Dante Pettis should find his way onto an NFL roster. His skills as a receiver and return man make him an interesting 2018 NFL Draft prospect.
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The 2018 NFL Draft is loaded with wide receiver talent. Dante Pettis is one of the better receivers of the crop. He was a solid pass catcher for Washington, but he will be remembered as one of the best return specialists in college football history. His nine career punt returns for touchdowns is an NCAA record.
He saved his best year for last, leading the Huskies in receiving yards (761) and receiving touchdowns (seven) in the 2017 season. His performances as a receiver and a punt return specialist were good enough to earn him All Pac-12 and consensus All-American honors.
Let’s take a deeper look at Pettis’ attributes and where he might land in this year’s NFL draft.
Strengths
This year’s field of receivers is crowded, but what gives Pettis a leg up on the competition is his superb skills as a return specialist. This cannot be overstated and he has a chance to break a big return every time he fields a punt.
As evidenced by his punt returns, he is an explosive player and he brings it to the offensive side of the ball too. He is a efficient route runner, able to run routes effectively underneath and can go deep when needed. He has impressive hands and can stretch his body to play bigger than his frame. Once the ball is in his hands, he can be very elusive and dangerous. Also Pettis is not afraid to get dirty and block downfield for his teammates on short passes and screens.
Weaknesses
Pettis’ listed size of six-foot even, 195 pounds makes his build average at best for a prototypical NFL receiver. A more physical corner will throw him off his game and shut him down. He will need to add some weight and strength to his game. His production was inconsistent at times at Washington and he was fighting through an ankle injury last season.
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Draft Expectations
Pettis is not going to be any team’s number one receiver, but he certainly is good enough to be a number three or four on a team. His physical attributes and look do not jump off the page, but his skill set and what he has put on film during his collegiate career certainly does.
He has tremendous upside and his talent as a return specialist makes him worthy of a middle round pick alone. Special teams skills seem to be the third wheel in the NFL, but his dominant return abilities could boost him possibly higher in the draft if a team values it more than others.