NFL Draft Odds: Pitts to be the First Non-QB Taken

Kyle Pitts was nothing short of incredible in his time down in the swamp playing for the Florida Gators. He has desirable qualities in both the size and speed categories, and any team that selects him will be happy they did so.

At his pro day, he measured at 6-foot-6, 245 points with a 33 ½ inch vertical jump, 22 reps on the bench press and a 4.44 forty-yard dash.

Any team that doesn’t need a quarterback should definitely be thinking about Pitts when they’re on the clock. At +150, he is currently tied as the favorite to be the first non-quarterback drafted in a few weeks with Penei Sewell.

I love Pitts as much as the next guy. At the next level, he’ll have the ability to line up both on the line as well as in the slot. The first spot that would really be likely for Pitts is to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 5.

I wouldn’t hate the pick. It would give second-year quarterback Joe Burrow a heck of a weapon down the middle of the field.

But the pick I think the Bengals have to make is on the offensive line. Burrow looked great at times last year, but was running for his life half of the time, which is one of the reasons he ended up getting hurt. 

Sewell gives the Bengals a reliable tackle for the next five years to help protect Burrow’s blindside when he comes back from his injury. Burrow’s favorite target at Louisiana State University, Ja’Marr Chase, currently sits at +250 to be the first non-quarterback.

I wouldn’t hate the pick. It would give Burrow a familiar weapon to work with, and after watching how Justin Jefferson translated to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings last season after being LSU’s second-best wide receiver behind the Biletnikoff Award winner, I fully expect Chase to burst onto the scene.

But for me, it’s about the safe play. There’s plenty of talented receivers to be had in this draft that they could go get later on. A plug-and-play starter like Sewell on the line instantly makes the team better from both the run and the pass standpoint, even though Sewell did leave some to be desired in terms of his run blocking.  

Pitts would give Burrow a heck of a weapon down the middle of the field, but it won’t matter if Burrow is already in escape mode by the time Pitts gets himself open. However, I’m worried that if Pitts were there at No. 5, especially considering he’s the No. 2 overall talent on a lot of people’s draft boards, it might be too good to pass up.

They went out and got their franchise quarterback last year and is already hurt. They can’t let this become a theme for Burrow, especially this early in his career. Just a week ago, Pitts was the clear-cut favorite to be the first non-quarterback selected, but Sewell has rejoined the conversation. However, there has been buzz recently in a lot of mock drafts that Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater could jump Sewell. I personally like Sewell over Slater. It’s not what I would do, but give me Pitts at +150.