The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.
Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.
Up next is USC receiver Michael Pittman:
What he can do
– Surprisingly quick off the ball for a big man. No wasted motion. Impressive burst puts immediate pressure on college DBs. His 10-yard split at the combine was 1.51 seconds, an awesome time for a receiver regardless of size
– Power forward type skills. Finds the ball in the air, highpoints it and brings it down in traffic. Catch radius at 6-4 is massive. Can jump, too (36.5″ vertical)
– Alpha dog with the ball in the air. Most cornerbacks aren’t physically capable of handling what he brings to the table at the catch point. Should be an immediate red zone threat
– Can occasionally beat press coverage with quick releases but didn’t see much of it. Needs more consistency here. NFL corners will attempt to jam his big frame and sputter routes. Will be really hard to press once footwork becomes more clean and consistent
– Super productive on quick outs and slants and comebacks and hitches. He ran NFL-type routes all the time at USC. Ability to stop and start makes him tough to handle in intermediate areas
– Reliable hands. Pro Football Focus counted only five career drops
– Good enough deep speed. Ran 4.52 at 224 pounds. Had moments when he got a step, stacked the corner vertically and separated late down the field
– Fluid, smooth athlete, especially at his size. Doesn’t have problems adjusting speeds
– Strong after the catch but not necessarily elusive. Takes some time and a crowd to get him down
– Absolutely torched Utah’s cornerbacks in 2019
– Operated primarily as an outside receiver to the left of the formation. Played some in the slot
– Not only a willing blocker, but a good one. Good understanding of body positioning and hand usage when walling off the edges or cracking down on linebackers and safeties
How he fits
The fit in Green Bay is an easy one. The Packers need a playmaker at receiver behind Davante Adams. Pittman is a natural fit as a perimeter receiver who can provide a reliable intermediate target while sprinkling in big plays vertically. He has great hands and enough burst and long speed to beat cornerbacks deep, with physically dominant abilities at the catch point. There is some redundancy with Pittman and Allen Lazard, but it helps that Adams can play (and win) from the slot.
NFL comp
Kenny Golladay. They are athletically synonymous with similar playstyles. PFF likes Alshon Jeffery as a comp. Brandon Marshall also comes to mind. The idea here: Pittman is big and physical with the ability to make plays underneath coverage and over the top.
Where Packers could get him
Pittman should be locked in as a top-50 player, but the depth of the receiver class could push him down deep into the second round. Any team missing out on a top-tier receiver in the first round will be lucky to get Pittman in the second. He’s a slam dunk for Green Bay if he’s there to end the second round. It’s possible he could be a trade target if the Packers move down from No. 30 or up from No. 62. Even if they draft a receiver in the first round, the Packers would have to strongly consider Pittman if he fell to No. 62.
Previous Prospects for the Pack
WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson
TE Harrison Bryant
WR Denzel Mims
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR/TE Chase Claypool
LB Zack Baun
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither
OT Josh Jones
WR Laviska Shenault
OT Austin Jackson
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
DL Raekwon Davis
DB Xavier McKinney
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
DL A.J. Epenesa
TE Hunter Bryant
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Zack Moss