Few tight ends are worthy of being a top-10 selection, but Florida’s Kyle Pitts could be an exception. How does Pitts stack up against the other top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft?
College Career
At Florida, Pitts played sparingly as a freshman but moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore in 2019. He made an immediate impact, catching 54 passes for 649 yards and earning First-Team All-SEC honors. Pitts took things to another level in 2020, becoming Florida’s most dangerous pass-catcher. Despite playing in just eight games, Pitts collected 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. In addition to being First-Team All-SEC, Pitts was a unanimous All-American and the winner of the John Mackey Award.
Pros
In addition to being a proven pass-catcher with an impressive catch radius, Pitts has great versatility. In college, he lined up as a traditional tight end alongside the offensive tackle, in the slot, and even on the outside. At 6’5’’ and 239 pounds, he’s practically a tall wide receiver who lines up as a tight end. Pitts can be both a red-zone target and a downfield threat, allowing him to be used in a variety of ways.
Cons
The only downside with Pitts is that he’s not a traditional tight end with regard to his blocking. In fairness, he’s a serviceable run blocker and isn’t afraid to mix it up in the trenches. However, it’s not the strength of his game and he’s not going to be best utilized in a power-running scheme.
Projection
There is no doubt that Pitts will be the first tight end selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. Whether he goes in the top-10 picks will depend on the preference of teams. However, he has a chance to be one of the most impactful pass-catching tight ends in the NFL. Considering how versatile he can be in one of the league’s more creative offensive schemes, he’ll be snatched up quickly on Day 1 by a team that isn’t looking for a quarterback.