Dallas Cowboys Draft: Senior Bowl standouts to watch

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 23: Darnay Holmes #1 and Stephan Blaylock #4 of the UCLA Bruins tackle Michael Pittman Jr. #6 of the USC Trojans during the first half of a game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

WR, Michael Pittman Jr, USC

The SoCal product burst onto the CFB scene his senior year catching 101 passes for 1,275 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. In a year where the Trojans finally had some consistent quarterback play and an offensive identity, Pittman was finally able to put his route running, great size, hands, and body control on display for the country to see.

In the past, the Dallas Cowboys organization has targeted receivers in the 5’10”-6’2″ height range. The situation was same last season as the only receiver on the roster outside this range was Tavon Austin; Austin is more a “specialist” than receiver. (Look the special teams wasn’t good but that’s how the organization tried to use him)

Obviously with some new people in town, the model for the “ideal receiver” may change and based on history that could hold true.

In Mike McCarthy’s tenure as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, these are the receivers the staff drafted.

2018: J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown

2017: DeAngelo Yancey, Malachi Dupre

2016: Trevor Davis

2015: Ty Montgomery

2014: Davante Adams, Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis

2013: Charles Johnson, Kevin Dorsey

2012: N/A

2011: Randall Cobb

2010: N/A

2009: N/A

2008: Jordy Nelson, Brett Swain

2007: James Jones, David Clowney

2006: Greg Jennings, Corey Rodgers

On this really long list of 19 receivers, 13 of them fall in the previously mentioned range. However, of these 13 receivers, only 2 are shorter than 6′ tall. (Randall Cobb and Greg Jennings) Ty Montgomery is the only other receiver that came in at exactly 6′ tall; 16 of the 19 receivers listed above are either 6’1″ or taller.

So enter Pittman. The senior is a shade under 6’4″, 220 pounds, and even with below average 9 1/8″ hand and 32 3/8″ arms, shows the physicality and length you’d expect of a tall receiver with the soft hands of a slot receiver. (Measurements courtesy of The Draft Network)

On film, there are some questions about his speed but at Senior Bowl media day, he said he should run faster than the projected “4.6” he keeps hearing. While speed is an important asset to a receiver, it isn’t the only one.

With the way Pittman has practiced this week in Mobile, his stock in a crowded receiver class should rise. Ultimately, his play on Saturday and his combine performance will put the final stamp on his draft ceiling. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, if Pittman does well in both situations, he might go earlier than where the organization would be comfortable drafting a wide receiver simply because of how many needs to team needs to resolve.

However, seeing this on Sundays would be great for the Cowboys as they look to continue their high-octane offense from last season.

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