The run on receivers began with the first two picks in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and one is headed to Indianapolis.
The Colts selected USC wideout Michael Pittman Jr. with the 34th-overall selection. They weren't done bolstering their offense as they traded up to grab Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor at No. 41. Indy sent picks No. 44 and 160 to the Browns to move up three spots.
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Pittman's second-round landing spot is a product of a steady increase in production from his freshman to senior seasons in Los Angeles. Pittman increased his receiving yardage total by at least 300 in each season from 2016-2019, consistently growing from a freshman line of six catches for 82 yards, to 23 for 404 and two touchdowns, to 41 for 758 and six scores.
The son of former Cardinals, Buccaneers and Broncos running Michael Pittman, the younger Pittman flourished in his final season, catching 101 passes for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns and firmly planting himself on the radar of the NFL. His pedigree doesn't hurt, but Pittman reached his full four-star potential in 2019, and it has paid off in the form of second-round selection.
Pittman will join a Colts team looking to win now with new arrival Philip Rivers under center. Alongside veteran T.Y. Hilton and second-year burner Parris Campbell, Pittman should find room to produce immediately.
Taylor is a workhorse of the first order, having run for 1,977 yards as a freshman ahead of back-to-back 2,000 yards seasons for the Badgers. Last year, he tallied 21 touchdowns. All those carries come with a question mark, but he's definitely a worthy addition alongside Marlon Mack.
