NFL Draft Notebook: Why Kyle Pitts will win Rookie of the Year and more

This week is playmaker week at NFL Mocks and there is no bigger playmaker in this year’s rookie class than Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts. This playmaking ability and the fact he is an ideal situation in Atlanta makes him my early favorite to win Rookie of the Year this season.

Along with taking a look at Kyle Pitts chances of being one of the most dominant rookies in the NFL, this week’s NFL Draft Notebook also take a look at the deep tight end class in the 2022 NFL Draft and highlights the following

• A tight end with little production is one of the bigger sleepers in the 2022 NFL Draft
• A million-dollar decision Nevada tight end Cole Turner made last year
•  What area of Jalen Wydermyer’s game might force him to fall in the draft
• How the 2021 NFL rookie tight ends are fitting in with their new team
• And much more

Rookie of the Year

The last tight end to win Rookie of the Year was Mike Ditka in 1961, however, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts might change that this year. Going into the season Pitts is considered by some 8-1 odds to win this award, which are fabulous odds considering Pitts will be one of the Atlanta Falcons’ primary targets this season and plays in an offense that loves to throw the ball to its tight ends.

Pitts will be counted on to be an even bigger part of the Atlanta Falcons offense now than when they used the fourth pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. This is due to the trade the team recently made sending seven-time Pro Bowler Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans. This move will likely make Pitts the team’s second-most targeted receiver behind Calvin Ridley.

Another thing working in Kyle Pitts favor is he is playing for a coach who loves to use the tight end in Arthur Smith. Only one team used more 12 personnel than Smith did last year when he was with the Titans so getting him on the field should not be an issue. Smith has also stated that the team views Pitts as an offensive weapon and will use him in a variety of different ways. This should allow Pitts to see time as an in-line tight end, H-back, receiver, and possibly even some time at fullback.

Kyle Pitts also has the talent to take advantage of these opportunities. Last season, at Florida, Pitts led all FBS tight ends in receiving yards with 770 and touchdowns with 12. He also did not have a single drop on the season showing he has the natural receiving skills to quickly gain a quarterback’s confidence.

The biggest threat to Kyle Pitts to win this award is Trevor Lawrence who is the current favorite to win this award. Unfortunately, for Lawrence though, he has a much worse supporting cast as the Jaguars’ only proven receiver is Marvin Jones. In addition to not having much talent around him, Lawrence is playing for a coach who is more of a run-first coach. Due to all these factors, the smart money should definitely be on Pitts to be named the 2021 NFL Rookie of the Year.

2022 NFL Draft Sleeper of the Week

One of the more interesting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is Pittsburgh tight end Lucas Krull. Coming out of high school Krull thought his future would be in baseball having been drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 34th round of the MLB draft. However, after spending a year playing baseball at Jefferson College Krull changed his mind and decided to play football at the University of Florida.

During his time in Gainesville, he became a key member of the Gators special teams unit but saw limited playing time at tight end. He finished his career with Florida after the 2019 season with a total of nine receptions for 108 yards. After moving on from Florida Krull transferred to Pittsburgh but was only able to play in one game last season due to a knee injury.

The question some of you may be having is why is a player who has a total of 10 career receptions and zero touchdowns considered an NFL prospect and the answer to that question is due to the potential he has shown on the practice field. This past spring he was one of the more impressive players during spring practice and looked good enough to be named to Bruce Feldman’s list of players who should have breakout seasons this year.

While film has been hard to find of Krull, what he has shown has been impressive. He shows fantastic athletic ability for someone 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds. In some of his practice film from Florida, he made several tough catches including diving for one ball and also adjusting his body to make another catch. He displays the speed to be a deep threat as well and according to Bruce Feldman should time around 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He has proven to be a solid special teams player as well, which will only help him make an NFL team next year.

Obviously, the biggest downfall with Krull is his lack of production. Having only started one game during his college career and never having more than six receptions in a season earns him at best a priority free agent grade. Another concern with him is the knee injury that caused him to miss all but one game last year. Teams could also be worried about the fact that Krull has already given up football once, and question how much he really loves football.

This coming season will be an even more important year for Krull than it is for most prospects. This is due to his lack of playing time, however, if Krull actually produces this year it would not be a shock if he went from a prospect with a free agent grade before the season to a player who is drafted in the middle rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

A look at some of the tight ends who are seeing their stock rise going into the 2021 season.

