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USC’s Michael Pittman Jr. on NFL combine: ‘This is just like a little starting place’

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Michael Pittman Jr. is coming off a season in which he caught 101 passes for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns for USC.

Still, after four seasons with the Trojans, he arrived at the combine somewhat obscured by a wide receiver group that is considered strong and deep.

“I don’t really look too much at where people rank me,” Pittman said. “This is just like a little starting place. None of this really affects where I end up. I’m just here to do my best and have fun.”

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One of the concerns with Pittman among NFL scouts is his speed. He’s scheduled to be timed in the 40 on Thursday night.

Quarterback Joe Burrow, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, apparently is not planning to make like John Elway or Eli Manning.

Feb. 25, 2020

“I feel like I have good speed,” he said. “It’s just about maintaining it and refining it.”

Pittman said he measured in at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds. So size won’t be an issue. Most projections have him ranked somewhere around 15th among draft-eligible receivers.

His father is Michael Pittman Sr., who played 11 seasons in the NFL as a running back, winning a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay to cap the 2002 season.

Asked why he’s a receiver as opposed to playing his father’s position, Pittman Jr. said, “Because he’s 6-foot and I’m 6-4.”

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