ESPN reporter explains why some coaches and scouts don’t think trading up for Kyle Pitts is smart
By Adam Spencer
Published:
One of the top players in the 2021 NFL Draft class is Florida TE Kyle Pitts. He’s considered a can’t-miss prospect, but since the NFL is a QB-driven league, it’ll be interesting to see if teams trade up for him or not.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is reportedly “infatuated” with Pitts, but the Cowboys don’t pick until No. 10 overall.
On NFL Live on ESPN on Tuesday afternoon, ESPN reporter Dianna Russini said some head coaches and scouts around the NFL don’t think it would make sense to trade up for Pitts (via 247Sports):
“In terms of big picture, I reached out to some older head coaches, GMs and one older scout as well over the last two hours, just to get an idea about his value,” Russini said. “Is he worth, perhaps, the Dolphins theoretically trading up, giving up those picks for a player like this? Is he that good? And most of the feedback I got was, ‘yes, he’s a really good player, but I don’t think he’d be worth that.’ We’re not talking about the best tight end to ever come out of a draft. He’s just going to be a good player quickly.
“He’s quickly going to transition from college to the NFL with ease. And really, his ability to play as a receiver, a pass-catcher, that’s what really stood out in some of the conversations I had. So, while I think it’s great that we can sit here all day and sing the praises of him, I think it’d have to be measured of how willing a team would be to go to get a player like Kyle Pitts. And it seems it would probably be a little foolish for the Dolphins to give up that much for a tight end.”
Mel Kiper Jr. has the Miami Dolphins trading up from No. 6 to No. 4 in the first round to pick Pitts. But, it’s clear Russini has talked to some folks around the league who don’t think that would be wise.
We’ll see what happens on Thursday, April 29, in Cleveland!
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
