Scouting Report: Michael Pittman, WR USC
Michael Pittman Jr. played all four seasons he attended USC. He contributed on special teams as a freshman and was a contributor on coverage units. His role as a receiver over the next few seasons, but he continued to contribute and be a factor on special teams. He led the Trojans in every major receiving category each of the past two seasons, catching 161 passes for 2,033 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Athletic Profile
Age: 22 (October 17th, 1997)
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 223
40-Yard Dash: 4.52
Broad Jump: 10'1"
Vertical Jump: 36.5"
3-Cone Drill: 6.96
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.14
Bench Press: 13 Reps
Pittman is deceptively big. He just doesn't look like he's that large until he's bullying the opponent. The combination of his size with his agility is pretty incredible. It not only shows itself in his body control, but his balance. He is remarkably talented with both.
His speed and explosion are more than good enough for someone his size. They aren't as impressive as his agility, but when considering he's the same size as some linebackers in this class, it's pretty impressive.
The fact that Pittman is able to hold the weight he has as well as he does is an advantage. He's tall and pretty lean, so he can be extremely flexible. His frame could probably add weight, but he doesn't need it. He's pretty much good to go as is.
Production
2019
Receiving Yards: 1,275 (29.1%)
Pittman's senior year was his best in terms of production. He didn't quite reach elite levels of production, but he was very, very good. When combined with his outstanding athletic profile, it eliminates any concerns about his ability going to the next level.
Game Tape
Pittman is an impressive receiver in terms of his ability to marry his understanding of the position with his tremendous physical skills. His feet and hips are outstanding and he shows the ability to get in position to catch passes while setting up his body for after the catch. His feel for space and where he is on the field is also excellent.
Pittman has strong hands, attacks the ball when it's in the air and plucks it cleanly and confidently. His ability to concentrate on the ball while it's in the air as well as create space and shield the ball from defenders is notable.
This past season, Pittman caught 101 passes, averaging 7.8 receptions per game. A big reason for that is Pittman is able to attack all areas of the field. He's an excellent possession receiver, who can does the dirty work to extend drives, but he's also able to make explosive plays going up and getting passes in the air, winning down the field or his ability after the catch.
Pittman does a great job contorting his body for after the catch with excellent body control, but he's a threat after the catch. Not only is he quick and shows good balance, he's strong. He's the size of a linebacker and has 20 pounds on most any defender he will face, so he can overpower them, drag them or fight them off. Pittman isn't a burner, but he's definitely not slow and accelerates quickly, so he can be a threat over the top in no small part because of his ability to high point passes.
His route running is solid for no other reason than he's able to cut on a dime and stop his body quickly and easily. He's able to use his strength and physicality to create space and angles. Some of his choices in terms of how he gets to spots could probably stand to improve and he's only going to get wiser in the NFL. His agility and body control make him pretty special in what he can be in this area.
Pittman is a feel blocker. When he feels like blocking, he can be excellent at it. He's bigger and stronger than most players he has to pick up, but there are plenty of situations where he's just not all that interested in it and it can get the ball carrier drilled.
Fit, Usage and Projection for the Browns
Pittman can step in and play the boundary or operate in the slot. His home may be on the boundary because he has more of an advantage out there with his size, but he offers an offense some options. For the Browns, Pittman could play one boundary spot and have Odell Beckham Jr. or Jarvis Landry play the other with the remaining one play in the slot.
Pittman looks like he can step in and contribute in the NFL immediately. His earliest niche might be as a possession who becomes a reliable option to move the chains, which could enable Beckham to be more focused on attacking down field for bigger plays. Once Pittman starts rolling, he seems like a player that can get better and better until he becomes a featured target in the offense and the Browns are finding ways to get him touches so he can make plays. Pittman warrants a top 50 selection but might be available later simply due to the supply of receivers in this class.
