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As the 2021 NFL draft draws nearer, many experts and analysts seem to believe the New York Giants may favor Florida tight end Kyle Pitts at No. 11 over Alabama wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
The reasons why are both evident and abundant. Pitts is an athletic freak of nature capable of lining up all over the field and creating mismatches across the board. Both his size (6-foot-6, 246 pounds) and speed (4.70 40) set him apart from the rest and he’s the exact kind of playmaker the Giants seem to be looking for.
But the Giants won’t be alone in their desire to draft Pitts. As more and more experts and scouts begin to look at his film, it’s becoming apparent that he will be among the most-talented prospects available come April.
In fact, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network now has Pitts ranked as his third-best prospect in the draft behind Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Pitts is a long, lean tight end prospect with excellent speed, ball skills and production. He has lined up inline, flexed in the slot and split out wide. He runs routes like a wideout. The former Gator has burst off the line, sets up defenders and explodes out of the break point. He beat upper-echelon SEC cornerbacks on a weekly basis. He builds speed to separate down the seam and tracks the ball naturally down the field. Pitts has an enormous catch radius. He uses his speed to pile up yards after the catch. He showed tremendous improvement as a blocker in 2020. He fits up, doing his best to wrestle and stay attached. He will fall off at times, but the effort is there. Overall, Pitts is a unique talent with the ability to take over a game. He is the definition of a mismatch player.
Comparatively, Waddle is ranked No. 6 overall and Smith is ranked No. 8 overall. Another popular Giants mock, Michigan edge rusher Kwity Paye, is ranked No. 19 overall.
So, what does this all mean? Not too much with several months to go before the draft kicks off, but if the trends continue, it’s hard to see Pitts slipping to the Giants at No. 11. It’s also difficult to see that trajectory changing when the tight end only looks that much more dynamic the more you watch him.
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