03-05-2021, 09:27 AM
(03-02-2021, 07:50 PM)Synric Wrote: I went back and did some extra work on Kyle Pitts and came away even more impressed.
Some background on Pitts. He was actually a QB in High School until the end of his Senior year when he played some TE and DE. When he got to Florida Dan Mullen put Pitts with the Wide Receiver group his freshman year instead of thr Tight Ends which helped him refine his releases/route running. His sophomore year was really when he started getting the TE Coaching but still cross trained as a Wide Receiver.
I don't know who mentioned it but Kyle Pitts and AJ Green are very comparable athletes. Both Pitts and Green are tall and lanky with exceptional body control they are just smooth movers you dont see for guys their height. Neither of them are what you would call a "burner" speed wise but they explode off the line and out of their breaks which creates separation at the most opportune times.
Kyle Pitts is an offensive weapon and a defensive nightmare. He is so big, long, athletic and explosive he creates a mismatch against what ever a defensive coordinator trys to do to cover him. His catch radius is outstanding using those long arms to pluck balls out of the air always from defenders. He also loves to climb the ladder catching the ball at the highest point. I watched him best some of the best defensive backs in in college football like Patrick Surtain, Derek Stingly, and Grant Delpit.
People want to bring up that Kyle Pitts isn't a high end blocker but Pitts in his very short time as a Tight End has improved in this area drastically. You can tell the huge step he took from his 2019 to 2020 seasons in that area. He is never going to be Nick Boyle but he doesnt need to be and in a wide zone he will fit better with his explosiveness and athleticism.
I believe Kyle Pitts would be an excellent choice to pair up with Burrow because Burrow loves to throw the 50/50 ball and over the middle. My biggest concern with Pitts is that to use him effectively he will get a good share of Slot Receiver reps which will cut into Tyler Boyd's snaps. All in all Pitts is worth a top 10 selection.
I have heard him comp'd more like a Calvin Johnson than anything which is scary. I was listening to something the other day where they basically said call him a WR and no one bats an eye at him being a top 5 pick and in reality that's potentially the kind of production he can give you. Splitting Pitts wide opposite a trips look would be absolutely insane.
