NCAA Scouting - Player Profile:
Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
by Jody Jamieson
11/2/2009
 
I find the tight end position very fascinating, and if you were about to join a local football team, why would you not want to be a tight end? You get to do everything! You get to go out and run some routes while also getting to block people and smash them in the mouth. Surely nothing in football could be more satisfying?! Unfortunately, the move away from the traditional tight end in the NFL can kind of devaluate the position in my view. The most effective tight end is the one who can drive someone back on a running play, while still being able to move out and make a catch and move the chains. The problem is, especially with the rising popularity of fantasy football, Joe Public loves a receiving tight end and doesn't care too much whether he can block a child walking out into the middle of the road.
 
Brandon Pettigrew is not likely to put up the gaudy hall of fame numbers that Kellen Winslow Sr or Tony Gonzalez put up, but is more than likely to be a Top 10 receiving tight end in the National Football League while also being the best blocker to come out of school this year. In terms of the skill set to play tight end, Pettigrew is the best of the bunch to come out and perhaps the best tight end prospect in a good few years. He'll almost be like another offensive lineman in the running game.
 
What we like about Pettigrew
 
His blocking skills are simply fantastic, whether it's driving someone back at the line, or getting to the second level. He has a massive frame and knows how to use it both as a blocker and once he has secured the catch. He may not be elusive, but he can run over people. Pettigrew is a good route runner and has excellent hands. Had a couple of minor injuries in college, but durability isn't likely to be a problem.
 
Question Marks about Pettigrew
 
He doesn't have the explosive speed some people may look for in a tight end. He was arrested in January 2008 for assault so there may be the dreaded "character concerns" levelled at him. While he doesn't drop a lot of passes, there are a few concerns when it comes to ball security. He didn't put up huge numbers in the passing game, but the tight end posistion wasn't particualrly a big focus of the OSU offense.
 
Highlight of his college career
 
Despite losing both games, the Texas Longhorns couldn't cover him in 07 or 08. 8 catches for 87 yards and a TD in a 38-35 loss in 07 was followed by 8 catches for 84 yards in 2008, proving that he can be a vertical threat.
 
Other snippets
 
Matt McGuire at WalterFootball.com compares Pettigrew to Mercedes Lewis. Not as to the impact he thinks he'll have, but the similar skill sets coming out of college.
6' 5" tall and weighed in at 257 lbs at the Senior Bowl.
Could go as high as Buffalo at #11, but will almost certainly be a first round pick.

 
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