Jahleel Billingsley, Alabama
Alabama tight end Jahleel Billingsley came on strong at the end of the 2020 season. In the last seven games, he caught 17 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Billingsley should have an even more productive season this as Alabama lost its top two wide receivers and starting tight end to the NFL. It would not be a shock to see Billingsley be the highest-drafted tight end from Alabama since O.J. Howard went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 19th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Greg Dulcich, UCLA
UCLA’s Greg Dulcich went from a walk-on wide receiver to one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the Pac-12. Last season, he saw his production increase significantly catching 26 passes for 517 yards and five touchdowns compared to the nine passes and one touchdown he had his first two seasons at UCLA. Part of the reason he saw this uptick in production last year was that he added 17 pounds going into the 2020 season.

Braden Galloway, Clemson
Clemson tight end Braden Galloway had a strong bounce-back season last year after he was suspended for most of the 2019 season due to testing positive for Ostarine. As a prospect, Galloway is an athletic tight end who is a much better receiver than he is a blocker. Due to this, he will likely be projected more of an H-back than an in-line tight end at the next level.

Camren McDonald, Florida State
After almost transferring before the season, Florida State tight end Camren McDonald became one of the more productive tight ends in recent years for the Seminoles last season. McDonald who was a first-year starter finished the year by placing second on the team in receptions and third in receiving yards with 263. His 263 receiving yards were the most by a Florida State tight end since Ryan Izzo had 306 yards in 2017.

Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
Going into last year Cincinnati tight end Josh Whyle had two career receptions for 51 yards. That lack of production turned around this year though as Whyle hauled in 28 passes for 353 yards and six touchdowns. If he can improve as a blocker and runs a good 40-yard dash he could be a late-day-three pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Cole Turner, Nevada
Cole Turner likely made a million-dollar decision last year when he switched from wide receiver to tight end. His first couple of seasons at Nevada he was a lightly used receiver who caught just 6 passes for 88 yards. That changed this year though with his move to tight end as he was able to account for 49 receptions, 605 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns.

A look at some of the tight ends who are seeing their stock fall going into the 2021 season.

Peyton Hendershot, Indiana
Last season was not a good season for Indiana tight end Peyton Hendershot both on and off the field. Last February, Hendershot was suspended from the team after he was arrested on domestic battery charges. He was able to rejoin the team before the 2021 season but saw a drop in production as he dropped 21% of the passes thrown his way and his receiving grade dropped significantly according to Pro Football Focus.

Will Mallory, Miami
The only reason Miami tight end Will Mallory is on this list is that he was forced to miss spring ball due to a shoulder injury. However, look for Mallory to be on the stock-up list several times this year. He will likely see his draft stock improve this year as he will be taking over for Brevin Jordan as the Hurricanes’ number one tight end. This should allow us to see a big jump in Mallory’s production especially when you consider how productive he has been when he has received playing time.

Austin Stogner, Oklahoma
Last year, started off on a good note for Oklahoma tight end Austin Stogner but unfortunately ended on a negative note. In the first seven games of the season, he was one of the top targets for Spencer Rattler and went for over 50 yards in five of those seven games. However, he suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss three of the team’s final four games. This injury later turned into a staph infection which caused him to lose 35 pounds this offseason. Thankfully he is on the rebound now and should be fully ready to go for the 2021 season.

