Players Mentioned
Michael Pittman Jr. Picked in Second Round of 2020 NFL Draft By Indianapolis Colts
April 24, 2020 | Football, Features
LOS ANGELES — USC wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the second round's second pick (34th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. He was the Colts' first selection of the 2020 Draft, as they didn't have a first round pick.
Pittman is USC's 511th all-time NFL draftee, with no school having more. He is the 16th Trojan wide receiver drafted since 2000, including the 10th in the top two rounds. He is the fifth Trojan chosen by the Colts since 2009, including 2019 selection Marvell Tell III, but the first Trojan wideout picked by the Colts since Raymond Butler in 1980.
Nothing has changed with #WRU ✌️
— USC Football (@USC_FB) April 24, 2020
đź“ş #NFLDraft on ABC/ESPN/NFLN#USCtotheNFL | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/KRLBrUyB1z
In his career, Pittman had 171 receptions for 2,519 yards (14.7 avg) with 19 TDs. His 171 career catches ranked 12th on USC's career receptions list. He had 9 100-yard receiving games in his career. He appeared in 48 games in his career, with 30 starts. He also excelled on special teams, getting 17 tackles and 3 blocked punts, 6 punt returns for 156 yards (26.0 avg) with 1 TD and 5 kickoff returns for 31 yards (6.2 avg).
He proved to be one of the nation's top wide receivers as a senior in 2019. He had 101 receptions for 1,275 yards (12.6 avg) with 11 TDs. He was fifth nationally in receptions (7.8, first in Pac-12), 15th in receiving yards (98.1) and 19th in receiving TDs (11). He was in double digits in receptions 4 times in 2019 and had 5 100-yard receiving games. He was an All-Pac-12 first teamer, won the 2019 Pop Warner College Football Award and was a finalist for the Biletnikoff and Witten Awards. He was USC's team MVP and a co-captain and won USC's Community Service Award.
His father, Michael, was a running back at Fresno State (1993, 95-97) and then 11 years in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals (1998-2001), who drafted him in the fourth round in 1998, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-07), including on the Super Bowl XXXVII champion in the 2002 season, and Denver Broncos (2008).
On Thursday (April 23), USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson was selected in the first round by the Miami Dolphins, the 82nd Trojan first rounder ever (second most of any school). A USC player has been drafted every year since 1939.
The 2020 NFL Draft concludes with the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday (April 25).
Team Reactions
Head coach Clay Helton
Congratulations @MikePitt_Jr! #TrojanMade #USCtotheNFL #FightOn pic.twitter.com/tyt2HYWsqq
— Clay Helton (@USCCoachHelton) April 24, 2020
Offensive coordinator Graham Harrell
Go get it Pitt!! Proud of you!! ✌️ https://t.co/Eb3RXw08cR
— Graham Harrell (@CoachHarrellUSC) April 24, 2020
Tight ends coach John David Baker
LETS GOOOOOOO @MikePitt_Jr #FightOn✌️ pic.twitter.com/bE8plGXdnp
— John David Baker (@coach_jdbaker) April 24, 2020
Tailback Markese Stepp
Let's gooooooooo lol I'm hype asf about this one fr. Welcome to Indy big dawg!!!! @MikePitt_Jr #317 https://t.co/rKxMVCwHj8
— Markese Stepp (@markese_stepp) April 24, 2020
Former quarterback Matt Leinart
He's a beast. Love this kid. NFL bloodlines, grinder and playmaker. https://t.co/uaXSG2toat
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) April 24, 2020
