2020 NFL Draft Profile: Michael Pittman Jr.
Teams looking for a wide receiver with good size and hands to match in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft should do their homework on Michael Pittman Jr. All the former USC wideout did was catch everything thrown his way in his four seasons with the Trojans, including his 1,200-yard, 11-TD senior campaign. Pittman may not make many big plays in the NFL but every team could use a reliable target to throw to.
Michael Pittman Jr. Draft Profile
College: USC
Class: Sr.
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 220
Strong Points
Pittman is a big-bodied possession receiver who seemed to catch everything in USC’s Air Raid. He has a good feel for how to use his big frame, consistently leveraging defensive backs on in-breaking routes and looking fully comfortable working in traffic. He has strong hands and offers a large catch radius, with the ability to snatch the ball away from his frame, and he does a nice job adjusting to off-target passes. He’s a plus in the run game as a perimeter blocker.
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Weak Points
Pittman doesn’t show much in the way of suddenness or long speed. There’s a lack of big-play ability — he won’t threaten to take the top off a defense, and he’s a fairly straight-line athlete, unlikely to pick up big chunks after the catch. He primarily won with size in college, and he will have to prove he can do the same against bigger, stronger defenders.
Summary
Pittman probably isn’t dynamic enough to be a No. 1 target at the next level, but he could carve out a role as a consistent security blanket type in the NFL.
Final Grade: 2nd/3rd round
Year | G | REC | YDS | YPC | TD | R-ATT | R-YDS | TD |
2016 | 13 | 6 | 82 | 13.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2017 | 11 | 23 | 404 | 17.6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | 11 | 41 | 758 | 18.5 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
2019 | 13 | 101 | 1,275 | 12.6 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career | 48 | 171 | 2,519 | 14.7 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 0 |