Antonio Pittman’s father Marcus McKinnie was a free safety at Purdue University. Antonio attended Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio where he played running back on the football team. As a senior, Antonio rushed for over 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging over 12 yards per attempt despite missing three games due to a turf toe injury. He was named first team all-state for his play as a senior. He accepted a scholarship to Ohio State University where he carried the ball 72 times for 381 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman. He also caught 6 passes for 26 yards. The following year Pittman became just the fourth sophomore in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, carrying the ball 243 times for 1,331 yards and 7 touchdowns. He caught 17 passes for 161 yards on the season, earning all-big ten honors in the process. As a junior, Antonio carried the ball 242 times for 1,233 yards and a career high 14 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 127 yards on his way to first team all-big ten honors. Antonio still has another year of eligibility remaining; however, he has opted to skip his senior season to enter the 2007 NFL draft.

Antonio Pittman has a good deal of experience against top competition, having started the past two seasons for the Buckeyes in the Big Ten after splitting time as a true freshman. Pittman is a powerful, north-south runner who does most of his damage between the tackles. He is always moving forward and rarely loses yardage. He is a patient runner who will wait for the hole to open up. Once it opens, he hits the hole hard and displays great vision. He runs through arm tackles and can be a difficult player to bring down, gaining a lot of yardage after initial contact. He doesn’t shy away from contact and he does a good job of finishing his runs. He has good ball security, rarely fumbling the football away (2 in 242 attempts in 2006).He is a decent pass protector and though he wasn’t used much in the passing game at Ohio State (37 receptions in 3 years), he has average hands. Pittman isn’t an elusive open field runner and he lacks great straight line speed. He runs a bit upright which exposes his body to big hits. That along with his physical running style makes him susceptible to injury. Antonio Pittman is a player who would’ve benefited from staying in college for his senior season. He is one of the more talented backs available this year and he should be a first day pick in the 2007 NFL draft.