Atlanta Falcons draft Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with No. 4 pick

The Atlanta Falcons, picking their highest since they drafted quarterback Matt Ryan third overall in 2008, made a splash with the fourth selection in Thursday night’s NFL Draft.

New head coach Arthur Smith and new general manager Terry Fontenot took athletic Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts, giving Ryan and the offense another offensive weapon. It was the highest a tight end has been drafted in NFL history.

“To be even drafted in the top 10, the first round is something special,” Pitts said on the NFL broadcast. “To be the highest ever (picked at tight end), that’s something no one can ever take away from me.”

Draft analysts raved about the potential of the 6-foot-6, 245-pounder with wide receiver skills.

“(Pitts) is just a physical freak, crazy catch radius, athletic, looks like a wide receiver,” ESPN’s Desmond Howard said on the draft broadcast. “It’s just unbelievable what this man can do.”

Pitts, a Philadelphia native, had 54 catches for 649 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore in 2019, earning first-team All-SEC honors, but rose to stardom with a huge 2020 season. He caught 43 passes for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in only eight games, winning the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. He also was the first tight end to be named a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to college football’s top wide receiver.

“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,” NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote of Pitts. “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.”

Pitts joins a Falcons offense triggered by Ryan, a former NFL MVP, that features playmakers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley at wide receiver.

“I think I can add a lot (to the offense),” Pitts said. “You have two great receivers on the outside, a veteran quarterback. I feel like I can learn a lot. With me learning the playbook, I feel like I can make an impact early.”