Kyle Pitts Is A Difference Maker (Trade)

[tyke1doe]

Most of what makes him great are things like tracking the ball in the air, body control, fantastic hands, and just flat out football instincts. It really isn’t his physical attributes that make him great, although they help. It is just how he plays football. He is a really, really good football player.

It is why people who compare him to past super athletic TE’s are wrong for doing so. Ebron, OJ Howard, Engram, Vernon Davis, etc. all were very physically talented TE prospects but they weren’t nearly as talented at actually playing football.

NFL Network televised his pro day last week and the reporter that was there (Kim Jones) said that one team’s lead scout who had been doing it for 30 years said that in all of his years scouting he never saw any player that could track the ball in the air as well as Pitts. He just uses that ability along with that 6’6” frame to put himself in the right place, in the right position to catch the ball. It’s almost like a knack that great WR’s have.

When he is tracking the ball in the air, adjusting his body to make the catch and then extending those super soft hands, there are a couple of players that he reminds me of. One is Randy Moss. The way that he finds the ball so effortlessly and high points it, playing well above the defenders is very reminiscent of how Moss looked doing it in his career. When you’re 6’6” tall with an almost 84 inch wingspan and 11” hands - if you have a knack for finding the ball and high pointing it - the guy(s) covering you are in a world of trouble.

Even when running with the ball he shows natural instincts. He intuitively understands leverage and angles. I’ve seen him catch a ball and turn upfield running and then reach back and stiff arm the guy chasing him, all in one fluid motion. It usually gives him a ton of extra yards because that little push in the facemask is just enough to give a few feet of separation, which is usually enough for him to go a long, long way.

That sounds simple enough but very few guys do it and it is something that Pitts probably does without ever being coached to do. It is just football instincts.

I guess the best way to put it is what I’ve already said: He just a great football player. He wins his matchups so often because of what goes on between his ears as much as because of his extreme physical gifts.

Put all of his inherent football skills with rare physical traits and what you have is a devastatingly effective guy at catching the ball and running with it.

As for his blocking, it is adequate enough where he shouldn’t be a liability. I think it was Scott Pioli who said the other day that Pitts gives really good effort on his blocking and that if you can get the effort, they can be just fine at blocking.

If the offense goes to a 12 package (two TE package) it would put the defense in a bind. It is technically a two TE set, which defenses traditionally counter with a heavy package. However, it would be Cooper, Lamb, Pitts, and Jarwin, which is really last year’s 11 package except for switching Pitts for Gallup. That is most definitely a threat in the passing game.

If the defense does go heavy against that set, then pass the ball. Those 3 receivers would then create huge mismatches. If they decide to play the 12 set with a nickel (or even dime) sub package, which would probably be the smart thing to do... then Dallas can run the ball with Elliott and have the defense at a disadvantage.

It should only serve to help the run game. It certainly wouldn’t hurt the teams chances at running the ball.

His impact in the red zone is pretty much just what you’d expect from a 6’6” guy that plays above the rim.

Translation: There's NO WAY Pitts makes it to Dallas and pick #10.

There, I saved you some words.

 

[tyke1doe]

Not getting past Miami.

I think that is who Miami is targeting and hopes is on the board, although the Dolphins likely calculated they'd get either Pitts, Chase or Smith, with an outside possibility in Sewell.

What I think will be interesting is if Atlanta passes on Pitts to take a quarterback or an offensive lineman.

Then Cincinnati's pick because premium, as teams will likely try to move up to the Bengal's spot to snag Pitts.

But the Dolphins have more draft ammunition to swap spots with Cincinnati and select Pitts, leaving the Bengals looking at Sewell, Chase or Slater.

 

[Rockport]

A few things before I start:

Yes, I know it’s a long post. I apologize in advance.

Yes, I have been wrong about prospects plenty of times before like everyone else. This is how I feel about Pitts though and right or wrong, I feel more strongly about his potential than just about every other prospect in this or other drafts.

Yes, it is another Pitts thread. It is my first and likely last - unless he’s drafted here.

