Prospect Profile: Antonio Pittman

Buffalo Bills Nation continues its look at top NFL Draft prospects today with another running back: Antonio Pittman of Ohio State. This is my favorite player of anyone in the draft - I believe that he is the back the Bills will target, likely in the second round. Read his scouting report below:

Antonio Pittman, RB, Ohio State
Height: 5'11" Weight: 207 40-Time: 4.4 seconds Junior

STRENGTHS: Patience
- Arguably the most patient runner in the draft... Very good balance... Great at setting up his blocks, and hits the hole with authority once they're set... Has outstanding time speed and doesn't lose any of it in pads... Tough runner that's hard to bring down despite lacking ideal bulk... Has soft hands and the ability to be a solid receiver out of the backfield... Can pound you inside or spread you outside on the edges of a defense... May be the most underrated prospect in this draft... Rumored to be a Bills fan when growing up.

WEAKNESSES: Durability
- May not be the ideal full-time starting candidate due to a lack of bulk... Raw when it comes to blitz pickup... Was not used much in the passing game, so he's very unproven there... May not be the most agile runner available, but can make up for it with football smarts... Lacks the big-time playmaking dimension that Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch enjoy, but can make big plays himself.

NFL COMPARISON: Dominic Rhodes, Oakland
- Pittman is slightly different from Rhodes in that he is a bit (and by bit, I really mean bit) bigger and has much better breakaway speed. But both backs are patient runners who are adequate receivers out of the backfield. The only difference between these two backs is that Pittman can take runs to the house more often, and can take more punishment. Sounds like a good deal to me.

DOES HE FIT THE "BILL"?: Yes.
- Pittman, like Marshawn Lynch, looks to have a skill set that effectively compliments current Bills runner Anthony Thomas. Pittman lacks the overall excellence that Lynch has, but his ceiling may be just as high as the California product's. Pittman would be the 1A to the 1 of Thomas for a season, but both backs could have big impacts on the offense working in a committee role. From my perspective, Pittman is the most sensible running back the Bills could select in this draft - it allows the team to focus on defense in Round 1 and still get a playmaker in their backfield.

BILLS NATION FINAL GRADE: 8.7 out of 10

LINKS
YouTube highlight video - Antonio Pittman
NFL Draft Countdown profile
NFL Draft Scout profile
CSTV Profile

COMMENT - Sound off! What is your opinion on Antonio Pittman? Is he worth the Bills' investment? Or is he overrated? Feel free to talk about Pittman by commenting!