Falcons rookie Kyle Pitts played just two snaps in the preseason, which prompted CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards to rate the former Gators tight end near the bottom of his top 10 rookies entering 2021. Now that Pitts has made his regular-season debut, Edwards has left him off the list entirely.
Only the top 15 rookies are included, but for the No. 4 overall pick to be left off the list is further indication that expectations for Pitts were a bit over the top. In Week 1, he caught four of eight targets for 31 receiving yards.
Three of the notable names ranked ahead of Pitts are players the Falcons chose to pass on in the draft. Given what we saw last Sunday, the team could’ve used a Rashawn Slater, Penei Sewell, or a Micah Parsons to improve upon a depleted roster. All three players were also among the 15 highest-graded rookies by Pro Football Focus.
Surely, once Pitts starts producing at the level we all believe he’s capable of, we will once again see his name on this list. On a physical level, Pitts is just too good not to get more involved on offense. The rookie is obviously going through some growing pains, plus it’s uncommon for first-year tight ends to make a big impact right away.
Head coach Arthur Smith knows the team must be better in Week 2 so we will see how Pitts fares against the heavily favored Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
