This is The Game Day’s Kyle Pitts NFL Draft Prospect Profile. After you read our Kyle Pitts Scouting Report, Marcus Mosher’s first 2021 NFL Mock Draft for Round 1 and see where Pitts is predicted to be selected.
Read our full 2021 NFL Draft Guide for more picks, predictions, bets, and more analysis.
Kyle Pitts NFL Draft Prospect Profile
Kyle Pitts Scouting Report: Bio & Measurables
- College: Florida
- Class in Final Season: Junior
- Age on NFL Draft Day: 20 Years
- Height: 6-foot-6
- Weight: 246 lbs.
Kyle Pitts Scouting Report
Strengths
- Rare quickness and agility for the tight end position. Can sink his hips and get in and out of breaks better than a lot of receivers.
- Excellent body control. Will leap and contort body to make contested catches down the seam.
- Difficult to stop after the catch with his combination of quickness and power.
- Fantastic ball skills and trustworthy hands. Zero drops on 65 targets last season.
- Huge catch radius. His ability to bend his body to make off-target catches is rare.
Weaknesses
- Could stand to add 10-15 pounds. Skinny frame and can be pinballed some in the run game.
- Still improving as a run-blocker. Was noticeably better in 2020, but still not a strength.
- Doesn’t have elite speed, but certainly good enough.
- Could be more physical after the catch. Doesn’t have Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce-type of power (yet).
Kyle Pitts NFL Outlook
Pitts is the modern-day tight end in the NFL in every sense of the word.
While he can line up on the line of scrimmage with his hand in the dirt, that’s not how you want to use him. Instead, he’s a matchup nightmare as he’s too fast and quick for linebackers, but he’s far too big and strong for safeties.
He has a great feel for how to beat zone coverage, but he’s quickly becoming a route-running savant, making him a terror to stop.
At just 20 years old, he’s not even close to reaching his physical peak, and his ceiling is through the roof. With proper coaching and in the right scheme, Pitts has a chance to be a top-three or -four tight end in the league in just a few years.
It wouldn’t even be that surprising if he developed into the league’s best tight end by the end of his rookie contract.
His fit will be important for what type of success he has right away in the NFL. If he’s used as a traditional tight end and asked to block too frequently, he could struggle. But if a team uses him primarily as a receiver, especially from the slot, he could be a Pro Bowl player as early as 2022.
Kyle Pitts NFL Comparison
Darren Waller: Much like the Las Vegas Raiders tight end, Pitts boasts a game built on athleticism and an ability to win after the catch. Both players don’t have “traditional” tight end size, but their movement skills make them a matchup nightmare in the middle of the field.
Pitts can move all across the formation and can even win on the outside as an “X” receiver if needed. But like Waller, his best work comes in the middle of the field, beating zones and stretching the field vertically when flexed into the slot.
Pitts will need to play for a creative offensive mind to completely unlock his full potential, but any team drafting him in the first round will likely feature him heavily in the passing game right away.
Kyle Pitts Draft Prospect: NFL Team Fits
Any team looking to add a receiving option in the middle of the field will be interested in Pitts. There are only a handful of tight ends currently in the NFL that are better than him and on a few have the receiving upside he possesses.
Cincinnati Bengals
The best fit for Pitts would be with the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5 as he would be dynamic with Joe Burrow under center. However, Cincinnati’s need for offensive line help might force them to pass on Pitts in favor of someone like Penei Sewell or Rashawn Slater.
New York Giants
Another possible destination is the New York Giants at No. 11. While fans might be nervous about selecting another athletic tight end from the SEC, they can rest easy knowing that Pitts is a far superior prospect than Evan Engram.
But New York might not be the best situation for Pitts. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett uses an archaic offense that doesn’t scheme open its best players. Combine that with a shaky quarterback situation and it’s not hard to see why that might not be the best landing spot.
Los Angeles Chargers
The best spot would be in Los Angeles with the Chargers.
Justin Herbert could use a middle-of-the-field target like Pitts. Pairing these two together would give off Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce vibes and would suddenly make the Chargers dangerous in the AFC West.
Give Pitts an elite passer or an up-and-coming star at quarterback (like Herbert) and watch him develop into a receiving weapon. We will bet that he ends up as a Charger by the end of the NFL Draft.
Kyle Pitts 2021 Draft Prediction
Round 1: Since 2000, there have been only four tight ends drafted inside the top 12 picks in the NFL Draft. Of those four tight ends, none of which were selected inside of the top-five picks. The last tight end to be a top-five pick was Riley Odoms (Denver Broncos) in the 1972 NFL Draft. The league just hasn’t valued the tight end position that way and to be fair, we haven’t seen many tight ends worthy of top-ten consideration. That is, until now.
Pitts is a lock to be a top-15 pick but could easily go much higher than that by the time the draft April rolls around. He might just be the best non-quarterback in the entire draft as he has as few flaws as any prospect in this class. Outside of his blocking ability (which has greatly improved), there just isn’t a lot that he can’t do at an elite level.
Pitts should be a top-10 selection and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if he wound up going inside the top-eight picks when the first round rolls around. He might just be the best tight end prospect to enter the NFL in three decades and should become a Pro Bowl player in a few years.
Kyle Pitts 2021 Draft Bet Tips
While there are no bets currently available for Pitts, don’t be surprised if ends up outside of the top-10 picks. The NFL traditionally doesn’t value tight ends high and with so many great quarterbacks and offensive tackle prospects in this class, it wouldn’t be a shock if he fell into the teens. He’s nearly a lock to outperform his draft position, but consider betting on him to fall in the draft once the prop bets are posted. His likely landing spot range will come from 11-15, but don’t expect Pitts to fall much further than that.
Now that you’ve read our Kyle Pitts 2021 Draft Prospect scouting report, stay tuned after the 2021 NFL Draft for his impact on betting lines, odds and tips for his likely NFL team.
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