Welcome back on another episode in my magical journey of the "Kyle Pitts is a Generational Player Tour." Since we last spoke, it seemed like the Eagles were in a prime position to draft the former Florida Gator. However, Howie Roseman has decided to rip Kyle Pitts out of my heart and traded back to 12. If the 11 GM's ahead of the Eagles are smart, Pitts will not be there when the Eagles pick. I do not expect him to fall, but if the stars aline and he falls for some crazy reason, I absolutely would love for the Eagles to take him.
Since the chances of the Eagles drafting Kyle Pitts are no longer in my favor, I need to change the direction of my journey. I am now moving it to why he is the best WR in this draft. I keep hearing an incorrect narrative surrounding Kyle Pitts. I keep hearing, "he is just another TE." This statement is so far from the truth. There is no question Pitts is the TE1 in this draft. However, I view him more as WR who has the capability to block. Let's take a dive into why Pitts should start to be considered one of the best WR's in this draft.
Before I continue I want to make a point. In no ways am I bashing LSU WR Ja'Marr Chase. If Pitts is my WR1, Chase is easily WR1a. I feel both of these players are going to be elite and generational players. I am just trying to bring awareness to how good Pitts actually is.
Measurements
Kyle Pitts is a very big man, but there has been some uncertainty on his measurements. Lets take a look at what he measured in at:
I really want to focus on his wingspan. He has always used his wingspan to his advantage. Kyle Trask's biggest issue was his accuracy. Pitts' long wingspan helped him catch those overthrown balls with ease. Check out an example against Texas A&M!
Kyle Pitts' 83 3/8" wingspan is longer than any TE or WR in the NFL breaking DK Metcalf's record. Still think he is just another TE?
For a player of his size, these numbers are insane. I know Ja'Marr Chase performed better in every single one of these areas, but neither player is built the same. Chase relies on his speed while Pitts relies on his size. Pitts uses a combination of size and speed to be so dominant.
Running a 4.4 40 yard dash is inane for someone who is almost 250 lbs. This helps him in the physicality of 50/50 balls.
Check this play out against Ole Miss. His size is too big for the Ole Miss defenders. Not to say Chase would not catch this, but these are the type of plays that will make a 50/50 play become 80/20 for Pitts!
Coach Mullen on Kyle Pitts
During the press conference Coach Mullen took to the podium. When Mullen was hired at Florida in 2018, he said one of his first tasks was making sure Pitts remained a Florida recruit. We have always seen when a coach is fired, many recruits will reopen their recruitment, Pitts opted to stay at Florida and the rest was history.
I asked Coach Mullen, what about Kyle Pitts' game that makes him such an elite talent. Take a look at what Coach had to say about his TE!
Coach Mullen reiterated everything I have been saying. Kyle Pitts is a mismatch nightmare for an NFL defense. Coach also said something I have been trying to prove; "He's an elite tight end, and he's an elite wide receiver."
My favorite analogy and comparison for Kyle Pitts is when Coach Mullen referred to Kyle Pitts as a unicorn. A unicorn is very rare and Kyle Pitts is a rare talent. We have not seen a player like this in a long time.
Mismatch Nightmare
This is where Kyle Pitts and Ja'Marr Chase's style of play differentiate. There is no question that both of these guys are elite pass catchers. Chase uses his speed to his advantage. He is so quick off the snap and his lateral quickness is 2nd to none. Pitts' relies on his size. By using his insane size, Kyle Pitts has become a mismatch nightmare for defenders.
Watch this play against Georgia. He does a great job at proving a lot of my points. He is too quick for a defender, he is to big for the defender, and Kyle Trask has accuracy issues but Pitts wingspan helps bring the ball in.
This entire play against Kentucky is phenomenal. Pitts shows off his speed and lateral quickness. The linebacker has a zero chance of stopping Pitts.
A man at his size should not be this quick. If you were to tell me he was a WR from that route, I would believe you.
Kyle Pitts' Press Conference
Unfortunately I was unable to get a question in with Pitts. If you have been following along or know me, you know how badly I wanted to get a question in with him. However, I got to hear from his college coach who reiterated everything I have been arguing.
There was one thing that really stood out to me during his press conference. Someone asked if any team ever asked him to switch from TE to WR. He plays more like a WR than a TE, there is no doubt about that. Pitts said no team has asked or mentioned anything similar to that idea. He did say many teams said they would want to use him in different roles for the team. Pitts would not go into any more details on that. This is good information to know. It will be great to see him used in many different roles. He is an elite pass catcher and a big blocker for an offensive line.
Last video I wanted to share. His ability to distract a defense from his simple presence is insane. He really makes everyone on the field better!
Missouri was running with one safety deep in this play, while Kyle Pitts is lined up as a blocker. If you are new here, I bet you won't guess what Pitts is about to do. When Pitts runs out for a route, the lone safety realizes the mismatch and also realizes "oh boy Kyle Pitts is about to Moss one of our guys." The safety makes a quick step to Pitts, but then quickly realized Pitts isn't the target in this play. The play was designed to use Pitts as a distraction and there is a wide open receiver on the opposite side of the field.
Final Thoughts
Kyle Pitts is an elite player in this draft. After all of his measurements and times today, that just helped prove my point. He is just built so much different for a player at his position. The narrative of he's just another TE is wrong. I am not sure what else to say about that comment after his day today. Just another TE would not measure in at those numbers and would not play like that on the field as well.
Writing this still hurts knowing the Eagles basically traded him away. However, life must move on and so should my quest to prove to the world that Kyle Pitts is the best pass catcher in this draft. I hope to see some returning faces on this journey and as always I welcome new members on this journey!