_______________


Prior to the 2014 NFL Draft, anyone who spent much time in the draft zone knows that I was pushing for Dallas to choose Aaron Donald with their first round pick. I started campaigning for him when he was still considered a “too small” DT and was projected to go in the second round. Then he blew up the senior bowl practices, blew up the combine, and then blew away team executives in interviews and - as I feared - blew up the Cowboys (16th pick) chances of getting him without a trade up.

Speaking for myself, rarely do I really dig into a prospect and it be crystal clear that he’s going to be a great player. With Donald, I felt with a certainty that he was going to be a difference making defender and thought that the Cowboys should do whatever is necessary to get him. So I proposed that they make a small trade up to insure that they got a guy that I felt was sure to be great with their pick. They didn’t, and while I love Zack Martin, it was an opportunity to get a hall of fame player for what would probably have been a third round pick value.

Looking back at third round guys recently (JJ Wilcox, Terrence Williams, Malik Collins) that certainly no longer seems too steep a price to pay for Aaron Donald.

Fast Forward to April 2018. In all the drafts since 2014, the only guy who I felt similarly about was Quentin Nelson the ND Guard. That was it. None in 2015, 2016, or 2017 made me think they were sure things.

I didn’t quite feel like Nelson was going to be quite as good as Donald, but I had great confidence that he was quickly going to be among the best in the league on the OL. Dallas had a good OL and needed help elsewhere, and picking 19th, they were just too far from where Nelson would be drafted (6 overall)... so I didn’t spend any time pushing for Dallas to move up for him. However, had Dallas been in the top 10, I would have felt like he would be worth trying to move up to get. Had that actually happened, they would have had Nelson at LG and not had to use their second round pick on Connor Williams.

Nelson would have changed the entire complexion of the OL in the last three years. He’s that good. And really, that shows my feelings about getting great talent when you can. Nelson is a difference maker on the OL. He is incredibly valuable to that Indy OL and is worth way more than an extra second or third to move up for had Dallas been in range. His addition in Indy changed that entire OL and really their entire offense. One super talented guy can do that.

Real difference makers are rare, exceedingly valuable, and change teams fortunes.

Now, in 2021, I feel similarly about Kyle Pitts. I feel like a I did about Nelson and Donald. I think the guy is going to be absolutely great in the NFL and like Donald/Nelson, I think he’s going to be a game changing, team altering presence in the NFL. These guys are rare and are beyond valuable to whichever franchise is able to get them.

So, needless to say, if he slides to 10, I feel like he should be the pick.

However, feeling like he’s going to be a game changing, hall of fame type player, do I feel like they should move up for him? In a word: Yes. If they view him in a similar way as I do - meaning potential HOF player - then they absolutely should look into it.

The odds are long because the Cowboys absolutely value their draft capital, and they hate parting with higher round picks. Plus, they have many needs on defense and it is difficult to sell using two premium picks on offense when the defense needs help badly.

I do have a suggested trade though.

When people talk about getting Pitts at 10, many of them say that he’s too talented to pass on but if they draft him, Michael Gallup should be traded. This makes sense because he would be fourth in a list of guys catching balls, despite being a really good player.

So, I propose that:

If Pitts slides to Detroit at 7 Dallas should call them and offer the 10th pick and Michael Gallup for their 7th overall.

Atlanta at 4 is too high so we’d have to hope they take a QB, and I think Cincy will go Sewell and Miami will take Chase.

This might work because Detroit needs WR’s in a bad way because they just lost Kenny Golliday and Marvin Jones and Gallup is a good, no nonsense WR that would probably fit nicely into what Dan Campbell is trying to build there, and they’re likely to be targeting WR with that 7th pick. Plus, they only move back 3 spots in the draft order. Having just spent a top 10 pick on TE TJ Hockenson, I doubt they’d go Pitts anyway.

It is a solid deal for Atlanta and one they might take. They get a good WR and they still have 10 overall to add a very good player.

For Dallas, they get a player that has a chance to be a real difference maker, they lose no more draft picks, and you basically trade the player that Pitts would be replacing anyway.

