It should come as no surprise that the intensity has risen in debates about the NFL Draft and what the Dallas Cowboys should do with the 10th overall pick. As we inch closer, the debate will heighten as options become clearer for the Cowboys.
One of the more interesting outcomes that have crept into the land of possibility is what the Cowboys do if Florida Tight End Kyle Pitts falls to them at the 10th pick. Should the Cowboys take the generational talent at tight end or be more reasonable and add a player to their defense? It’s a fascinating question though it seems unlikely that Pitts falls to the Cowboys.
However, it seems that Jerry Jones has become enamored with the Florida Gators’ star playmaker. On ESPN’s draft special Chris Mortensen had this to say:
“We’re hearing this thing about Jerry Jones, the owner of the Cowboys and the GM, being infatuated with Kyle Pitts. So I figure he’s gonna have to trade up to get Kyle Pitts. I think he’ll offer Emmitt Smith and Larry Allen, maybe throw in Michael Irvin. He doesn’t need Tony Romo but he has Dak Prescott, he spent $40 million a year on Dak Prescott so why not go get Kyle Pitts, or if he actually falls to 10 you couldn’t rule him out.”
Chris Mortensen, ESPN via Clint Buckley of 247 Sports
At his Pro Day, he exhibited wide receiver speed in a tight end body. Though he’s not as devastating a blocker as George Kittle, he’s a solid blocker in the run and pass game and isn’t going to get beat often.
It’s not surprising that Jones loves Kyle Pitts. He’s an easy player to become infatuated with. His size, speed, range, and athleticism make him a very desirable target for any team. He sounds like a Jerry Jones player as a playmaker down the field.
I don’t foresee the Cowboys trading up in the draft to take him unless it’s a small trade up to the Detroit Lions at seven, but they’d have to really love him to be willing to give up a third or fourth-round pick in order to make it happen. According to the trade value chart, the Cowboys would probably have to give up pick 75 to go get him. That seems unlikely.
That said, with just weeks until the NFL Draft kicks off with the Jacksonville Jaguars at number one, there will be more information coming out about the prospects that teams like. Some of it will be disinformation intended to throw teams off of who they actually like and are targeting at 10.
The other thing to note is that it’s been some time since Jerry Jones was the sole decision-maker in the war room. During the Jason Garrett era, the Cowboys set up an operation that sought consensus among the team’s front office, scouting department, and coaching staff. In Mike McCarthy’s first year at the helm, the Cowboys followed the lead of Will McClay and the scouting department.
Much of how the Cowboys draft comes back to how they’ve set up their draft board. If Kyle Pitts is their best player available when they get to their pick at number 10, then it wouldn’t surprise me if they took him and worked to address cornerback or defensive tackle later in the draft. Much like they did last season.
There are no guarantees in the draft and trying to predict what’s going to happen is a difficult proposition. As we saw with CeeDee Lamb’s fall to 17 in 2020, anything is possible. That took a lot of moving parts. For Pitts to fall to 10 would take some work, but not near as much as it did for the Cowboys to land last year’s top playmaker.
Though most eyes have been fixed on Patrick Surtain or Rashawn Slater, Pitts is a player you have to consider with your first-round pick if he’s available. He’s a rare playmaker with athleticism that compares favorably to Calvin Johnson. Johnson was faster, but he was also lighter. Pitts is a mismatch nightmare for defenses. He is too quick and fast for linebackers and too big and strong for defensive backs.
It’s easy to understand why Jerry Jones loves Kyle Pitts. He’s that good of a football player. And throwing Pitts into your offense with Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb, and Ezekiel Elliott is like playing fantasy football and would be a dream come true. He’s too dynamic of a weapon to completely rule out and if he’s available at 10, I don’t see how the Cowboys don’t take Kyle Pitts.
