Why Kyle Pitts is the next big thing in the NFL

Atlanta Falcons rookie tight end Kyle Pitts is breaking records before he has even stepped foot on an NFL field.

The 20-year-old was picked number four overall by the Falcons at this year’s NFL Draft which is the highest a tight end has ever been drafted at in the history of the league.

This week, Pitts signed for more guaranteed money than any tight end in the NFL. The Falcons gave him a $32.9 million four year deal, which is fully guaranteed.

Kyle Pitts signed for more fully guaranteed money ($32.9M) than any TE in the NFL — that's wild.

— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) June 29, 2021

Let’s illustrate why the six-foot-six, 245 lbs TE is set to be a breakout star in his debut season with the Atlanta Falcons.

Pitts was a star in college

Kyle Pitts spent three seasons playing college ball at Florida. During his final two seasons with the Gators, Pitts was a wrecking ball on offense.

He recorded 97 catches for 1,419 yards and 17 touchdowns. The superstar tight end was named a unanimous All-American and won the John Mackey Award as the most outstanding tight end in college football in 2020.

Pitts showcased great hands with the ability to beat both linebackers and defensive backs, combined with precise route-running.

Unlimited NFL potential

Before this year’s NFL Draft, Kyle Pitts was seen as the best non-QB prospect by many NFL scouts. The Falcons confirmed this by selecting him fourth overall after three rookie quarterbacks had been picked.

Pitts arrives in Atlanta with the potential to immediately make an impact in the league. The Falcons have a new head coach in offensive genius Arthur Smith, who will be licking his lips with the prospect of designing plays for the athletic tight end.

During a recent interview on the Cris Collinsworth Podcast, the Falcons new coach talked about why they drafted Kyle Pitts instead of a quarterback.

“Everything was on the table,” Smith said. “So, we did our due diligence with all of the quarterbacks and everybody who we thought would be available at No. 4, and it is a big decision. It was a very unusual year and there were a lot of quarterbacks, and who knows how the future plays out for all those guys, but just because you’re picking in the top five doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the right quarterback. ... We feel really good about Kyle Pitts and what that does for the future.”

Julio Jones’ departure to the Tennessee Titans opens up more opportunities for Kyle Pitts to get targets in 2021. He joins star wide receiver Calvin Ridley as Matt Ryan’s prime offensive weapons in the upcoming NFL season.

Ridley is only 26 and his combination with Pitts is the future of the Atlanta offense.

Veteran NFL quarterback Matt Ryan will be seeking to make the most of the opportunity to throw passes to the rookie tight end. This may be Ryan’s last season playing for the Falcons and he’s been gifted a potential superstar receiver to work with in 2021.

Pitts got some extra off-season training in, when he attended "Tight End U" to learn from some of the NFL's best tight ends, including George Kittle and Travis Kelce.

Kyle Pitts is learning from Travis Kelce (📹 @NFL) pic.twitter.com/C47aF2w53F

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) June 25, 2021

While there is no such thing as a can't miss prospect in the NFL, Falcons rookie tight end Kyle Pitts is as close as they get.