The 2021 NFL Draft is now just less than two months away, and that means that Florida’s 10-year drought of having an offensive skill position player taken in the first round is about to end. Two Gators prospects, tight end Kyle Pitts and receiver Kadarius Toney, are all but guaranteed to hear their names called on the first night of the draft. Toney is consistently being projected to go in the top 20, and Pitts could even push for a top-five slot.
In the latest mock draft update from ESPN’s Todd McShay, he has Pitts falling just outside the top five, projecting that he will be selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the sixth pick.
Despite the Eagles’ glaring weakness at wide receiver, I’m mixing it up with Pitts at No. 6. It’d be the 10th time a tight end has been drafted before the first wide receiver off the board, and only four other tight ends have ever been taken in the top six. But here’s the thing: Pitts is more than just a tight end. He’s a matchup nightmare who can line up all over the place, and his great speed, hands and 6-foot-6 size make him extremely difficult to contain. Philadelphia should add receiver help in free agency, but a Pitts-Dallas Goedert pairing is a dream for any offensive coordinator.
Tim McManus on his fit with the Eagles: With Zach Ertz expected to be traded or released, Pitts would immediately assume a co-starter role alongside Goedert. The Eagles used two-tight end sets a league-high 35% of the time last season — a number that would skyrocket toward their 2019 totals (52%) with Pitts in the fold.
Pitts would be an excellent replacement for Ertz, and he would give a tremendous boost to the Philly receiving corps. Many think the Eagles could take a quarterback here, but if they choose to roll with Jalen Hurts for another year, Pitts would certainly help him out a lot.
NEXT: What’s up with Kadarius Toney?