2021 NFL Mock Draft: Eagles target DeVonta Smith, Bears settle on Mac Jones
By Randy Gurzi
Florida. Kyle Pitts. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. TE. 11. 31
Before the 2020 season, the New York Giants picked up the fifth-year option on tight end Evan Engram, meaning they will have their former first-round pick back in 2021. However, he didn’t take the step forward they had hoped for this past season.
Engram’s numbers weren’t terrible at first glance — 63 receptions for 654 yards and a touchdown — but they can be misleading. Engram saw his catch rate drop all the way from 64.7 percent to 57.8 which was his lowest since his rookie campaign. He struggled with drops, including one that cost them a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
While one drop isn’t enough to move on from a player, the decline overall in 2020 is enough to make a move. On top of that, the Giants find themselves on the board at No. 11 in this 2021 NFL Mock Draft with Florida tight end Kyle Pitts there for the taking.
Pitts is one of the more dangerous weapons in this class and is head and shoulders above the pack when it comes to tight ends entering the draft. As a junior, he had 770 yards and 12 touchdowns on 43 receptions. Those numbers are impressive for a tight end, but even more so when you realize he did this in only eight games for the Gators.
New York needs a No. 1 target on offense and while that usually falls on the shoulders of a wide receiver, Pitts is more than capable of becoming the top receiving threat for them and should open their game plan up tremendously.