• One of the more complete tight ends in the 2022 NFL Draft is Jake Ferguson of Wisconsin. As a receiver Ferguson shows reliable hands and is a consistent short to intermediate passing game threat. As a blocker, he displays good tenacity and routinely drives his guy off the ball. He will likely fall to the early portions of day three of the 2022 NFL Draft since he lacks elite athletic ability and speed. However, he is the type of prospect who is drafted later than he should be but becomes a solid contributor at the next level.
• An area Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer needs to improve in is his run blocking. He tends to have trouble staying on his blocks or even landing his block in the first place due to taking poor angles. He also lacks the consistent high effort and overall strength to move his defender off the ball down after down. If he can sure up these concerns this year he has the receiving skills and natural athletic ability to be a late first-round pick.
• While Charlie Kolar gets most of the attention when it comes to Iowa State tight ends it would be a mistake to overlook Chase Allen. In fact, Allen might be the better overall tight end among the two players. The best part of Allen’s game is his blocking ability. He has the power to control his man at the point of attack and also the intensity to finish his blocks. As a receiver, Allen is a big target who is becoming more of a red-zone target. One concern with him in the passing game though is he will drop some passes, mainly due to him not looking the ball in.
• One of the most productive tight ends returning to college football this season is Isaiah Likely of Coastal Carolina. Last season, Likely led all Sun Belt in receiving yards with 517 and had five games of over 70 receiving yards. He was also a proven big-play threat averaging over 20 yards per catch and making three catches of over 50 yards. While he is a proven receiver he will need to improve as a blocker this season to be a day two pick.
• A prospect who is not getting enough hype going into the 2021 season is South Carolina tight end Nick Muse. Muse is an all-around tight end who can open lanes in the run game or be a good short-to-intermediate target in the passing game. As a blocker, he shows the strength to hold his ground against defensive ends or control linebackers. He also shows good aggression in this area, and always blocks to the whistle. In the passing game, he is a sure-handed receiver who has no trouble catching the ball in traffic. One downfall with him is he lacks great speed and will not be a player who can stretch a defense.
• One of the better Division II prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is Notre Dame College tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden. Mitchell-Paden was named All-MEC in both this spring and in 2019 and over this time period hauled in 56 receptions for 755 yards in just 18 games. To go along with his strong production he has the size to attract NFL attention coming in at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds. If he can have another strong season this year he would be an ideal candidate for the Senior Bowl.

Top tight end: Cade Otton, Washington
The top tight end in the 2022 NFL Draft is Cade Otton of Washington who earns a late first-round draft grade. Otton is a complete tight end who is both a strong blocker and is a reliable target in the passing game. As a receiver, he shows soft hands and does an outstanding job of catching the ball with his hands. When it comes to blocking he is one of the better blockers and has drawn praise from Washington head coach Jimmy Lake on this part of his game on several different occasions.

Most underrated: Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State
One of the most underrated players in the 2022 NFL Draft is Ohio State’s Jeremy Ruckert. Ruckert is not listed as one of the top five tight ends in this year’s draft by either Mel Kiper or Pro Football Focus, however, it would be a shock if he is not drafted within the first three rounds of next April’s draft. While Ohio State does not use its tight ends much in the passing game, when thrown the ball Ruckert has shown impressive skills as a receiver. He has also improved as a blocker the past couple of seasons and overall shows the talent to be a starter in the NFL.

Most overrated: Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
Going into the 2021 season several sites have Iowa State tight end Charlie Kolar rated as the top tight end which is a little high for his limited skill set. While there is no doubt he has reliable hands he lacks the speed to create much separation in the passing game. He is a below-average blocker as well and lacks much strength in this area.

Tight end that should significantly improve his stock: Jake Marwede, Duke
This should be a breakout year for Duke tight end Jake Marwede, now that he will be the team’s starting tight end. He will take over for Noah Gray who was taken in the fifth round by the Kansas City Chiefs and so far has been one of the more impressive rookies in the NFL. At 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, Marwede has the size the NFL is looking for and is considered a better athlete than Gray was.

Biggest risk: Grant Calcaterra, SMU
Going into the 2019 season former Oklahoma tight end Grant Calcaterra was considered one of the top tight ends in college football. Unfortunately, he suffered several concussions at Oklahoma which caused him to retire during the 2019 season. Thankfully Calcaterra has been given the clear to resume his football career this year which he will do at SMU. If he can stay healthy he could be a day three pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Top small school tight end: Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State
While North Dakota State tight end Noah Gindorff may not be much of a receiving threat he is one of the better blockers in the 2022 tight end class. He does a tremendous job of driving his man off the line of scrimmage and plays with great technique. Due to his lack of ability as a receiver, he will likely be a late-round pick who finds a home in the NFL as a second or third-string tight end.

