NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Gavin Lutman, WR Pittsburg State

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: WR Gavin Lutman

Player Information:

Gavin Lutman, WR, Pittsburg State
6-3, 214 pounds (although listed by Pittsburg State as 6’4″ 210 pounds)
Hometown: Peculiar, MO

STATS

Kansas Pro Day:

40 yard: 4.46 seconds

3-Cone Drill: 6.65 seconds

Shuttle: 4.09 seconds

Bench: Park

Vertical jump: 36″

Broad: 10’5″

News and Notes:

A virtual unknown coming out of Division II’s Pittsburg State, his hometown wasn’t the only peculiar about Gavin Lutman on Tuesday. He stole the show at Kansas University’s pro day. Fun fact: Pittsburg State is actually on the border of Kansas and Missouri, not in Rhode Island where most people would assume, right?

Lutman was Pittsburg State’s leading returning receiver entering the 2014 season, but actually ended up finishing second on the team in receiving this past year. He still posted an impressive 1,196 yards and a team leading 13 touchdowns for the Gorillas. He also showed off his great hands with many one-handed grabs and solid body control while making catches. In two playoff games last year Lutman put up 195 yards and 3 touchdowns, including 133 yards and 2 of the team’s 3 scores in their second round playoff loss to the eventual Division II runner-up, Minnesota State, Mankato.

Lutman coming into Tuesday was projected to probably go undrafted, but after Tuesday’s pro day he could become a late round pick and would be an interesting flyer. The kind of flyer that Ted Thompson seems to love taking and developing. It is worth noting that John Brown put up almost the exact same numbers in 2013 at Pittsburg State with 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns. Brown was a third round selection for the Cardinals last season and had a very good rookie year, ending up with 696 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Where his pro day would rank among wide receivers had he done the same performance at the combine:

• 40 yard time: 4.46 seconds. That would rank 17th out of the 39 receivers that ran, 0.01 seconds slower than probable top two receiver off the board, DaVante Parker.
• 3-Cone Drill: 6.65 seconds would have ranked 3rd among receivers at the combine.
• Shuttle: 4.09 seconds would have been 6th among receivers at the combine.
• Vertical: 36 inches would have been 20th among receivers at the combine.
• Broad Jump: 10’5″ would have been 6th among receivers at the combine.

 What they’re saying about him:

Basically nothing. ESPN, CBS, Yahoo Sports, etc all had nothing to say about Lutman.

• Tony Pauline of draftinsider.net stated: Scouts were evidently beside themselves as to not even ranking Lutman through the season. Compared to Jon Brown, the former Pittsburg State star coming off to a tremendous rookie campaign in the NFL, scouts say Lutman, though slower, has a size advantage and is more natural catching at the ball.
• Some random guy with the Twitter handle @whiteboyjohnny once tweeted out on November 29th, “Hell of a catch by RP Alum Gavin Lutman! Pitt State up 10-7 with 13:04 left in the 2Q.” So he’s got that going for him.

Video Highlights:

 

If drafted by the Packers:

Lutman would likely end up with a similar role to what Myles White and Jeff Janis had last season and would be competing for the 5th wide receiver spot, maybe the 4th if he has a good camp. It would be a heck of a competition because White and Janis are both athletic freaks as well. Lutman is the same size, if not slightly bigger, than Jordy Nelson and could make a nice compliment to him on the outside some day. It’s hard to say exactly how Lutman would look against NFL competition because it’s such a big step up from Division II, he would likely be a late round pick or UDFA who spends the majority of his first season inactive or on the scout team.

The ability is there and you can tickle me impressed from what I’ve seen on video with his speed, incredible hands, body control, ability to create separation with both his speed and body in traffic, and his ability to have his body squared to the ball in traffic. To me, he’s worth the late round chance and would love to have him competing for a spot this year and in years to come.

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Mike Reuter lives in the Twin Cities and is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas. He is a mobile tech enthusiast, a 19 year Gopher Football season ticket holder and a huge Packers fan. Mike is a writer with AllGreenBayPackers.com and you can follow him on twitter at @uofmike.

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