With the 2021 NFL Draft just under two months away, it’s time to start taking a look at individual prospects that could be on the Philadelphia Eagles radar. With the No. 6 overall pick, essentially every top prospect not named Trevor Lawrence will be in play.
First on the list of this year’s draft profiles is Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts is one of those prospects that’s only going to get more popular as we approach the draft. While he’s listed as a tight end, he’s really just a pass catching weapon that can be utilized in a multitude of ways.
Not only is Pitts the clear-cut No. 1 tight end prospect entering the 2021 NFL Draft, you could argue he’s a top-5 wide receiver as well. His potential in an NFL offense is sky high.
The Philadelphia native attended Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, where he played both tight end and defensive end. He committed to Florida in 2018 to play tight end for the Gators and never looked back.
Entering his sophomore campaign, Pitts earned the starting job and put up some impressive numbers. In 2019, he hauled in 54 receptions for 649 yards and five touchdowns, as he became a focal point of Florida’s offensive attack.
The following season, Pitts was the most effective tight end in the country. While his reception numbers dropped from 54 in ’19 to 43 in 2020, his yards per catch increased by nearly six yards (17.9) and his total yardage shot up by over 100 (770).
The most impressive feat of his final year at Florida was his ability to find the end zone. In eight games, Pitts hauled in 12 touchdown receptions, tied for the most by any tight end in the country with BYU’s Isaac Rex.
How does Pitts fit into the Eagles offense?
The Eagles already have a very good tight end in Dallas Goedert, but with the imminent departure of Zach Ertz, the team will have a hole to fill at the second tight end spot.
Despite the coaching change this offseason, the heavy reliance on two tight end sets shouldn’t change under Nick Sirianni. The Colts used three tight ends in 2020 and all of them found the end zone at least twice. Sirianni is going to try to exploit matchups anyway he can, and having two tight ends like Geodert and Pitts would cause matchup nightmares for every opposing defense.
Although Pitts is prominently known for his receiving ability, his development as an inline blocker this past season grew his draft stock even more. Both he and Geodert can line up all over the formation, which is exactly what Sirianni would like to have in his offense.
Can the Eagles really afford to take a TE this high?
Simply put, no, they can’t. The Eagles just have too many needs to address right now, and taking a tight end when you already have a solid starter would be malpractice from Howie Roseman. But it does sound like a move Howie would make, doesn’t it?
First and foremost, the team needs to figure out who their starting quarterback is going to be. In a draft chock full of good QB prospects, the Eagles picked a good time in this position. That’s the overly optimistic way of looking at it.
Aside from QB, the team could use a pass rusher, obviously could use another wide receiver, and could/should take the best corner on the board at 6 if they choose to go that route. Each of those positions hold more value than tight end.
Pitts is a helluva prospect — perhaps the best tight end to enter the draft this past decade. But he shouldn’t be on the Eagles radar.
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