Tag: Kyle Pitts

Trio of Gators make The Athletic’s preseason college football All-Who’s Actually Playing Team

The Florida Gators football players were named in The Athletic’s preseason college football All-Who’s Actually Playing Team.

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Three Florida Gators football players were named in The Athletic’s preseason college football All-Who’s Actually Playing Team, published on Tuesday. Junior tight end Kyle Pitts, sophomore defensive back Kaiir Elam and junior placekicker Evan McPherson all made the publication’s second team at their respective positions.

The Athletic’s first team features Clemson’s junior quarterback Trevor Lawrence at the helm, while three SEC players made the cut on both offense and defense, while two of the three special teams slots are occupied by the boys down south. The Alabama Crimson Tide features four players from its hallowed halls, while the Tennessee Volunteers, Kentucky Wildcats, Missouri Tigers and LSU Tigers all have a single representative on the list.

On the second team, the SEC has six players named on offense and five on defense, including Pitts and Elam, respectively, with McPherson the lone representative on special teams. ‘Bama once again led the way with three players listed — two on offense and one on defense — while the Kentucky Wildcats were mentioned twice on offense, the Georgia Bulldogs twice on defense, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs and LSU getting a mention on offense and defense, respectively.

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Kyle Trask, receivers shoulder big burden for Florida Gators in 2020

The SEC’s 2020 fall football season is fast approaching, with just over three weeks until the opening kickoff despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Southeastern Conference’s 2020 fall football season is fast approaching with just over three weeks until the opening kickoff despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Along with the SEC, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big-12 will also get their seasons underway on a Saturday not too far in the distant future.

As we get closer and closer to that date, questions begin to arise about how the season may look. Pontificators will do as they are wont to and give predictions on how the schedule will play out, as we have seen around the media already. Sports Illustrated took a stab at this inquiry on Tuesday as its staff put together a roundtable assessment of each school’s team.

Here is what Zach Goodall, publisher of Allgators, had to ask about the Gators this fall.

Will Florida be able to replicate its pass-game success from a year ago, as Kyle Trask enters a season as a starting quarterback for the first time since his freshman year of high school?

Stepping in for the injured Feleipe Franks, the Gators finished with the nation’s No. 16 passing offense with Trask at the helm. Five key contributors, all having caught at least 20 passes in 2019, are now in the NFL, leaving Trask with several high-potential weapons—and also loads of inexperienced depth—at wide receiver. Tight end Kyle Pitts offers a huge boost, but Florida will depend on Trevon Grimes, Jacob Copeland, Kadarius Toney and others to take a big step forward in Dan Mullen’s spread offense.

Mullen appears confident Trask can overcome the loss of veteran production, noting his “graduate-level” progressions last week. Without a spring camp amid the pandemic, however, Trask and his young weapons missed key time to jell. If that lost time proves pivotal, Florida will know early on: The Gators face the reigning No. 29 and No. 31 defenses in the nation—Texas A&M and LSU, respectively—back to back in Weeks 3 and 4.

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USA TODAY SEC football preview: Florida Gators projected to finish 2nd in East

USA TODAY has released its preseason SEC preview, including record predictions for each squad, projected divisional standings and preseason all-conference list.

USA TODAY Sports has released its preseason SEC preview, including record predictions for each squad, projected divisional standings and preseason all-conference list.

The Gators are projected to finish just shy of the SEC Championship once again, as Georgia is the favorite to win the SEC East. UF is predicted to finish one game shy of the Bulldogs at 8-2.

Here is USA TODAY Sports’ full-season outlook for Florida.

The two biggest games on Florida’s schedule: Texas A&M on Oct. 10, for the chance to set a tone in the Gators’ first game against a ranked opponent, and Georgia on Nov. 7, due to the obvious importance to the East division race. A win in either or both matchups would reverse recent history. Florida has dropped three in a row to Georgia and went 1-7 against A&M coach Jimbo Fisher during his stint at rival Florida State.

The Gators have two players listed on the preseason All-Conference list: quarterback Kyle Trask and tight end Kyle Pitts. Both had strong seasons last year, and they’re each now seeing some preseason attention as some expect them to be early-round picks in 2021.

While managing a difficult 10-game conference schedule with only two losses would still be an impressive feat, it would likely be disappointing to UF fans if it means missing out on a trip to Atlanta.

These are the full preseason projected standings, as well as the full All-Conference list.

