Indianapolis Colts sign second round pick Michael Pittman Jr.
The Indianapolis Colts have signed second round pick Michael Pittman Jr.
It’s big news out of Indianapolis, as the Colts have officially signed second-round draft pick Michael Pittman Jr. The Colts social media confirmed it Monday night, and now eight of the team’s nine draft picks are signed.
Indianapolis selected Pittman Jr. with the 34th overall pick in the 2020 draft, and was the eighth receiver off the board in what many analysts believe to be one of the deepest receiver classes in a long time. It was important that general manager Chris Ballard found his guy in this deep class, especially with T.Y. Hilton getting older and the receiver room needing a spark.
Pittman Jr. fit a lot of Ballard tendencies regarding the position. He tested very well at the combine, especially for his size. Pittman Jr. was at the Senior Bowl, and Ballard is well-known for picking players who attend the event. He was also a captain at USC, and had the necessary leadership skills and intangibles that Ballard coveted.
Don’t forget about the scheme fit either. Quarterback Philip Rivers will love to have Pittman Jr. in the building. Rivers enjoyed the presence of Mike Williams during the end of his tenure with the Los Angeles Chargers, and felt like he had the freedom to trust Williams to make a big play. Pittman Jr. brings that same type of reliability to the table.
Pittman Jr. has all the qualities of an “X” receiver at the next level. He has great hands, attacks the ball well in the air, and has a great propensity for securing the ball in contested spots. He should find his way into a starting role pretty quickly.
Hopefully Pittman Jr. will find his way onto the field soon for the Colts, but in the midst of all that is going on, it might be a while. The good news is that he is now under contract.