Prospects for Jags fans to watch: Florida TE Kyle Pitts

The Jags need to find their guy at tight end down the road and Kyle Pitts may be the answer they need.

This weekend the National Football League and some Power-5 college football programs get their seasons underway and with it comes talk of the NFL Draft. Teams are already monitoring the situations regarding prospects opting out and how each conference is handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the players who seems ready to go for 2020 is Florida’s Kyle Pitts. As a former 4-star recruit, Pitts brings all the necessary physical tools to be the best tight end in the class and a potential first-round draft selection.

At 6-foot-6 and 239 pounds, Pitts possesses more of a tweener body than a true tight end or wide receiver. That said, he’s got all the necessary athleticism to fool some into believing he is a receiver. Pitts plays with natural quickness and the fluidity with which he plays is uncanny for a man of his stature.

Pitts runs the route above better than many receivers wish they could. He gives a very subtle indication he is going outside before cutting inside, creating separation. Unfortunately, the ball is a bit low but Pitts seamlessly grabs the ball and keeps his momentum before turning on the jets to burn the Georgia Bulldogs’ secondary. Simply put, he’s smooth.

Pitts certainly doesn’t waste his 6-foot-6 frame either. He knows his size is a mismatch, certainly in the slot and he takes advantage of this often.

On the red-zone play above, Pitts gets himself some separation before high pointing an overthrown ball, displaying incredible ball skills, and a massive catch radius. A linebacker just simply isn’t going to cut it when it comes to covering this phenom.

Pitts also knows how to utilize his large catch radius and size in the endzone as well.

For Florida, Pitts gave Gator quarterback Kyle Trask everything he could ask for. Pitts played the part of a safety blanket, a mismatch receiver, and a red-zone threat all in one. This was one of the reasons that Pitts led the Gators in receptions, even with three Gator receivers being drafted. In 2019, Pitts hauled in 54 balls for 649 yards and 5 touchdowns, certainly impressive numbers for a “tight end.”

Many tight ends in the mold of Pitts are very rarely willing or capable blockers. However, this isn’t something scouts will call Pitts out for when it comes to effort. In fact, Florida felt comfortable enough to match Pitts up against Auburn’s Marlon Davidson, who was a 6-foot-3, 303-pound beast in the trenches for the Tigers. Pitts, surprisingly, held up really well and was able to consistently open up running lanes for Florida running back Lamical Perine.

For an offensive weapon of Pitts’ caliber at tight end, this is really encouraging. It’s something you don’t often see enough of in modern-day tight ends.

I think Pitts is this draft class’s best tight end and has the potential to be a game-changer at the next level. His athletic profile, willingness to block, and nuance as a receiver makes him a high profile target for any team looking for the next Zach Ertz, Travis Kelce, or George Kittle. While I’m not necessarily comparing him to those three, he does have the potential to be one of the league’s best at the position.

The Jaguars have sorely lacked a down-field, vertical-threat for much of the franchise’s history and I believe it is time that trend dies. With a stacked tight end class, there are plenty of options but if you are asking me, none provide more of a threat than Pitts.