SEC East

1 (3). Georgia: 9-1 (9-1)

2 (6). Florida: 8-2 (8-2)

3 (18). Tennessee: 6-4 (6-4)

4 (26). Kentucky: 5-5 (5-5)

5 (53). South Carolina: 3-7 (3-7)

6 (59). Missouri: 3-7 (3-7)

7 (72). Vanderbilt: 1-9 (1-9)

SEC West

1 (2). Alabama: 9-1 (9-1)

2 (7). LSU: 7-3 (7-3)

3 (14). Texas A&M: 7-3 (7-3)

4 (15). Auburn: 6-4 (6-4)

5 (37). Ole Miss: 3-7 (3-7)

6 (51). Mississippi State: 3-7 (3-7)

7 (74). Arkansas: 0-10 (0-10)

ALL-CONFERENCE

The preseason all-conference team includes players who have opted out of playing this season due to COVID-19.

QB: Kyle Trask, Florida

RB: Najee Harris, Alabama

RB: Kylin Hill, Mississippi State

WR: Ja’Marr Chase, LSU

WR: DeVonta Smith, Alabama

TE: Kyle Pitts, Florida

OL: Alex Leatherwood, Alabama

OL: Trey Smith, Tennessee

OL: Drake Jackson, Kentucky

OL: Landon Dickerson, Alabama

OL: Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

DL: Big Kat Bryant, Auburn

DL: Bobby Brown, Texas A&M

DL: Tyler Shelvin, LSU

DL: LaBryan Ray, Alabama

LB: Jabrill Cox, LSU

LB: Dylan Moses, Alabama

LB: Nick Bolton, Missouri

CB: Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

CB: Patrick Surtain II, Alabama

S: Richard LeCounte, Georgia

S: JaCoby Stevens, LSU

K: Brent Cimaglia, Tennessee

P: Max Duffy, Kentucky

RET: Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

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Florida Gators TE Kyle Pitts selected in first-round of Todd McShay’s latest mock draft

Tight end Kyle Pitts was the only Florida Gator to appear in this mock first-round, going off the board to the Buffalo Bills at No. 23.

While we apparently will not see some of the names in action this fall due to the Big Ten and Pacific-12 Conferences postponing their 2020 seasons, ESPN’s Todd McShay released his latest 2021 National Football League Mock Draft on August 12 (subscription required).

The Jacksonville Jaguars, coached by former Syracuse Orange head man Doug Marrone, led the way, selecting Clemson Tigers junior quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1.

“OK, let’s begin with a no-brainer,” McShay started.

“Lawrence is a once-in-a-decade type of quarterback prospect who currently has our highest Scouts Inc. grade on a QB since Andrew Luck in 2012 (99).

“Jacksonville dealt Nick Foles in the offseason, leaving it with just Gardner Minshew II and Mike Glennon, and Lawrence would step right in for the Jaguars as an immediate game-breaking starter.

“With a big arm, great mobility for his 6-foot-6 frame, excellent poise under pressure and off-the-charts intangibles, it wouldn’t be long before he was among the game’s best.”

The “Washington Football Team,” formerly the Redskins, occupied the No. 2 spot, taking Alabama Crimson Tide junior cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

A Plantation native, Surtain earned Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman Team honors from the league’s coaches in 2018, and, along with LSU Tigers sophomore Derek Stingley, Jr., has a case to be made for best cornerback in the conference.

Oregon Ducks offensive tackle Penei Sewell, Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields, and LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, all also juniors, rounded out McShay’s top-five to the Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, and Miami Dolphins, respectively.

Tight end Kyle Pitts, another junior, was the only Florida Gator to appear in this mock first-round, going off the board to the Buffalo Bills, who recently signed head coach Sean McDermott to a contract extension, at No. 23.

“Stefon Diggs gives Josh Allen help outside, but what about the tight end position?” McShay posed.

“Dawson Knox had flashes in his rookie season, but Buffalo still has a long way to go in seeing what it has in its 2019 third-rounder. Even if Knox pans out, adding a versatile matchup piece like Pitts to the mix would be huge.

“He should continue to get bigger and stronger as a blocker, but his combination of length, speed and route running makes him a first-round talent. Pitts, who led the Gators with 54 catches last season, is the most dangerous seam-stretching tight end in the country.”

Other notable selections include Ohio State redshirt junior cornerback Shaun Wade to the New York Jets at No. 8, Alabama wideouts DeVonta Smith (senior) to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 10 and Jaylen Waddle (junior) to the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 11, North Dakota State Bison redshirt sophomore quarterback Trey Lance to the Chicago Bears at No. 14, and Michigan Wolverines senior receiver Nico Collins, a Pinson, Alabama native, to the Green Bay Packers at No. 18.

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Todd McShay gives Bills curious player in early 2021 mock draft

Buffalo Bills land tight end Kyle Pitts in Todd McShay’s early 2021 mock draft.

The 2020 Buffalo Bills season in en route and it’s a big one for some younger players on the team.

Another All-Pro story for Tre’Davious White? Will Tremaine Edmunds finally grab the national spotlight himself? And of course, is Josh Allen a franchise quarterback? Plenty of questions that need answers.

