Pitt WR Bub Means Named NFL Draft Riser by ESPN

Bub Means took a risk when he decided to leave Pitt for a chance at his NFL dreams this offseason, but he’s making it count. And if his NFL Combine experience is any indication, he may be selected way higher than expected.

Means impressed at the Shrine Bowl in January, and he continued to impress at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last week. In a star-studded class of wide receivers, Means is still making a name for himself.

So much so that ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. included Means among his biggest combine risers, writing:

“I’m intrigued by Means, who played cornerback at Tennessee early in his career before switching to offense for Louisiana Tech and then Pitt. He caught 68 passes for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns over the past two seasons, averaging 16½ yards per reception.

“At the combine, he measured in with huge hands (10⅛ inches) and long arms (33¼ inches), and then he ripped off a 4.43 40-yard dash and 39½-inch vertical. I had a Round 4 grade on him coming into the week, but I want to study his tape. He has tremendous tools, even if he’s still raw and developing at the position.”

Means legged out a 4.49 40-yard dash in his first attempt at the combine, and he came out even faster on his second attempt with an impressive 4.43 — one of the top marks among wide receivers in attendance.

He measured in at 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, and he has 33 2/8-inch arms, 10 1/8-inch hands and a 79 3/8-inch wingspan. It’s exactly what Means needed to showcase to NFL personnel, a well-built frame with above-average physical traits. He also put in a 39.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump in the drills portion of his combine experience.

It’s not a certain thing at this point, but it’s looking more and more like Means is going to hear his named called in the 2024 NFL Draft.

It’s been important for Means to showcase who he is for NFL teams and show that he isn’t just a one-trick pony when it comes to his penchant for deep ball touchdowns.

“This year, a lot of my touchdowns came down the field,” Means told PSN at the Shrine Bowl. “So, I just felt like I had a great opportunity to show the scouts, show the NFL that I could make plays down the field and create separation down the field and ultimately just get in the end zone and help the team win.

“I’m just out here to prove myself. I always feel like I have something to prove. I always feel like I have something to work on, so I’m just out here to show the scouts I’m a ball player, I’m a competitor, I work hard and I’m gonna get the job done.”

Obviously, the football aspect is paramount. Means, who by all accounts grew leaps and bounds during his time at Pitt, has to be able to show that he can compete — and thrive — at the next level. And it was certainly an up-and-down experience on the football field during his time as a Panther.

He hauled in 68 receptions for 1,122 yards (16.5 yards per reception) and eight touchdowns during his Pitt career, and he broke out as the leading receiver last season. It was a tale of two halves last season. He caught 41 balls for 721 yards and six touchdowns last season, but 650 yards and all six touchdowns came over the final eight games — averaging 81 receiving yards per game. And after an 11-target, 0-catch performance against Cincinnati in Week 2, many questioned whether or not Means had what it took to cut it at Pitt. He didn’t.

“This is football so at the end of the day, I’m a competitor,” Means said. “So, that game did bother me a little bit, but it didn’t bother me like, it’s gonna shock my confidence. No, I went back to work. That made me want to get better; that made me want to get back in the lab. It made me hungry. I don’t like when everything goes my way all the time because life isn’t like that, sometimes you need games like that to wake you up.”

Means, and Pitt as a whole, had a very tough game against Cincinnati. And there was no instant fix. He had just six catches for 71 yards through the first games of the season. He found the answer though, through three different quarterbacks, he found the answer. He hit the 71-yard mark in all but one of his next eight games.

Means showcased a lot of potential down the stretch, serving as one of the best wide receivers in the ACC, and he’s banking on that now as he tries to make the NFL. He has the raw potential. It’s about showing the NFL he can do it now.

“I just felt like I did everything I could in college,” Means said. “And I’m ready to take the next step to the next level. I feel like the feedback I got was decent enough for me to come out, that’s all it was. I’m just betting on myself.”