Today, we will take a look at one of the best players in the entire draft, tight end, Kyle Pitts from the University of Florida. Pitts measures in at 6’6 240 lbs and is easily the best tight end prospect we’ve seen in a long time. In 2020, Pitts was a unanimous All-American and won the John Mackey award, given to the best collegiate tight end in the country. Without further ado, lets hop into the scouting report.
Strengths: Pitts is the best TE coming out of the draft in a long time. Entering the league, he is much better than TJ Hockenson and OJ Howard were in my opinion. Before opting out of the end of the 2020 season, Pitts was dominant. In eight games, he averaged 18 yards per reception and totaled 12 touchdowns on the season. Pitts is a pretty good route runner and has really good speed for his size. Speaking of his size, he has a great frame standing at 6’6 240 lbs. He is a good route runner with a good ability to make quick cuts. He displays a good ability to create separation from DBs using a combination of his speed, athleticism, and start/stop ability. Pitts is quick off the line with good speed. He also runs a complete route tree with a good ability to run deep but can also run shorter routes as he has a good ability to make plays after the catch. He is quick in short yardage but also can develop speed as he goes deep down the field. He shows a good ability to break tackles and be physical with the ball in his hands. Pitts’ biggest strength might be his frame. Due to his size-speed combination, he is a matchup nightmare. He is way too big and physical for CBs and too quick for LBs and safeties. Pitts has great body awareness and knows how to use his body to box out DBs from the ball. Pitts also has an enormous catch radius and shows a great ability to make the contested catch with his strong hands. He has great ball skills and shows a great ability to high point the ball and jump up and get it. He turns 50/50 balls into 70/30 balls. Pitts shows a great ability to track and adjust to balls in the air. Obviously, he is a great red zone target. Pitts also reportedly has a very good work ethic, which makes me confident he will improve in the minor areas he struggles with.
Weaknesses: In all honesty, Pitts doesn’t have very many weaknesses. His biggest weakness is his blocking. He shows a lot of effort but can get pushed around and sometimes just falls off blocks. His hands are all over the place when blocking, and he doesn’t have great technique, leaning into guys and standing up tall; although, he showed much improvement from 2019 to 2020. He doesn’t have the lower body strength to block big pass rushers. But, putting him in an NFL weight room will help him develop his muscles and will allow him to get stronger. His improvement from 2019 to 2020 as a blocker, along with his effort, leads me to believe that he will continue to improve as a blocker with proper coaching.
Bottom Line: Pitts is a matchup nightmare. I’m not really sure who will be able to cover him 1-on-1 in the NFL. He is a great route runner and is great with the ball in his hands after the catch. He displays reliable hands and has a massive catch radius. He will never develop into a great blocker, but I have faith that he will be a good one in a few years. But blocking isn’t his game anyways; Pitts is basically a wide receiver in a tight end’s body. He is truly a special player, and he compares favorably to Darren Waller. Tight ends usually do take a little bit of time to transition from the college game to the NFL, so if he doesn’t jump off the screen right away, don’t worry, he will soon.
Grade: 1.3
