Philadelphia Eagles: 3 players to target in the second round
Dante Pettis is one of the most exciting players in the 2018 NFL draft, and the Philadelphia Eagles may now be in the perfect position to get him.
The son of a five-time Golden Glove winner Gary Pettis, Dante decided to take his talents to the Gridiron and spent four years as a wide receiver for the Washington Huskies.
And while he ultimately decided to play a different sport than this father, he still had a knack for hitting home runs.
Much like his former partner John Ross, Pettis is an incredibly gifted wideout, who’s 2298 yards from scrimmage made him one of the best receivers in the entire Pac-12, but unlike many college burners, he’s far from a one-trick pony.
A discipline route runner with good hands, Pettis made a living in 2016 on crossing routes while taking advantage of single coverage thanks to Ross’s speed, and in 2017, as the marquee attraction for Washington’s still potent offense, he was able to climb the ladder, and attack opposing defenses from all three levels.
And oh yeah, he also holds the record for most punt return touchdowns in Pac-12 history, an honor previously held by DeSean Jackson.
With loose hips and great vision, Pettis could come in from day one and serve as a formidable return man for Dave Fipp‘s special teams unit, and challenge Mike Wallace immediately for the Eagles vacant Z receiver spot.
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Though Pettis suffered a left leg injury in his bowl game that prevented him from working out at the 2018 NFL combine or running at his pro day, Pettis’ tape shows an all-around great player who could potentially be a four-down player for the Philadelphia Eagles moving forward. While there are still questions about his speed, as he never formally ran a 40-yard dash, his tape shows a player whose fast enough to get past cornerbacks, and smart enough to weave his way through traffic on punt returns.
Pro Comp: Marvin Jones Jr.