May 28, 2021

The Atlanta Falcons made history when they drafted Kyle Pitts fourth overall, the highest ever for a tight end. Pitts is unlike any tight end prospect we have ever seen because, in addition to his insane athleticism, he has elite skills as a receiver. Pitts stands at 6'6", weighs 245 lbs, ran a 4.45 40-yard dash, and leaped 129" in the broad jump. He also has an 83 3/8" wingspan, the largest of any tight end in history, and almost 2" larger than Calvin Johnson's (82"). The history of rookie tight ends is abysmal, but if anyone can break the mold, it's Pitts. Atlanta will throw the ball 600+ times as they have every year since 2018, and with the inevitable departure of Julio Jones, Pitts figures to step in right away as the second option behind Calvin Ridley. New head coach Arthur Smith figures to fix the Falcons' tight end woes immediately since his offense with the Titans led the league in two-tight end sets last year. I'd expect Hayden Hurst to be the primary blocker and Pitts to handle upwards of 85% of the receiving work right out of the gate. As Matt Ryan's second option in the passing game, I'd expect Pitts to see a minimum of 110 targets as a rookie and be Ryan's favorite target in the red zone due to his size and athleticism. I would draft him in the sixth round right behind T.J. Hockenson and Mark Andrews because, after that, tight end is a crap-shoot, so why not take a shot on a player that has 1,000 yards and 10 touchdown potential from day one?--Frank Dyevoich, Esq.