Falcons first-round pick Kyle Pitts, who recently became the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history (an occasion he celebrated by eating an ungodly amount of chicken at Cleveland staple Raising Cane’s), appears to be making the rounds in his new city. The former Florida Gator was in the building for Monday night’s Hawks/Trail Blazers game, watching the action from his courtside seat at State Farm Arena. Even with attendance capped at a little over 3,000, the fans in Atlanta were still plenty appreciative of their new addition, giving the 6’6” tight end a warm reception when introduced Monday night.
Not only did Pitts witness history with Carmelo Anthony passing Elvin Hayes for 10th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, but the 20-year-old also walked away with a custom Hawks jersey bearing the same No. 8 he’ll wear for the Falcons later this year.
Atlanta hasn’t had much to cheer about lately—the Falcons’ disastrous 4-12 finish in 2020 marked their third straight losing season. But Atlanta’s selection of Pitts, a unanimous All-American and the leading touchdown scorer among FBS tight ends last season, was universally lauded with many scouts already anointing him as the next Travis Kelce. While it might seem early to make that kind of declaration, on the basis of sheer athleticism, you could make the argument Pitts is actually more advanced than Kelce was when he came out of the University of Cincinnati in 2013.
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