2021 Dolphins Draft Prospect: Tight end Kyle Pitts -

The Miami Dolphins have the No. 6 and No. 18 overall picks in this year’s NFL Draft, and with two picks so close to one another the team has the potential to grab a lot of talent off the board.

The Dolphins also lack a number of reliable receivers and offensive playmakers. With that said, tight end Kyle Pitts out of the University of Florida would be a good fit for the team with that No. 6 overall pick.

Kyle Pitts, Tight end, University of Florida
PC: CBSSports

Name: Kyle Pitts

Position: Tight end

School: University of Florida

Height: 6’ 6”

Weight: 246 LBS

Pitts was a standout TE for the University of Florida who is expected to go in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. The six-foot-six, 246-pound, 20-year-old spent three years as a Gator where he caught an even 100 balls for 1,492 yards and 18 touchdowns.

After a slow freshman year of only 73 yards and a single TD from just three receptions, Pitts caught 97 balls over two years for 1,419 yards and 17 scores.

During his time at Florida, Pitts was named a unanimous All-American due to his exemplary play on the field. Pitts also earned the John Mackey Award in 2020 which is presented to the most outstanding TE in all of college football.

Pitts Comes Into NFL Draft as “One of Best Available Athletes”

With so much to show for such a short college career and an unofficial 4.44-second forty-yard dash on his NFL Pro Day, Pitts is likely going to be one of the best available athletes in this year’s draft.

He earned himself a 7.19 prospect grade which is considered a Pro Bowl talent per the NFL’s grading system. It is also the second-highest rating of any player in this year’s draft and the third-highest rating in the last three drafts. He sits only behind former University of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence who has a 7.40 prospect grade and is a declaree this year, as well as former Ohio State University and now Washington Football Team defensive end Chase Young, who will be entering his second season in the NFL, who had a 7.37 prospect grade.

Prospect grades are ratings given to players anywhere between 5.0-8.0 and measured with the assumption of the player having enough talent to make it to a training camp and that of a perfect prospect.

Size, Athleticism Makes Pitts Comparable to Vernon Davis, Darren Waller

Pitts’ size and athleticism give him abilities similar to that of a wide receiver, and as a TE that usually puts him ahead of his defender based on his matchups. He also shows excellent body control and tremendous focus when making contested catches. Pitts’ size also plays a factor in those contested catches as he usually is able to go toe-to-toe with his defender or is larger. He has even been compared to NFL TEs Vernon Davis and Darren Waller.

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No player on the Dolphins was on the receiving end of more than 800 yards and only two players went for more than 400. The team was also subpar in their rushing attack, struggling to keep a consistent back again during 2020-21, so it’s fair to say that anything would help at this point.

Pitts: Must Improve Blocking

However, Pitts could improve when it comes to blocking.

He tends to get lost as a lead blocker and lacks the core strength to consistently hold off defensive lineman. Pitts also doesn’t perform many route fakes to throw defenders off his trail, instead relying on his size to out-man them for the ball.

His lack of blocking ability against larger players does present the potential problem of him having to be worked into a wideout spot where his impeccable TE speed would then not look as good when having to compete with that of NFL-caliber cornerbacks and safeties.

Seeing the production the Dolphins failed to produce in their receiving game for the last few seasons, it’s clear to say that they could use almost any sort of offensive explosion and the athletic TE would bring just that to the team. Pitts would be able to learn better blocking habits at the professional level to better his all-around game as well, so Miami shouldn’t shy away from him because of that needed learning curve.

If he were to improve his blocking ability and become a stronger blocking TE, Pitts could easily use his speed to burn NFL linebackers and harder-hitting safeties pinned against him in coverage.

Florida Star Could Be First TE Selected in Top-Five Since 1970

Pitts’ numbers and abilities make him a possible candidate to even be the first TE selected within the first five picks of the NFL draft for the first time since 1970 before he reaches Miami “on the clock”. But if he’s still there when the Dolphins select, head coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier will have a real decision on their hands.

– Christian Chappell is a Sports Contributor for Full Press Coverage Miami Dolphins. Like and follow on Follow @cmoneypc Follow @FPC_Dolphins and Facebook.