Local Sports Talk Show Debates Lions Drafting TE Kyle Pitts

Florida tight end Kyle Pitts is already drawing comparisons to former Detroit Lions star wideout Calvin Johnson.

The 20-year-old recorded 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games for Florida last season.

Standing at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, Pitts has been regularly finding his way inside the top 10 of several mock drafts.

Most NFL draft analysts believe Pitts is among the best tight end prospects the NFL has seen in the past decade.

"Pitts has a chance to be a generational talent and a relentless nightmare for opposing defenses," NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in a recent mock draft.

Could the Lions look to the talented tight end with the No. 7 overall pick this year?

On Monday, one local Detroit radio show debated whether or not Pitts should be the Lions' first-round pick.

"He's just a weapon," Doug Karsch of 97.1 The Ticket (WXYT-FM) explained. "You're getting an offensive weapon who's going to play not just tight end. You're looking for a versatile tight end -- a guy that will line up in the slot, line up outside, maybe more. He's like Calvin (Johnson). I felt like that has started to gain a little bit of momentum."

The debate then turned to the position Pitts would play if he were to be drafted by Detroit.

According to Karsch, the decision to select Pitts would be viewed more favorably if he were to be utilized as more of a wide receiver than tight end.

Recall, Detroit has invested heavily in the tight end position in the past, using the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to select T.J. Hockenson.

Pairing Pitts with Hockenson might be viewed by the Lions as an opportunity that they can't pass up.

With new Detroit quarterback Jared Goff looking for more weapons, Pitts may be a prospect that starts to grab the attention of Lions general manager Brad Holmes and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn.

More from SI All Lions:

NFL Analyst Explains How Lions Can Go from Worst-to-First in 2021

All Lions Mailbag: Best Available or Defense in Draft?

Roundtable: How Big of a Downgrade Is Jared Goff from Matthew Stafford?

How Jared Goff Impacts the Detroit Lions' Salary Cap

Lions Select Trey Lance in Birkett's First Mock Draft

Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DetroitPodcast.

Add us as a preferred source on Google