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Losing a player of Julio Jones' caliber is never easy to recover from, but the Atlanta Falcons' selection of Kyle Pitts in the 2021 NFL Draft could ease the pain.
Coming into the draft, Pitts was largely thought of as a generational tight end talent. Pitts was dubbed by NFL scouts as a tight end with wide receiver skills.
His potential as a pass-catcher is so high that many believe his skills in the passing game are even more intriguing than those of the wide receivers in the same draft class.
When Pitts was selected number four overall by the Falcons, he became the highest ever drafted tight end in NFL history. Now with training camp underway, all eyes in Atlanta are on the rookie tight end.
Although it's still early in camp, Pitts has already given Falcons fans more than enough reason to be excited about his 2021 outlook. On that note, here's a look at three reasons to be excited about Kyle Pitts:
#1 Kyle Pitts is already flashing his elite potential
Pitts is a 6' 6" 245 lbs. athletic freak at tight end. His college tape was filled with incredible jump ball catches. He's able to consistently create separation even against corners, and he's insanely fast for a tight end. With skills like that, he's not just expected to be a good NFL player, but he's also expected to be a star.
Already in training camp, Pitts is showing all the skills that made him the no. 4 overall pick. That star potential is evident.
It's crazy to think that Pitts' career has just started, but he's already beating man-to-man coverage and winning jump balls. As Pitts becomes more and more comfortable in the Atlanta offense, his playmaking should become more frequent.
It's absurd to think that the Falcons were able to lose Julio Jones and still possess two of the most dynamic young pass catchers in the NFL in Pitts and Calvin Ridley.
#2 The Atlanta Falcons plan to play him all over the field
Falcons insider Kevin Knight took note of the Falcons' plan to play Pitts all over the field in a recent training camp practice.
Knight reported that in practice Pitts played out wide, in the slot, on the line of scrimmage, and was used in motion. Not only can Pitts play in all those positions, but he can also do so well. Pitts is clearly set to be a versatile chess piece for this Falcons offense.
What makes Pitts 'versatility even more intriguing is the fact that Arthur Smith is now the Falcons' head coach. While he was the offensive coordinator with the Tennesse Titans, Smith led very successful offenses. So he should be able to get the most out of someone as valuable as Pitts.
Knowing the Falcons plan to use Pitts all over the field means the team will likely look to utilize every last drop of Pitts' potential. That's good news for all the Falcons fans out there.
#3 He's building chemistry with Matt Ryan
Not only does Pitts get to be coached by a good offensive mind in Arthur Smith, but he also gets to play with a successful veteran quarterback in Matt Ryan. Ryan is still arguably a top-ten NFL quarterback. He had 4,581 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes last season.
Throughout training camp, the veteran and the rookie have spent a lot of time developing chemistry together. Whether it's live reps or mental reps, everything Ryan and Pitts do together will eventually improve their connection when it comes to doing it in NFL games.
An improved connection means more opportunities for Pitts when the 2021 NFL season rolls around.