It is, IMO better than giving up any more picks in a draft where defensive help is so needed, and Dallas gets one of only 3 guys that I’ve felt this way about in the draft. I think that I’d do it and be thrilled with a draft that would still give the defense a lot of help and provide a guy that is as special as I think Pitts is.

If we don’t trade up for him, I’m pretty sure someone else will. He won’t slide to 10 IMO.

So there it is. I know a lot of guys will disagree but I feel strongly that this would be very good for Dallas.

Fans like to go for flash. Fans are almost always wrong.

 

[Flamma]

They just spent a top 10 pick on TJ Hockenson, so I don’t think they’re looking to replace him yet. I think they had an issue with Golliday more than just not wanting to spend the money, although I’m not sure about that. Gallup has one more cheap season and if he plays well enough in Detroit to command that sort of money, that would be a very good thing for the Lions.

They need a WR badly. So they could have a good WR in Gallup and then have a pick 3 spots later to add another WR or a guy like Parsons or Surtain. I don’t think the Lions would have problem with that trade. They could fill 2 spots with it instead of just getting yet another top 10 TE.

But I certainly could be wrong and they could take Pitts.

Ok, forget Pitts for a second, Detroit would be in position to draft a top end WR in either Chase, Smith, or Waddle. If you were Detroit, would you draft one of them or trade for Gallup? They could probably get both in a trade like that, but I'm not sure they want that.

Yes Gallup has one more cheap year left. But if Detroit was to trade for him they would extend him this year. Not wait until he plays out his last season like the Cowboys do. Most teams aren't that stupid. Either way he has to play out the cheap year.

 

[ErikWilliamsHeadSlap]

I think Atlanta trades out. Someone will make a good enough offer to come up and get a QB. When that happens, Carolina then trades up with the Bengals. Miami is the real dangers here. But turning down Chase will take some doing. Cincy are making a mistake if they dont take OT. The Lions most likely dont take Pitts. Neither will Denver. That leaves a team trading up or Miami. Unless Denver is the team trading up with Atlanta in to the top 5.

I wouldn't make the trade up for that reason. If he is there at 10, he is there. Then Moore and Quinn can make their case. We really shouldn't be able to screw this pick up if we stay put. No trade up. No trade down.

 

[Avery]

I think that is who Miami is targeting and hopes is on the board, although the Dolphins likely calculated they'd get either Pitts, Chase or Smith, with an outside possibility in Sewell.

What I think will be interesting is if Atlanta passes on Pitts to take a quarterback or an offensive lineman.

Then Cincinnati's pick because premium, as teams will likely try to move up to the Bengal's spot to snag Pitts.

But the Dolphins have more draft ammunition to swap spots with Cincinnati and select Pitts, leaving the Bengals looking at Sewell, Chase or Slater.

MIA could take a good wideout at the top of round two like Toney, Marshall, Bateman. They’ve got a ton of options.

 

[CATCH17]

Yeah, if they can’t get Pitts, then they can’t get him... and Dallas will still have a lot of picks to improve the team and they still have Gallup, who is a really good 3rd WR.

So, it’s not like it will be that terrible if Pitts goes elsewhere. I just see a chance to add a player that very well could be in the rarefied air that superstars inhabit and those guys are few and far between.

If the team sees him similarly to how I do (and we don’t know that they do), then I hope that they try to figure out a way to make it happen. Jimmy Johnson would.

Yep.. I’m there at this point.

We’re not a Super Bowl contender anyway.. Just draft Pitts and figure the rest out later.

We’ll have potentially the biggest mismatches in the NFL if he turns out.

Quinn supposedly just wants to play cover 3 anyways so it’s not like we just have to have a stud corner.

 

[CATCH17]

I think Atlanta trades out. Someone will make a good enough offer to come up and get a QB. When that happens, Carolina then trades up with the Bengals. Miami is the real dangers here. But turning down Chase will take some doing. Cincy are making a mistake if they dont take OT. The Lions most likely dont take Pitts. Neither will Denver. That leaves a team trading up or Miami. Unless Denver is the team trading up with Atlanta in to the top 5.

I wouldn't make the trade up for that reason. If he is there at 10, he is there. Then Moore and Quinn can make their case. We really shouldn't be able to screw this pick up if we stay put. No trade up. No trade down.

