Surreal. That is the single word Kyle Pitts used to describe his experience when the Atlanta Falcons selected him at No. 4 overall last Thursday night.
While the rest of the football world had predictions for where Pitts would land in the NFL Draft, he said he truly did not know. He didn’t even have that gut feeling that he would become the highest-drafted tight end in history.
The Falcons let him sweat it out until the moment his phone rang. He said there were no hints in their many pre-draft meetings.
Either way, Pitts knew his life would be changed on Thursday night. But nothing could prepare him for finally walking across the stage, just as he dreamed of as a child.
“It’s a dream come true to even get drafted,” Pitts said. “To be top-five, that’s something special. I don’t even know how to put it into words. I’m just elated with joy. I can’t even put into words how excited I am.”
Not only did Pitts make history with his selection, he found a home in Atlanta where he thinks he is a perfect fit.
In reality, Pitts could instantly make any offense in the league better, but he likes the opportunities he sees for himself with the Falcons. New head coach Arthur Smith has a great background as a former tight ends coach.
“It means everything,” Pitts said. “I get to learn from someone who played the position, coached the position. He’s biased for tight ends. I can’t wait to learn from him, take my game to another level.”
Pitts is a player who makes offensive play calling a whole lot easier, and more fun. Dan Mullen certainly took advantage of that in his three years with the Gators.
“I think Coach Mullen did a great job in moving me around, making it easy for me to get mismatched with the guys that can’t guard me,” he said. “It came with a repetition, practice, great game planning. I appreciate, like I said, Coach Mullen for dialing it up, making sure when I do go out into that lineup, I’m winning my matchups and doing my part.”
For Pitts, coming to Florida out of Philadelphia, PA, was not something he took lightly. He put in hours upon hours of research to be sure the school he chose would help him reach his goals.
He knew he had a bright future, but he had no idea that by the time he left Gainesville, he would be in the conversation to become one of the greatest of all-time.
“When I started getting offers and national exposure, I was doing my research on the tight ends at these universities,” Pitts recalled. “I felt like I could play in the SEC in Florida. I could get a great education, maybe sit a year or come in and make an impact early. I weighed my options, prayed to God about it, I committed. I stuck with it. I don’t regret anything about it.”
Now, the Gators (reluctantly) set him free to continue building his legacy.
While Pitts is a generational player, he knows he still has plenty to learn and improve on before becoming an NFL great. With teammates like Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Matt Ryan to guide him, Pitts plans to take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge in the building.
“I’ll be like a sponge soaking everything up,” Pitts said. “All the knowledge I can, all the relationships I can build. I’m excited for the journey.”
If his career at Florida is any indication of his pro future, it won’t be long before the student becomes the master.