Kyle Pitts and the Panthers: The case for and against taking him 8th in the NFL draft
The Panthers are not expected to go big in free agency this offseason, so many of the holes they need to address will occur in the draft.
Tight end is an option.
Recently, many mock drafts have had the Panthers drafting a quarterback in April’s draft. But in December and January, some draft experts thought the Panthers may draft former Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts is one of the highest-rated players in this draft, pound-for-pound.
Here is the case for and against drafting him at No. 8:
The case for drafting Pitts ...
One of the Panthers’ biggest needs this offseason is a pass-catching tight end because, frankly, the Panthers didn’t get much production out of their current one.
Ian Thomas finished the 2020 season with 20 catches for 145 yards and one touchdown, and caught 64.5% of the passes thrown his way. For the Panthers’ offense to succeed, they need more from the tight end spot.
Throw in Pitts and he instantly makes Teddy Bridgewater and the Panthers’ offense better.
At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, Pitts is a red-zone threat, an area of the field the Panthers struggled in 2020. He had 43 catches for 740 yards and 12 touchdowns in only eight games for Florida last season. One of his best games was against the best competition the Gators faced when he had seven catches for 129 yards and a touchdown in the SEC Championship game against Alabama.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. lists Pitts as the fifth-best player in the draft, while Todd McShay ranks him as the sixth-best prospect. Eric Edholm of Yahoo! Sports has Pitts in his top five as well, and he may be the best available option if the Panthers stay at No. 8.
“If you watch him play, he looks more like D.K. Metcalf than he does (Rob Gronkowski),” Edholm said. “Even though they lined him up in line, he was running vertical routes and winning like a wide receiver would win.”
The Panthers may not be able to re-sign Curtis Samuel this offseason, and Pitts could fill that hole nicely as one of Carolina’s top pass-catching options. He has the potential to be a great receiving option on a rookie deal.
“I would endorse any team taking him that needs a playmaker,” Edholm said. “Maybe it’s a little luxury, but boy, you’d love to have that guy. I just think he’s special.”
The case against drafting Pitts ...
While Pitts is certainly special, there are some drawbacks.
If the Panthers draft Pitts, they may not be able to draft their franchise quarterback this year. There’s no guarantee they’ll be in a position to draft one in the 2022 NFL draft, either.
And quarterback is the biggest hole the Panthers need to fill to become a Super Bowl-contending team.
Sure, Pitts would instantly make the Panthers better. But he wouldn’t transform the Panthers the way a franchise quarterback would. An offensive tackle should also be among the Panthers’ top priorities.
There’s also the question of whether taking a tight end in the top 10 is too high. Again, Pitts isn’t the traditional tight end. But there are more quality tight ends on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft than there are quarterbacks.
And Panthers coach Matt Rhule believes they may be able to find a potential starter in one of the later rounds.
“Yes, it’s a position I think we will look at in free agency and in the draft,” Rhule said last week. “You go study the top receiving tight ends in the National Football League, and guys who get taken in the first round, some of them work out and some of them don’t. Some of the best tight ends are third-round guys, fifth-round guys.
“So it’s something that, you just have to find the right guy that fits you.”
Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth, who is 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, is an option. He had 23 catches for 310 yards in four games last season.
Miami’s Brevin Jordan is also an option. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound tight end had 38 catches for 576 yards and 7 touchdowns, including 14 catches for 236 yards and three touchdowns over his final two games.
And then there’s Boston’s College’s Hunter Long, a 6-foot-5, 253 pound tight end, who had five games with 80 yards or more. All are expected to be drafted or Day 2 or Day 3.
Final verdict
Pitts is a good pick for the Panthers at No. 8. He’d make the Panthers’ offense better, and they need a tight end. Thomas finished 56th among all tight ends in receiving yards in 2020.
But while they need a tight end, that position wasn’t what held the Panthers’ offense down last season. The offensive line and quarterback play, were among the biggest concerns.
The Panthers need a franchise quarterback first, and they have the potential to get one in the draft. Trey Lance was impressive in his pro day last week, and he’s an option for the Panthers. Trading up to get Justin Fields or Zach Wilson are also on the table.
After that, the Panthers need a left tackle because they haven’t had a consistent one since Jordan Gross retired in 2013. Again, while I like Kyle Pitts, the Panthers have more pressing first-round needs.
Quarterback or a left tackle should be their top priority, and perhaps they can find a tight end in one of the later rounds.
This story was originally published March 16, 2021 at 11:39 AM.
