By Adam Aniba
Draft Prospect Spotlight; Kyle Pitts
In some ways Washington exceeded expectations in the passing game in 2020. After starting 4 different quarterbacks and a slew of receivers opposite Terry McLaurin, they generated enough offense to stay competitive in many of their games. After signing journeymen and former college quarterback, Logan Thomas, Washington passed on drafting the position altogether in the draft. Fans were left scratching their heads and wondering if the coaches saw something in Thomas that most others teams didn't. The results were undeniable after Thomas finished the season 2nd on the team with 72 rec for 670 and 6 td's in his first season under Ron Rivera. Thomas found the team that believed in him and was willing to put in the work to develop the former VA Tech signal caller.
Another former HS quarterback made his conversion to tight end when he arrived to the University of Florida and should be on Washington's radar for the 2021 NFL Draft. Kyle Pitts is the rare ultra-athletic "F" pass catching tight end that can be moved all over the field, but is good enough to be an in-line blocker on run downs.
Kyle Pitts
Top 15 Grade | WR | Univ of Florida
Height: 6-foot-5 5/8"
Weight: 245 pounds
Wingspan: 83 3/8"
Arm: 33 1/2"
Hand: 10 5/8"
Career Stats 100 rec 1,492 on 18 td's and 14.9 ypr average (3 seasons 24 total games)
2020 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns 17.9 ypr average
*Updated Pro Day Numbers**
40-yard dash (best time): 4.44 seconds
Vertical jump: 33 1/2"
Broad jump 129"
Short shuttle: 4.3
3-cone: 7.12
Bench: 22
Awards and Accolades
* 2020 First Team All-American selected by the Associated Press, Walter Camp Football Foundation, Sporting News, the FWAA and the AFCA.
* 2020 John Mackey Award for Nations Top TE
* 2020 Nominated for the Biletnikoff Award, which recognizes the college football season’s outstanding FBS receiver regardless of position. He’s the first tight end ever to be a finalist for the award.
Tale of the Tape
* Red-Zone matchup nightmare
* FAST- Likely runs in the 4.5 sec range at the UF pro day
* Rarely caught from behind in the open field
* Tremendous catch radius with long arms/hands
* Willing and above average blocker who utilizes his reach advantage & upper body strength to gain leverage. Has a high ceiling to grow in this department
* Is a YAC monster who often requires multiple defenders to bring him down
Fit in Washington
Some fans believe tight end is low on the list of needs , which simply isn't true! After Logan Thomas, depth is is nonexistent. Adding a prospect like Kyle Pitts not only improves depth, but more importantly, adds a dynamic and versatile weapon to the mix that offensive coordinators will have to game plan for. Thomas showed how valuable a pass catching tight end can be in Turner's system, but imagine the possibilities with the NFC East trying to game plan for both, while McLaurin is running down field. It might be presumptuous to think Pitts will be available when Washington's 1st round pick rolls around at #19, but a few reaches within the top 10 could result in a blue chip prospect like Pitts falling.
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*Draft grades cross referenced with TDN grades