Falcons Camp: Pitts Reveals 'Welcome to the NFL' Moment

There are big expectations for rookie Kyle Pitts as the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history. Pitts is meeting those in part in training camp due to his ability to line up all over the field for the Atlanta Falcons.

Pitts said the key to grasping the offense was simple: hard work.

"Mentally, just having to lock in, when the day is over, spend time with my playbook and make sure I know my assignment," said Pitts.

READ MORE: Atlanta Falcons Depth Chart

QB Matt Ryan and the staff know what a weapon Pitts can be this season if he acclimates to the team and to the league quickly. They're doing all they can to get him ready for the September 12 opener against Philadelphia.

Said Pitts: "They're all on the same page. Matt is telling me from a player's standpoint where he may put the ball. The coaches are telling me from a technical standpoint. Just being able to put those two together and perform."

With the expectations placed on him, Pitts is doing a good job of keeping focused and shutting out the noise.

"My expectation is just come out and be the best player I can be every day,'' he said. I don't really like to listen to the outside noise or let it get to me. It's just something I kind of block out and hone in on myself."

In today's digital age, it's not easy for a rookie to unplug, but Pitts has found it makes his job easier.

"I think it took time to learn,'' he said. "Just to be able to read what you need to read and don't worry about other things. We have different things going on in the building, so just worry about what's going on in the building."

Pitts is one of the most physically-gifted players in the NFL before he takes his first snap. But even Pitts has to adjust to the speed of the pro game.

Said Pitts: "From high school, then you get to college it's fast. It's just a step faster every level. You have to play very fast and be attentive."

Asked how quickly it took him to realize the speed of the game increase, Pitts said it didn't take him long. The Falcons' first practices were the organized team activities (OTAs) in May shortly after he was drafted.

Said Pitts: "I would say OTAs. From then on I was like 'all right, everybody's fast'. You have to show your speed every play. When the D-linemen are running as fast as some of the linebackers, that was kind of 'welcome to the NFL' just seeing how everybody is fast and running to the ball."

Pitts ran a 4.44 40 at his pro day. Fast for a wide receiver, and elite for a 6-6 and 245-pound tight end. It's not just his straight-line speed, though. He is a fluid pass-catcher with better range that a player like Vernon Davis, who was the sixth-overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Davis ran a 4.38 40 before the draft, with a 42-inch vertical, but at 6-3 and 254 pounds, he was built more like a linebacker. Davis had a good NFL career, but if Pitts only makes two Pro Bowls, it will be considered a bit of a disappointment when his career is over.

His "welcome'' moments? There will be more of those. But Kyle Pitts seems ready.