Former Gators Tight End Kyle Pitts Poised for Big Year in NFL

Former Florida Gators standout Kyle Pitts was the highest tight end ever drafted in the NFL.

When the Atlanta Falcons selected former Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, they made him the highest drafted tight end... ever.

Pitts was coming off a junior season at Florida where he had 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. He put on a show at his pro day. He measured 6-5 5/8 and 245 pounds. He ran a blazing 4.44 forty and had a wingspan that measured 83 3/8". That's 5/8" short of seven feet.

His wingspan was the longest recorded by the NFL in 20 years.

Pitts hit the ground running with Matt Ryan as his quarterback in Atlanta. He was just the second-rookie tight end to post 1,000 yards or more (Mike Ditka being the other), and he made the Pro Bowl.

After that season, the Falcons sent Matt Ryan to Indianapolis. Pitts struggled to find touches with new quarterback Marcus Mariota's limited passing ability, and he was injured.

Pitts battled back from injury last season, but still struggled to find his top form with Desmond Ridder swapping in for Mariota.

Pitts has found a new lease on life in 2024. Head coach Arthur Smith was fired, Ridder was shipped to Arizona, Kirk Cousins was signed, and the Falcons hired Raheem Morris who brought offensive coordinator Zac Robinson with him from the LA Rams.

He'll have a much bigger season if Morris has anything to say about it.

"When you think about Kyle Pitts, you know what he is: big, friendly target that can catch the ball and run. Make the impossible catches in the red zone," said Morris in an interview with Steve Wyche. "There's going to be a plan to use those guys. There's going to be a plan to get those guys all involved... in particularly him.

"He'll be a focal point of what we want to do. We're not going to sit here and give you any outrageous stat or how many times we're going to give him the ball, but he'll certainly be a part of it.

"He is well versed in what he wants to do and how he wants to play, and now he's just getting better and maturing even more since I've even been in the building now."

Despite entering his fourth NFL season, Pitts is still just 23-years old. He has plenty of time to live up to the lofty expectation placed on him when he was drafted as the phenom from the Florida Gators.