2018 Rookie Class: An Early Look at Dante Pettis

Noah Ballweg Posted On December 30, 2017

Saturday’s matchup between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Fiesta Bowl will be one for the ages. Both programs come into the bowl game with a 10-2 record after the high hopes for the College Football Playoff fell short this season. However, this does not take away from the stardom that fans and scouts alike will witness Saturday night, as many of the talents in this game will make noise in their NFL rookie seasons.

We know the primary name everyone will be looking for is Penn State running back Saquon Barkley who dynasty owners have been drooling over the past year. Although, our focus will be turned to Washington receiver Dante Pettis, one of the most decorated receivers entering into the draft, who has the potential to be an immediate impact player at the professional level.

Currently ranked ninth as a receiver on the DLF Devy Rankings, Pettis will have much to show to the rest of the nation on Saturday night when the spotlight is on him. He has proven to be one of the most electric return men in all of college football, combining speed with intellect and finesse. These traits have allowed him to be the NCAA record holder for punt return touchdowns in a season with nine.

College Production

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Pettis arrived at the University of Washington in 2014 as a slim 6’1” 167 pound freshman looking to make an immediate impact, and he did just that. As a three-star recruit, ranked 78th in the state of California, Pettis only held offers from five other schools, but he made the most of his opportunities. As some expected the undersized freshman to redshirt and take a year to add to his frame, Pettis had other plans to make his name known on campus.

He caught only 17 passes his freshman season, but amazingly turned that into 259 yards (15.2 YPC) including a touchdown. In the return game, he made an immediate impact as well. Having secured the primary role at returner, Pettis averaged 10.3 yards per punt return as a freshman and began his legacy by taking one back to the house for six points. Coming into college, he had only run a 4.6 40-yard dash, but his 4.18 20-Yard shuttle run is what made the difference on the field, allowing him to use quickness to out-maneuver defenders coming his way.

Pettis showed great improvement between the off-season of his freshman and sophomore year. He worked on his raw speed, and added some weight to his frame for more physicality and durability. In 2015, he saw half the return opportunities, but nearly doubled his return yardage, averaging 16.9 yards per punt return and taking two back for touchdowns.

As a junior in 2016, Pettis exploded onto the national spotlight. Having added nearly 20 pounds in muscle and already one of the most dangerous return men in college football, he proved why defenses had more to fear than just his special teams ability. Catching just over 50 passes for 822 yards was a drastic improvement alone, but Pettis also tallied 15 total receiving touchdowns that season to go along with the additional two that he would return for touchdowns.

Maybe you are starting to see the trend. This guy makes a living in the end zone. No matter where you line him up, he will find pay dirt.

As mentioned above, Pettis broke the all-time record for punt return touchdowns this season, taking four punts back to the house to go with his seven hauled in on the receiving end. Far surpassing names such as DeSean Jackson, and Ted Ginn Jr., Pettis makes a statement with the NCAA record as an insurance policy that he will be a difference maker at the professional level.

Athletic Profile

At 6’1” 192 pounds, Pettis has nicely developed into his frame which is credit to his work ethic in the weight room. At the combine, many will be interested to see what 40-yard dash time Pettis puts up, as his last measurable was a 4.6. I would assume with his quickness off the ball and the speed we have seen in the return game, he should be running between a high 4.3 to 4.4.

When you watch Pettis run, whether with an open field to the end zone or against a defensive back, he looks very crisp and natural. Scouts love this attribute about him, as he is already capitalizing on max speed because of his terrific form. This allows Pettis to gain separation in his route running because of the smooth, long strides that he runs with. Defensive backs are often seen jumping up on his routes, and with one cut, he begins to create separation with his speed.

Draft Projection

There has been a lot of talk of many general managers valuing Pettis’ speed and return ability much higher than we could have expected. While earlier in the season, he was looking like a lock in the late second-early third, I have read multiple scouting reports stating that Pettis could jump up nearly a whole round because of what he has shown this season.

This would put Pettis into the late first, or early second round of the NFL Draft. Given the high caliber of receivers in this year’s draft, I would expect for this to be the case. If his combine numbers live up to what we have seen on the field, look for an NFL team in need of special teams help and at wide receiver to jump on him very early in the second round, if not earlier.

Final Thoughts

Dante Pettis possesses the size and undoubtedly the speed and athleticism that NFL scouts are looking for in professional caliber receivers. While he will have to continue to grow in his ability to catch in traffic to be an every-down receiver, we can expect to see him utilized on the field immediately as a deep threat and on special teams.

As he still weighs in at 200 pounds, scouts may suggest it be worthwhile for Pettis to add to his frame a bit more, solely for his time spent on the field as a receiver. This will add to his physicality in route running and provide more durability in the long run.

The proven impact on special teams for Pettis will immediately boost him up a few spots in the draft, as many NFL owners will be willing to take a stab at his return potential. With the bonus of this return potential, Pettis is a dynasty player option worth drafting in your upcoming drafts in the second or third round.

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