But what about tight end Dawson Knox?

As a rookie, Knox flashed, but he had his struggles, too. Knox is entering his second season in the NFL and has shown he has an ability to play in the pros. But is that as a No. 1 tight end? Or could he be a solid No. 2 option?

If you’re asking ESPN’s Todd McShay, Knox is a soon-to-be strong complement. The draft analyst released his way-too-early 2021 mock draft this week. In it, McShay has the Bills selecting a tight end in the first round.

Using ESPN’s power index, the Bills pick No. 23 overall in McShay’s mock and here’s his explanation for the pick:

23. Buffalo Bills
Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida*

Stefon Diggs gives Josh Allen help outside, but what about the tight end position? Dawson Knox had flashes in his rookie season, but Buffalo still has a long way to go in seeing what it has in its 2019 third-rounder. Even if Knox pans out, adding a versatile matchup piece like Pitts to the mix would be huge. He should continue to get bigger and stronger as a blocker, but his combination of length, speed and route running makes him a first-round talent. Pitts, who led the Gators with 54 catches last season, is the most dangerous seam-stretching tight end in the country.

Right now in August, tight end seems much off the radar for the Bills. In the first round, Buffalo could consider another pass rusher, maybe a cornerback again, or even an offensive lineman? We’ll see how things pan out all the way in April, but under the surface, Knox has to show promise in 2020 if he’s expecting to keep his No. 1 role.

For the foreseeable future, his job is safe. His rookie contract should see him keep a roster spot locked up throughout it. But NFL offenses are no stranger to having a great 1-2 punch at the tight end spot. If Knox doesn’t fix his drop issue next season, he could force the Bills’ hand in looking for that duo approach to the position.

But in regard to Pitts, we’ll have to see exactly where the youthful prospect lands in terms of his future draft stock. He might be way off the board before Buffalo picks in such a scenario like this. Pro Football Focus recently released a 2021 mock draft of their own and Pitts was a top-10 talent in it.

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Players react as potential college football cancellation looms

With the college football season appearing to be in jeopardy, players across the country took to social media to voice their desire to play.

On Sunday night, reports began to surface that the Big 10 university presidents were close to moving to cancel the 2020 fall sports season, including college football. The news came after the Group of Five’s Mid-American Conference announced that it was canceling all fall competition earlier in the day.

With the college football season appearing to be in jeopardy, players across the country took to social media to voice their concerns and desire for a season to be held. It started with Clemson quarterback and projected first-overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft Trevor Lawrence, who posted a series of tweets pointing out that players may be safer at school with the program than some would be at home, if university policy dictated they could no longer be on campus.

Players nationwide followed Lawrence’s lead, posting their support for the “We Want to Play” movement. That list included Florida running back Lorenzo Lingard, who is eligible this season after transferring from Miami, and defensive lineman Kyree Campbell.

Campbell, a senior in 2020, is expected to see a bigger role on the team than he has in the past. If the season were to be canceled, its unclear what the course of action would be in terms of eligibility relief. Though the NCAA is currently allowing players to opt-out of the season and retain their eligibility, its unlikely such a provision could be guaranteed to all players should all competition this year be nixed.

Tight end Kyle Pitts also joined his teammates in voicing his support for a season in the fall on Monday morning.

After news broke late Sunday night that the Big 10 administrators would be having an impromptu meeting to discuss the season, Lawrence posted once again, this time sharing a graphic of joint demands between the “We Are United” movement (started by Pac-12 players to ensure safety standards, compensation and other improvements for student-athletes) and the “We Want to Play” movement. Among the list of demands Lawrence posted was improved open communication between athletes and officials, with the ultimate goal of forming a college football players association.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, currently the projected No. 2 pick in next year’s draft, also tweeted his support for these demands.

On Monday morning, it was reported that at the meeting Sunday night, Big 10 presidents voted 12-2 to cancel the season, with Iowa and Nebraska reportedly being the dissenting votes. Dan Patrick reported Monday that the Pac-12 will follow the Big 10’s lead shortly.

Though the SEC, ACC and Big 12 are currently holding firm and hoping to see how the return of students to campus in the coming weeks, ESPN reported Sunday night that those leagues could be forced into action by decisions from the Big 10 and Pac-12.

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Kyle Pitts, 2 other Gators featured on Draft Wire three-round mock

Here are the predicted landing spots for the three Florida football players expected to go in the first 96 picks of the 2021 NFL Draft.

In a three-round mock draft released by Draft Wire, the Gators had three players represented in the field. After having four players taken in the first three rounds in 2020, Draft Wire still sees a solid number of Gators going early in 2021.

Here are the predicted landing spots for the three players expected to go in the first 96 picks.

