49ers NFL Draft: Top 5 Round 1 targets after blockbuster trade
By Peter Panacy
840. . Tight End. Gators . Kyle Pitts. 3. player
49ers Target No. 3: Tight End Kyle Pitts, Florida
While Penei Sewell might be the best non-skill player in this year’s NFL Draft class, there’s little arguing about Florida tight end Kyle Pitts being the best offensive weapon.
Yes, that includes Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
Pitts, a tight end, has the speed and elusiveness of a wide receiver along with the strength of a bull-nosed running back. His massive 6-foot-6, 246-pound frame with speed to burn screams a mismatch nightmare, and it would be absolutely amazing to see him paired up with 49ers tight end George Kittle, as well as wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Even if Jimmy Garoppolo remains under center for a while, it’s any quarterback’s dream to have that kind of talent at his disposal, and it would be a nightmare for any defense defending against that arsenal.
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2018 | Florida | SEC | FR | TE | 3 | 3 | 73 | 24.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 73 | 24.3 | 1 | |
| *2019 | Florida | SEC | SO | TE | 13 | 54 | 649 | 12.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 649 | 12.0 | 5 | |
| *2020 | Florida | SEC | JR | TE | 8 | 43 | 770 | 17.9 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 770 | 17.9 | 12 | |
| Career | Florida | 100 | 1492 | 14.9 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 1492 | 14.9 | 18 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference
Generated 3/26/2021.
Going after Pitts would be a luxury move by San Francisco, yes. And like Trey Lance, there’s still a good chance Pitts would wind up being available at No. 12 anyway, although recent shakeups in NFL Draft big boards suggest the tight end is rising awfully fast.
Most likely up into the latter half of the top-10 picks, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him become the first non-quarterback selected on draft day anyway.
Again, the word is the 49ers moved up to No. 3 overall to grab a quarterback. But one has to assume Pitts is somewhere high on their big board.