NFL lineman and Zephyrhills grad Ryan Pickett has solidified his place in county history.
By JAMAL THALJI
Published September 3, 2004
Ryan Pickett was the most dominant, blue-chip force in a 3-point stance in Pasco County history.
It's a fact. Were there better blockers on offense? Maybe. But "Grease" he did the job for Zephyrhills. "When we needed the yardage," coach Tom Fisher said. "We definitely ran behind him." And Pickett was so dominant defensively his place among the great blockers hardly matters. There's never been a more athletic lineman in county history than Pickett, who combined massive size, deft speed and overwhelming power. And if there are still doubters out there (and no county coach disputed Pickett's selection to the Times) there's this:
"He was on TV last Monday night," Fisher said.
Pickett was born to play in the NFL. But first he had to compile one of the most storied and decorated careers in county history. Zephyrhills went 27-6 from 1995-97, when Picket was a three-year, two-way force in the trenches. His dominance was never more apparent than his senior season in 1997, as the Bulldogs went 10-2, won the first playoff game in the school's then 56 years and reached the region semifinals for the only time in history.
How Pickett helped the 1997 team is one of the most impressive feats in county athletic history. The coaching staff moved him to middle linebacker because teams always ran away from the all-state defensive tackle. The Times North Suncoast Player of the Year set a school record with 142 tackles, 26 for a loss, and had four sacks - all while running sideline-to-sideline at a trim 293 pounds.
"Opposing coaches would shake their head every time he would run one of their backs down," Fisher said. "They just couldn't believe a 300-pound middle linebacker could do what he did."
In the school's first-ever playoff win, 7-0 over Crystal River, Pickett had 17 tackles, 15 solo, four for a loss and three big hits, separating a ballcarrier from the ground.
"Every time I turned around, it was Ryan Pickett on the tackle, Ryan Pickett on the hit," teammate Nick Carroll told the Times in 1997. "He was psyched."
That season Pickett was also the Sunshine Athletic Conference player of the year, a Parade All-American, an All-USA Today selection, played in the Florida-Georgia All-Star game and, more importantly, was quoted in Sports Illustrated (maybe; he disputed the quote.) Pickett's commitment to Ohio State was big news, and the Buckeye was too good to redshirt as a freshman. He was a three-year starter at Ohio State, finishing with 109 career tackles (72 solo), 20 for a loss and eight sacks. As a sophomore he was All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention.
As a junior he came back home in 2001, played in front of his family at Raymond James Stadium's Outback Bowl, then declared early for the NFL draft. Draft experts labeled him a second-round pick. Pickett scoffed at that, and so did the St. Louis Rams, who drafted him 29th overall in the first round. He's been in all 16 games the last two seasons, and in three years and 43 total games has 128 career tackles (92 solo) and two sacks. He is one of two county players still in the NFL, and the only one with the team that drafted him. In 1999, when the Times ranked the then-greatest 99 players in county history, Pickett was the second lineman on the list at No. 5. At No. 3 was Pasco's Greg Pittman, a ferocious hitter in 1972. But three years in the NFL has clarified Pickett's stature. Now he's the best lineman of all.
Before the 2001 draft, he talked about his love of the game through each chapter of his career, and his ultimate dream of playing in the NFL.
"When I left high school, that was just another chapter of my life," Pickett said. "When I left Ohio State, that was just another chapter of my life. I loved it there just like I loved playing high school football at Zephyrhills, but it's just time to start another chapter.
"It's my dream. I've been waiting for this since I was a little boy."