Overall Rankings

1. Cade Otton, Washington (first round)
2. Jahleel Billingsley, Alabama (second round)
3. Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M (second round)
4. Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State (second round)
5. Will Mallory, Miami (third round)
6. Austin Stogner, Oklahoma (third round)
7. Charlie Kolar, Iowa State, (fourth round)
8. Cole Turner, Nevada (fourth round)
9. Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin (fourth round)
10. Nick Muse, South Carolina (fifth round)
11. James Mitchell, Virginia Tech (fifth round)
12. Trey McBride, Colorado State (sixth round)
13. Chase Allen, Iowa State (sixth round)
14. Braden Galloway, Clemson (sixth round)
15. Jake Marwede, Duke (sixth round)
16. Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (sixth round)
17. Greg Dulcich, UCLA (sixth round)
18. Grant Calcaterra, SMU (seventh round)
19. Sam LaPorta, Iowa (seventh round)
20. Ben Bresnahan, Vanderbilt (seventh round)
21. Camren McDonald, Florida State (seventh round)
22. Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State (seventh round)
23. Peyton Hendershot, Indiana (free agent)
24. Brant Kuithe, Utah (free agent)
25. Lucas Krull, Pittsburgh (free agent)
26. Josh Babicz, North Dakota State (free agent)
27. Zaire Mitchell-Paden, Notre Dame College (free agent)
28. Josh Whyle, Cincinnati (free agent)
29. Trae Barry, Boston College (free agent)
30. Derrick Deese Jr, San Jose State (free agent)
31. Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State (free agent)
32. Daniel Barker, Illinois (free agent)

• Former Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth has made a positive impression so far with his new team the Pittsburgh Steelers. Head coach Mike Tomlin has mentioned how hard of a worker he is and his teammate Eric Ebron has stated how good of a playmaker he has been. This does not come as a surprise as he was rated as the 36th best player in the NFL Draft by NFL Mocks and in his scouting report, it was noted how good of a receiver he was. Look for the Steelers to use more 12 personnel this year, just so they can get Freiermuth more playing time.
• One draft pick who has struggled so far is Baltimore Ravens fullback Ben Mason. He has struggled to be a consistent receiving threat and has at times looked uncomfortable in the passing game. While Mason has yet to have a chance to impress the Ravens with his blocking ability in order to make the team he is going to have to prove he can be a reliable outlet receiver.
• The highest-drafted Division II player in the 2021 NFL Draft was Central Missouri tight end Zach Davidson who the Minnesota Vikings took in the fifth round. While Davidson has shown the athletic ability and potential to eventually make an NFL roster, if he sticks with the Vikings it will likely be on the practice squad. This is due to him still needing to work on his technique, and other tight ends including Tyler Conklin and Brandon Dillon having impressive OTAs.
• A player who fell in the draft but might have fallen into a great situation is Brevin Jordan. Going into the 2021 NFL Draft I had Jordan graded as a second-round pick and the third-best tight end in the class. However, Jordan went much later than his draft grade and was not taken until the fifth round by the Houston Texans. Despite him falling to the third day of the draft look for Jordan to have an impact this season. One of the reasons for this is the lack of depth at this position. He will also benefit from offensive coordinator Tim Kelly looking to get the tight end more involved this year. Jordan has the skillset to take advantage of this opportunity as well having caught 38 passes and seven touchdowns last year for the Miami Hurricanes.

• Oregon linebacker Isaac Slade-Matautia has entered the transfer portal. Slade-Matautia was a two-year starter at Oregon, and last season finished tied for the team lead in tackles with 45. He has yet to announce where he will be playing next season.
• One position West Virginia has addressed this offseason via the transfer portal is linebacker. The school added former Penn State linebacker Lance Dixon earlier in the offseason and recently added Maine linebacker Deshawn Stevens. Stevenson was a 2018 FCS All-American and led the team in tackles this past season with 36 tackles in just four games.
• Another player who recently switched teams is former Missouri WR Jalen Knox who will play next season at Ole Miss. Know will not be eligible this season due to academics but look for him to give Lane Kiffin another speedy receiver in 2022.
• No player in this year’s draft has been at more schools than Kansas State tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe. He started off at Florida then transferred to USC in 2015. He then left USC in 2019 and transferred to Illinois in 2020, before moving to Kansas State this season.

• Something to watch with the new name, image, and likeness rules is if we start to see a decline in the number of underclassmen declare for the draft decline. It is easy to see a player who is projected to go late in the draft return to school now since he can make money while still in college.