NFL Draft: 4 players 49ers regret passing up for Trey Lance
By Peter Panacy
44. . Tight End. Atlanta Falcons. Kyle Pitts. 3. player
49ers Missed Player No. 3: Tight End Kyle Pitts, Falcons
It would have been a total luxury pick if the 49ers had done this. But tight end Kyle Pitts would have arguably emerged as the Niners’ No. 1 all-purpose weapon in 2021 had the Niners moved up to No. 3 overall to draft him instead of Trey Lance.
Interestingly enough, when San Francisco made that move, Pitts originally thought the trade was intended to grab him.
It wasn’t. But, oh, to think if that had happened.
True, the 49ers already have an All-Pro tight end in George Kittle, but Kyle Shanahan has long been seeking a dual-tight end combo to wreak havoc on opposing defenses, and the thought of Pitts and Kittle working together to create all kinds of mismatches was as enticing then as it is now.
Instead, the Atlanta Falcons grabbed Pitts at No. 4 right after the Lance selection, and now Pitts has gone on towards becoming one of the most feared offensive weapons in the league, already racking up 43 receptions for 635 yards in what has otherwise been an abysmal Atlanta offense.
Those numbers would likely be scarier if Pitts somehow ended up with the Niners.