NEXT: No. 46 (Second Round) – Tight End Kyle Pitts, Tennessee Titans

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Gators tight end Kyle Pitts named to Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List

Florida tight end Kyle Pitts has been named to the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the best pass-catcher.

Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, who many consider to be the top tight end in the nation heading into the 2020 season, has been named to the preseason watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the best pass-catcher in the country.

Though primarily an award given to wide receivers, any player who catches passes is eligible to win the award, regardless of position.

Pitts is coming off a tremendous sophomore outing in 2019 in which he led the team in receptions with 54 catches and was second on the team with 649 receiving yards. He also caught five touchdowns on the season.

He was often quarterback Kyle Trask’s first look on passing downs, and many analysts expect him to take a massive leap forward in 2020, possibly asserting himself as a first-round quality tight end.

Pitts was one of 55 players named to the watch list, which will get trimmed down to semifinalists on Nov. 16. A week later on Nov. 23, it will be further trimmed until only three finalists remain, with the award set to be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 10. The trophy will be presented at an event at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on March 6, 2021.

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Kyle Pitts the top tight end in 2021 class, per The Athletic

Florida Gators tight end Pitts is expected by many to be one of the top tight ends in the country in 2020 and The Athletic agrees.

UF tight end Kyle Pitts is garnering himself quite a bit of offseason attention. Coming off a stellar sophomore season in which he made 54 catches for 649 yards and five touchdowns, Pitts is expected by many to be one of the top tight ends in the country in 2020.

In an article from The Athletic comparing the nation’s top draft-eligible tight ends, Pitts was ranked in the No. 1 spot. He was praised for his “freak athleticism,” as his agility is comparable to that of a smaller receiver. He was also praised for his route-running, which was on full display in his matchup with LSU corner Derek Stingley Jr., in which he won most of his battles.

However, The Athletic also said he needs to improve on his finishing skills to solidify himself as the top tight end prospect. Pitts drops one of every eight catchable passes, a rate that needs to improve for quarterback Kyle Trask‘s top target. The No. 2 tight end in the class, Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth, drops one of every 16 catchable passes.

Still, Pitts was deemed to have first-round potential and was compared to longtime NFL tight end Jared Cook. If he can work on his consistency and blocking, he has all the physical tools to have a dominant season in 2020.

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2021 Mock Draft sends Cowboys replacements for Jarwin, Clinton-Dix

Skipping right over the 2020 season, see what the 2021 Dallas Cowboys could possibly do in the draft to address a few more needs.

The dust has settled from the 2020 NFL draft but being the NFL is in recess, why not skip right over the 2020 season and look to the 2021 version.

Luke Easterling of the Draft Wire conducted a two-round mock draft recently, identifying the majority of the coming college football season’s watch list. For the mock order, Easterling used 2020 Super Bowl odds , giving Dallas the No. 27 overall pick. This puts them ten spots deeper than they had when they selected Cee Dee Lamb with the No. 17 overall pick just a few months ago. This also puts the Cowboys in the NFC title game, but that’s a discussion for later.

27. Cowboys | Kyle Pitts | TE | Florida

Oct 12, 2019; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts (84) catches a pass over LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (7) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

One can look at this pick in multiple ways. Currently, the Cowboys have tight ends Blake Jarwin, Blake Bell, Dalton Schultz, Sean McKeon, Charlie Taumoepeau and Cole Hikutini on their 2020 roster. By drafting a tight end next year, the mock predicts the tight end depth chart wasn’t strong enough in 2020.

Jarwin goes into this season as the clear cut starter but the group of tight ends behind him clearly don’t stand out in the upcoming season. Taking Pitts with the No. 27 overall also means that he’s coming in to compete for the starting tight end position in 2021.

Jarwin entered 2020 as a restricted free agent, but signed a four-year deal. It is essentially escapable after one season, though, so the team protected themselves should they need to move in a different direction in short order.

59. Dallas Cowboys | Richie Grant | S | UCF

Dec 23, 2019; Tampa, Florida, USA; Central Florida Knights defensive back Richie Grant (27) makes an interception and runs the ball back for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

The Cowboys finally address the safety position via the draft in Round 2. In 2020, the Cowboys selected two cornerbacks in Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson III. They addressed their secondary but felt that the addition of Ha Ha Clinton Dix to Xavier Woods meant safety wasn’t something they needed to focus on.

Drafting Grant here could mean one of a a few things. Both Clinton Dix and Woods are in the final years of their deals.  Even if either resigns for a few years it’s unlikely both would return, opening up the possibility for a young cat like Grant to join the fray,

The 2020 draft could go down as one of the best Dallas has had in quite some time. The 2021 draft could be looked at as a draft class that would fill holes and put the team over the top to continue to compete to get their sixth Super Bowl trophy.

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