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Florida tight end Kyle Pitts has the opportunity to bring home some hardware tonight. The standout player and likely first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is nominated for two awards tonight at the Home Depot College Football Awards.
Pitts is one of three finalists for both the John Mackey award, given to the nation’s best tight end, and the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the top pass-catcher in the country. Pitts is the first player to be nominated for both since Chase Coffman, the 2008 winner of the Mackey.
Though Heisman Trophy-winning receiver Devonta Smith is all but guaranteed to take home the Biletnikoff, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach thinks Pitts is the favorite to win the Mackey over finalists Charlie Kolar from Iowa State and Jalen Wydermyer from Texas A&M. Here’s what he said about this year’s race for the Mackey.
Who should win: Pitts. He was a matchup nightmare for any defense he faced because of his height, speed and length. He was PFF’s top-rated tight end with a 96.2 overall grade, finishing with 43 receptions for 770 yards with 12 touchdowns. He didn’t have a drop in 65 targets and 39 of his catches were for first downs.
Who will win: Pitts
Pitts is the first Florida finalist for the Mackey since Aaron Hernandez in 2009, who won the award.
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