| An excellent blocker as well as a more-than capable receiver, Pettigrew is the consensus top tight end in this year's draft. He finished his four-year career at Oklahoma State with 112 receptions for 1,450 yards and nine touchdowns in 47 games - receiving numbers which likely would have been higher had he not performed mostly a blocking role as an underclassman. Though he didn't find the end zone while hampered by an ankle injury in 2008, Pettigrew caught a career-high 42 passes for 472 yards to help the Cowboys go 9-4 in the ultra-competitive Big 12. Pettigrew was at his best against top-caliber competition as a senior. He posted season highs of eight receptions and 83 yards in a 28-24 loss at then-No. 1 Texas on Oct. 25, and caught seven passes for 72 yards against then-No. 2 Texas Tech two weeks later. He had six receptions for 51 yards in a 42-31 Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon. A very strong and athletic player, Pettigrew nonetheless ran a mildly disappointing time of 4.87 seconds in the 40 at the combine in February. Also potentially hurting his draft stock, he was arrested Jan. 20, 2008, on a felony charge of assault and battery of a police officer. However, Pettigrew is nearly certain to be drafted in the first round, and has a chance to join Kellen Winslow (2004) and Vernon Davis (2006) as the only tight ends this decade selected in the top 10 overall. |
