New Orleans Saints selected Ohio State RB Antonio Pittman with the #107 overall selection (#8 in the 4th round) in the 2007 NFL draft. Pittman is a great value in the 4th round, as he was widely considered the #3 or #4 back in this draft with a productive career in the Big Ten. He is slender but quick, fast and versatile as a runner & receiver out of the backfield. It is hard to see how the Saints will utilize him while still getting Deuce McAllister & Reggie Bush their touches but Pittman provides them great depth & the opportunity to make a personnel decision in a couple of years.
Scouting Report:
- Position: Running Back
- Height: 5'11"
- Weight: 195
- 40 Time: 4.51
Pittman is undersized for a featured back but he is a strong inside runner with shifty vision and quickness to make tough yards or bounce it outside for big gainers. He displays good balance and has decent hands, as evidenced by his 37 career catches. On the negative side, he hasn't shown the work ethic and desire many scouts believe is critical for NFL success and his size may limit his ability to carry a full load. In 35 career games at OSU, Pittman started 25 times rushing for 22 TD's and 2,925 yards on 557 carries (5.3 ypc).
Fantasy Prognosis: Pittman is behind McAllister & Bush, making it highly unlikely that Pittman will see much playing time this year. Long-term he has potential to be a good, versatile backup runner who could share the load in a duo backfield attack.
2007 Predicted Numbers:
Touches: 18 Carries, 4 Catches
Total Yards: 75 Yards
TD's: 0
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