A 'generational player,' Pleasantville's Daniel Picart keeps on wowing fans and opponents

Pleasantville doesn't have any names on the backs of its uniforms, but when No. 10 steps onto the football field, everybody knows who he is and where he is at all times.

That doesn't necessarily mean they can stop him, though.

Daniel Picart has ducked and weaved through opposing defenses, hit top speed in an instant and single-handedly turned the tide of an intense contest with a highlight play that not even a video-game expert could replicate on Madden.

"He wears out the circle button on the Playstation controller, but then there's the hidden trait, which is his toughness," Pearl River coach Mike Oliva said. "Because of his athletic ability and his flashiness, I feel like his toughness often gets overlooked. If he needs to get two yards between the tackles, he will get it. ... You can defend well all game and then – bang – he's gone. And let's not forget about his ability on defense. He can cover sideline-to-sideline."

The standout senior, reigning Section 1 and co-Class B New York State Player of the Year, recently surpassed 7,000 career all-purpose yards. He's done that while playing for the two-time Section 1 Class B champs and state finalists, which sometimes have such large leads that his day is done by halftime.

"I would say it's surreal, just seeing how far I've come and seeing how quick it's gone from freshman COVID year to now, it's like the snap of your fingers, but honestly, I'm just trying to take it as far as I can," said Picart, who initially wasn't aware of his recent milestone. "Just try to stay locked in no matter what team it is. We try to have the same mentality of just kill, dominate every time we step on the field."

'Did you see that?'

This season, Picart has 936 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 102 carries. He's also caught 14 passes for 420 receiving yards and six touchdowns. He reached the end zone 23 times this fall, which also includes a kick return, punt return and interception return for touchdowns.

"We have only been in Class B for a season, but every time you watch a different film on Pleasantville, No. 10 is doing something different that amazes you as a coach," Lakeland coach Ryan Shilling said. "He is definitely one of the best players that I have ever seen in Section 1. Having been at Lakeland for the last seven years, I've seen a lot of really good players in Class A. It's hard to compare different players on different teams, but he certainly ranks up there with some of the best players of recent years like Brett Makar, Bryce Ford and Joey Koch."

Throughout his entire career, to date, Picart amassed more than 100 all-purpose yards in 32 of 39 games. He racked up 200-plus all-purpose yards in 18 different outings.

"Someone used the term generational player and I never really knew what that meant until he came along," Pleasantville coach Tony Becerra said. "He just makes it look so easy, the way he performs on the field. He continues to defy expectations. ... You watch it in real time, like he'll make a play and at the end while they're celebrating, I'll walk up to the nearest coach and say, 'did you see that?'"

While his ranking among the Matt Bernsteins, Sammy Maldonados, and other past Section 1 greats can be debated, his versatility and value goes beyond any past standard or the numbers on the stat sheet.

At one point or another throughout his varsity career, Picart has lined up at running back, quarterback, split end, slot receiver, cornerback, safety, linebacker, kick returner and punt returner.

"What makes him so challenging is that he lines up all over the field in different positions on offense and defense and he's just as good at every single position," Nyack coach Dan Berkowitz said. "He's much stronger than his size would indicate, so he breaks a lot of tackles with stiff arms and his change of direction, acceleration and vision to cut is incredible. I've watched about 15 full films on him, and you barely ever see anybody get a clean shot on him.

"He's also got tremendous hands and can adjust to the ball in the air, so even when he's double covered, he goes up and gets it. On running plays, just when you think you have him penned in, he cuts back and changes direction to make everyone miss him. He's just a threat to take it the distance on any play."

Picart's electrifying touchdowns, Houdini-like ability to escape trouble and juke out multiple defenders or swoop in for a ball-hawking defensive highlight mystifies him just as much as it does to everybody.

"People always ask me what I see and the linemen always ask me where the hole was, but I don't really remember," Picart said. "They call the play and then I'm just blacked out. I don't know what's going on, I'm not really taking control. I don't remember anything, I can't recall the play or where the defender was, it just happens, I guess."

Daniel's last dance

As dynamic as Picart is on the gridiron, he's also talented on the basketball court and lacrosse field. He was named the Journal News/lohud.com Athlete of the Year for 2022-23, when he was All-State in football and lacrosse, and an All-State honorable mention in basketball.

He is committed to University of Richmond, where he will play Division I lacrosse.

"What sets him apart is the longevity of his career, he has been so consistent and dominant really since his freshman season," said Shilling, whose Hornets will face Picart and the Panthers in the Section 1 Class B semifinals. "Selfishly, I really would have liked to see what he could do at the next level in football. I think he would be very successful and he would show some skeptics out there that Section 1 has some really good football players. I wish him all the best, and I'm glad I won't have to game plan against him ever again after this Friday night."

The decision certainly wasn't easy, but Picart's time on the gridiron will be one he treasures forever.

"Part of me does (wish he'd play football), but he said it in a way that made a lot of sense, because I've heard it before from a lot of other kids that have come through the program and had a chance to play in college and chose not to," Becerra said. "The reason he gave, which I've heard from other kids, was he can't imagine it being any better in college than it is playing in Pleasantville with his friends."

With that, he's hoping to end his football career in style. The undefeated Panthers are back in contention, and they hope to earn a third straight section title and return to Syracuse, where they hope for a better ending as state champions.

"Very determined, more than ever," Picart said. "Even though last year, we've been right there and so close, but this year means more to me than anything – ending off on a good note."

Follow Eugene Rapay on Twitter at @erapay5 and on Instagram at @byeugenerapay. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Pleasantville NY football: Daniel Picart keeps wowing fans, opponents