The Indianapolis Colts used their first pick of the draft at No. 34 overall to select USC wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.
With wide receiver being arguably the biggest need entering the draft, it was no surprise the Colts used such an early pick to address the room—even it was a potential spot to trade back from.
However, they stayed and took Pittman Jr. to add him to the room. Here are four things to know about the Colts’ new wide receiver:
Comes from NFL bloodline
One of the first things that teams new about Pittman Jr. entering the draft was the lineage he comes from. His father, Michael Pittman Sr., was a fourth-round pick out of Fresno State as a running back in the 1998 NFL draft. He played 11 seasons while racking up 5,627 career rushing yards and 3,512 career receiving yards while being one of the most physically dominant players.
Pittman Jr. gets his physicality at the line of scrimmage and when going above the rim from his father. He has a slightly bigger build, but the USC product is a perfect fit on and off the field, and much of that should be attributed to his father.
Perfect fit for Philip Rivers
One of the reasons that Pittman Jr. is such a good fit for the offense is because of who is under center for the Colts for at least the 2020 season. Rivers has long had a big-bodied wide receiver on the boundary to target both vertically and on the intermediate routes.
Pittman Jr. brings size (6’4, 223), length (32.5″ arms) and great athleticism for his size (6.96 in the three-cone). He won’t win with long speed but his 4.52 in the 40-yard dash is nothing to frown about at his size. Pittman Jr. wins with physicality and above the rim while showing off impressive athleticism and should be able to make an immediate impact.
Colts wanted him the whole way
Entering the draft and specifically Day 2, the Colts were viewed as a team that was expected to trade back from the No. 34 pick. Chris Ballard made it clear he wanted to add more picks to the current slate of selections, but it was also made clear that Pittman Jr. was the consensus pick for them at No. 34.
The Colts also had their options of Denzel Mims, Chase Claypool and Laviska Shenault, but it is clear that Pittman Jr.’s fit and character off the field were enough to make them keep the No. 34 pick to bring him into Indy.
Checks a lot of boxes
The Colts preach a lot about certain values they look for in prospects. Pittman Jr. checks just about every box for the Colts when it comes to the pre-draft process. He’s a productive wide receiver, who is physical with a tenacious attitude and one who will be a leader in the locker room upon his arrival.
Pittman Jr. also went the Senior Bowl, which is a big deal for the Colts. Add in that he was a team captain and a huge factor on special teams, the Colts had to be salivating with him still available.
