Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Rising star watch: Michael Pittman Jr.

Michael Pittman Jr. is not only a rising junior wide receiver, he's the son of Super Bowl XXXVII champion Michael Pittman (photo credit Scout.com)
Oaks Christian of Westlake Village - a renown Southern California powerhouse known for taking in athletes with famous bloodlines - has the son of a former NFL running back who is making his own name for himself.

Michael Pittman Jr. is the latest in a long line of Lions from famous families. The sons of Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana and Will Smith all lined up for OCHS before.

Now, Pittman is already looking like a highly-sought recruit for the class of 2016. He just landed his first scholarship offer from Cal-Berkeley on Wednesday, Sept. 17. Here's a breakdown of the 6-foot-4, 200-pound target:

What to like: Pittman already has a college football physique even as a junior. He'll likely continue to grow. He torments cornerbacks who try to defend him in man coverage because of his size. He also burns double coverage on deep patterns. Pittman uses his size to his advantage by out-jumping a defender for possession of the football. He does an excellent job of showing concentration, focus and body adjustment to his receptions. With his size, he's reliable with catching the ball in traffic. He already has his dad's toughness.

What to build on: I'll need to see more of his footwork and getting out of his breaks. I'll also be curious to see if he can catch footballs low to the ground, which is usually problematic for tall wide receivers.

Overall: Pittman plays safety too, but with his size and talents, he's better suited for wide receiver. He can be a Kelvin Benjamin or Calvin Johnson type target for a four-year program down the road. After landing his first pledge, I won't be shocked if he piles up more offers soon.

More on Pittman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpxKkxlIwfk&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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