Although the Falcons and tight end Kyle Pitts met a few times virtually during the pre-draft process, Pitts wasn't sure he would be their choice. The offensive weapon said he knew the team was interested in him and thought he interviewed well but didn't know if he would end up in Atlanta.
That changed when general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith called Pitts, who was in attendance at the NFL Draft in Cleveland, called him and informed him they were selecting him with the No. 4 overall pick.
"To get that call and finally walk across that stage and see my jersey and pick up that hat, it's something I've been dreaming of since I was a kid," Pitts said. "It's mind-boggling, but I'm ready for the new experience."
Pitts, 20, was widely viewed as the best non-quarterback prospect in this year's draft. His rare size and speed make him a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators to game-plan against. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound offensive weapon caught 100 passes for 1,492 yards and 18 touchdowns in his three-year career in Gainesville.
Of the many reasons why Pitts is thrilled to be joining the Falcons, he cited Arthur Smith's history working with tight ends and their production as an added bonus. Smith was the Tennessee Titans' tight ends coach before becoming the offensive coordinator from 2019-20.
"I know Coach Smith does a great job of getting his tight ends fed … so I'm eager to see," Pitts said. "To be able to come in and make an impact is something I want to do."
Pitts will join a cast of talented pass-catchers with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Hayden Hurst and Russell Gage all on Atlanta's roster. Matt Ryan continues to play at a high level and will have one of his biggest red-zone threats that he's ever had as he enters his 14th season in the NFL.
