The Arizona Cardinals have never had a great tight end since their days in St. Louis when they have Hall of Famer Jackie Smith. It is the one position they have never been able to figure out.
And in their current offense, tight end has not been a highly-productive position.
However, one player in the 2021 NFL draft could change that. That would be Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.
NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said in a conference call last month, “I think you can make a strong case he’s the best player in the draft.”
In eight games last season for Florida, he had 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. At 6-6, he has length. He ran the 40 at his pro day in 4.44 seconds.
He was productive.
Almost everyone projects him to be a top-10 pick and he could go in the top five.
“I just watched all these corners, and I’m watching these corners
with first, second, third-round draft grades in the SEC and they can’t cover the guy,” Jeremiah said. “You split them out, and I think if he was just in this draft as an X receiver, he’s a top-10 or -15 pick if you’ve never even watched him put his hand in the ground. At that size, to be able to get in and out like he does is pretty rare, to turn guys inside out.”
Adding Pitts to a pass-catching group that includes DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green and Christian Kirk would be deadly.
“The defense can’t be right against him no matter what you do, Jeremiah continued. “You put big guys out there he’s going to run away from them. You put small guys out there he’s just going to pluck the ball off their heads. That to me is what makes him special.”
He will most certainly be long gone when the Cardinals make their pick at No. 16 overall.
This is why, if there is a player worth trading up for, Pitts is the guy.
The Cardinals are trying to win a championship before quarterback Kyler Murray’s contract becomes an issue.
Pitts would give the Cardinals yet another dynamic weapon to expand the passing game.
We see how the Kansas City Chiefs offense is so hard to defend with a player like Travis Kelce. Pitts can do the same thing.
Will the Cardinals trade up? It isn’t likely, but if there were a player worth the price, Pitts is the guy this year.
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