817 yards. His 79.73 yards per game as a junior led the conference.
Pickens was drafted in the second round of the 1992 National Football League draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and went to play nine seasons, finishing his career with 540 catches, 7,129 yards and 63 touchdowns. He was named The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1992 and went to two Pro Bowls.
Before staring for the Volunteers, Pickens put together one of the greatest athletic careers in Murphy history. He starred on back-to-back state championship football teams in 1986 and 1987 as a wide receiver and defensive back.
Pickens intercepted 15 passes during his high school career, while also catching 71 passes for more than 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns. During his senior season, he was named a Parade magazine All-American.
Pickens also averaged 27 points per game for the Bulldogs’ basketball team and was a three-time outdoor track & field state champion in the high jump. His gold medals in the high jump made him the first outdoor track and field state champion in school history, and he’s just one of five athletes in state history to win the event three times. His 1986 winning mark of 6 feet, 10 inches has been beaten only twice at either the 1A/2A state meet or the 1A state meet since.
This is the first Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame class in three years due to the coronavirus pandemic.