snuffy
01-11-2009, 09:56 PM
OSU football: Pettigrew helps his draft stock
By Scott Wright
Published: January 11, 2009
STILLWATER — It’s hard to argue now with Brandon Pettigrew’s decision to return to Oklahoma State for his senior season.
Expectations, both internally and externally, were probably higher than the 42 catches for 472 yards and no touchdowns that Pettigrew had this season, but that didn’t keep scouts from seeing his NFL potential.
Had he left after his junior season, Pettigrew would have been a fringe first-round selection. But this season, he has virtually assured himself of being one of the first two tight ends taken in the draft April 25-26. Not only that, his versatility has drawn plenty of attention.
"He’s a bit of a throwback because he’s a blocker first, with great size and strength, and he’s a receiver second,” said Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFL Draft Scout, a scouting service and Web site. "He’s developed himself into a solid first-rounder.”
Pettigrew will have a couple more chances to help his draft stock, first with in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 24, then at the NFL Scouting Combine a month later.
"He quite obviously has a big-league body and a tremendous amount of athletic ability,” Tom Marino, Scout.com’s lead NFL analyst, recently said of Pettigrew. "Although I didn’t think he was a natural route runner, I like the way he addressed and caught the football.”
"After the catch, he’s a real load who can break secured tackles and run away from people. As a run blocker, I thought he really flashed some special skills, but again is going to have to become more consistent in this area.”
One last area to clear up for Pettigrew is his off-field image, which was damaged by his arrest early last year for assaulting a police officer. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and public intoxication.
Fair or not, Rang says Pettigrew’s image will be slightly tied to Adarius Bowman, who was arrested for marijuana possession just weeks before the draft last April.
"That kind of stuff scares teams,” Rang said. "The two most important areas for Pettigrew at the Combine will be the 40 (yard dash) time and the interviews. The interviews might even be more important, because teams aren’t expecting him to run an exceptional 40 time, because he’s so big.”
Still, it doesn’t seem Pettigrew’s draft stock is hurting. The Chicago Tribune recently polled several NFL scouts’ top 10 college seniors for the draft and Pettigrew ranked ninth. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper ranks him fourth among senior players.
"If I were in the market for a tight end,” Marino said, "I don’t believe you could find a better one in the draft.”
http://www.newsok.com/pettigrew-helps-his-draft-stock/article/3337074?custom_click=lead_story_title
By Scott Wright
Published: January 11, 2009
STILLWATER — It’s hard to argue now with Brandon Pettigrew’s decision to return to Oklahoma State for his senior season.
Expectations, both internally and externally, were probably higher than the 42 catches for 472 yards and no touchdowns that Pettigrew had this season, but that didn’t keep scouts from seeing his NFL potential.
Had he left after his junior season, Pettigrew would have been a fringe first-round selection. But this season, he has virtually assured himself of being one of the first two tight ends taken in the draft April 25-26. Not only that, his versatility has drawn plenty of attention.
"He’s a bit of a throwback because he’s a blocker first, with great size and strength, and he’s a receiver second,” said Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFL Draft Scout, a scouting service and Web site. "He’s developed himself into a solid first-rounder.”
Pettigrew will have a couple more chances to help his draft stock, first with in the Senior Bowl on Jan. 24, then at the NFL Scouting Combine a month later.
"He quite obviously has a big-league body and a tremendous amount of athletic ability,” Tom Marino, Scout.com’s lead NFL analyst, recently said of Pettigrew. "Although I didn’t think he was a natural route runner, I like the way he addressed and caught the football.”
"After the catch, he’s a real load who can break secured tackles and run away from people. As a run blocker, I thought he really flashed some special skills, but again is going to have to become more consistent in this area.”
One last area to clear up for Pettigrew is his off-field image, which was damaged by his arrest early last year for assaulting a police officer. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault and public intoxication.
Fair or not, Rang says Pettigrew’s image will be slightly tied to Adarius Bowman, who was arrested for marijuana possession just weeks before the draft last April.
"That kind of stuff scares teams,” Rang said. "The two most important areas for Pettigrew at the Combine will be the 40 (yard dash) time and the interviews. The interviews might even be more important, because teams aren’t expecting him to run an exceptional 40 time, because he’s so big.”
Still, it doesn’t seem Pettigrew’s draft stock is hurting. The Chicago Tribune recently polled several NFL scouts’ top 10 college seniors for the draft and Pettigrew ranked ninth. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper ranks him fourth among senior players.
"If I were in the market for a tight end,” Marino said, "I don’t believe you could find a better one in the draft.”
http://www.newsok.com/pettigrew-helps-his-draft-stock/article/3337074?custom_click=lead_story_title