Falcons draft tight end Kyle Pitts with No. 4 overall pick

The Atlanta Falcons selected tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on Thursday night. Pitts was widely viewed as the best non-quarterback prospect in this year's draft class after a breakout season at Florida last year. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound offensive weapon caught 100 passes for 1,492 yards and 18 touchdowns in his three-year career in Gainesville. With his rare blend of speed, size and athleticism, Pitts became a star in his junior season and won the John Mackey award as the best tight end in college football.While tight end wasn't necessarily a positional need for the Falcons entering the draft, the opportunity to add a player of Pitts' caliber was one that the team couldn’t pass on. Adding Pitts to an offense that already has Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Hayden Hurst and Russell Gage as pass-catching weapons makes Atlanta's offense one of the best in the NFL.Draft grade: Falcons: A Pete Prisco: He is a can't-miss prospect. He is a mismatch nightmare. Great pick.Expert analysis: "While the player comparison for the purposes of this scouting report is Darren Waller, Pitts may have the traits and talent to create mismatches similar to those created by Calvin Johnson and Tyreek Hill. His rare blend of size, athleticism and ball skills are reminiscent of Megatron’s. His ability as a pass-catching tight end could force defenses in his division to alter the way they construct their roster. He’s a tough matchup for most linebackers and too big for most cornerbacks. He offers offensive coordinators the ability to align him all over the field and, like Waller, can become a highly targeted, highly productive pass catcher from the tight end position. He puts in effort as a blocker but with limited success. That’s not what makes him special, though. Along with Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, Pitts has a chance to become the biggest game-changer in the 2021 NFL Draft." - Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

Falcons draft tight end Kyle Pitts with No. 4 overall pick

The Atlanta Falcons selected tight end Kyle Pitts in the first round of the NFL Draft

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