I think Atlanta takes Fields if he is there.

 

[CATCH17]

I don't think that Gallup alone gets it done either. I think Lamb would get it done because he's cheap and definitely a WR1. Would you be willing to give up Ceedee to get Pitts? I wouldn't but you know more about Pitts than I do

No..

I would’ve gave up Lamb for Trevor Lawrence and that’s about it. Unfortunately that ship has sailed and we are stuck with an overpaid QB so getting him a monster like Pitts would be great.

 

[805BoysInBlue]

Atlanta is going to pick him(more than likely). They've met him like 4 or 5 times so far.

 

[DoctorChicken]

I agree with everything you said. Pitts is a special talent.

During the annual forum draft in 2014, I was drafting for the Cowboys and took Donald in the first. A lot of users here told me it was a reach.

 

[Bigdog]

I liked Donald when he was coming out but knew he would not get to us when we picked. The other guy was Revis, CB that went to the Jets.

 

[Hardline]

Pitts will be the first non QB off the board.
And if what I am hearing from the Jets and Darnold. Pitts could be in play at #2.

 

[Daygoboy6191]

I did a Kyle Pitts mock draft that would be awesome although highly unlikely.

 

[kskboys]

Ok, forget Pitts for a second, Detroit would be in position to draft a top end WR in either Chase, Smith, or Waddle. If you were Detroit, would you draft one of them or trade for Gallup? They could probably get both in a trade like that, but I'm not sure they want that.

Yes Gallup has one more cheap year left. But if Detroit was to trade for him they would extend him this year. Not wait until he plays out his last season like the Cowboys do. Most teams aren't that stupid. Either way he has to play out the cheap year.

DET's rebuilding. Highly unlikely they trade for a big salary coming up.

 

[Daygoboy6191]

DET's rebuilding. Highly unlikely they trade for a big salary coming up.

mid im Detroit I’m trying to move back. They have a lot of holes on that team.
Add the picks from the Rams and a trade you can make on draft night to speed up the process.

 

[AsthmaField]

I don't think that Gallup alone gets it done either. I think Lamb would get it done because he's cheap and definitely a WR1. Would you be willing to give up Ceedee to get Pitts? I wouldn't but you know more about Pitts than I do

No probably not because I see Lamb as a top 10 pick himself, though not quite Pitts.

I’d rather have Lamb, Gallup and Pick 10.

 

[AsthmaField]

No one is trading top draft capital for Gallup. He’s a very good but not pro bowl WR in the last year of his deal. You can find guys like him every year in the first 3 rounds.

Gallup and #10 does not get it done imo, probably have to add in one of our 3rd’s or 4th.

They would be trading 7 for Gallup and pick 10. They could have 2 players like that instead of just 1. They’re rebuilding and Gallup is a good receiver. Filling a hole with him and then still taking Parsons or Surtain is way different than just trading pick 7 for Gallup.

Nut you could be right and they want more. Then you say no thanks.

 

[AsthmaField]

We aren’t the only fan base drooling over the prospect. I don’t think he makes it out of the top 5. Trading up in the top 10, is very costly and will cost more then Gallup, probably have to give up 44 at the very least. This team is loaded on offense and they desperately need talent on the other side of the ball. If Pitts somehow makes it to 10, you hand in the card, but trading up for him makes little sense in my opinion.

Well, we already have a top 10 pick, so we wouldn’t be trading very far up. Still you could be right that they’d want more. If they did, then you say thanks b8t no thanks, and take Surtain or Horn at 10.

Getting a good WR like Gallup and then still having a top 10 might be attractive to a rebuilding team that need way more than just a WR.

Anyway, Pitts probably doesn’t last until the 7th pick, making this a moot point.

 

[ThreeandOut]

They would be trading 7 for Gallup and pick 10. They could have 2 players like that instead of just 1. They’re rebuilding and Gallup is a good receiver. Filling a hole with him and then still taking Parsons or Surtain is way different than just trading pick 7 for Gallup.

Would you be willing to trade pick 10, Gallup and the compensatory 3rd round pick if Gallup wouldn't be enough?