Florida Gators See Two Playmakers Drafted In First Round Of 2021 NFL Draft
The Florida Gators Football team continued its streak of having a player selected in every NFL Draft since 1952, while also starting a new era for Gator offensive playmakers taking over the NFL.
Tight end Kyle Pitts was selected No. 4 overall to the Atlanta Falcons, a team now led by a former tight ends position coach, Arthur Smith.
Wide receiver, running back and all-around weapon Kadarius Toney was selected No. 20 overall to the New York Giants.
A release by the Florida Gators athletic department outlines the historic nature of the two picks:
Pitts became the highest-drafted tight end in the common draft era.
"It means everything to be drafted in the top 10, first round, it's something special,” Pitts said. “And to be the highest ever, that's something that nobody can ever take from me."
The 2020 Mackey Award recipient was also the first SEC tight end to be drafted in the top 10, and just the seventh to go in the first round since 1967. Nationally, Pitts became the 14th tight end to be selected in the first 10 picks and the second to go in the top 5.
“I been waiting on that call my whole life,” he said. “When I saw my phone ring, my heart dropped. Step one into the right direction. I can’t wait to get to Atlanta and start a new journey.”
A unanimous first-team All-American in 2020, Pitts quickly became the best tight end and one of the top pass catchers in the country last year with 43 receptions, 770 yards and 12 touchdowns.
His 12 receiving touchdowns in 2020 were the second-highest total by a tight end in Southeastern Conference history. His 770 yards this year ties Kirk Kirkpatrick (1990) for second on Florida’s single-season record list for receiving yards by a tight end.
“If I had to bet on a hall of famer from this draft, it would be him,” ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said. “The most unique tight end prospect I have evaluated in 20 years. Matt Ryan just got the greatest gift of this draft… he knows exactly when to use his hands right at the end of routes to get that separation.”
Toney became the first Gators wide receiver to be selected in the first round since Percy Harvin was taken 22nd overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2009, and the highest-drafted since Reidel Anthony was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 16th overall pick in 1996.
"He's just a playmaker. The New York Giants needed to add a playmaker on offense,'' ESPN analyst Booger McFarland said on the draft telecast. "It takes several people to take him down."
It’s the first time the Gators have had two offensive skill-position players drafted in the top 20 since 1996, when receiver Ike Hilliard was also selected in the first round with seventh overall pick to the Giants. Additionally, it’s the first time since 2016 (Keanu Neal and Vernon Hargreaves III) that multiple Gators were selected in the first round.
Pitts and Toney led the Gators in 2020 as the top two playmakers. In addition to Pitts' stats mentioned above, Toney had 984 yards and 10 touchdowns on 70 receptions, as well as 161 yards and a touchdown on 19 rush attempts.
Pitts credited Florida head coach Dan Mullen for much of his success to this point, telling local Atlanta media after he was drafted, “I think Coach Mullen did a great job in moving me around, making it easy for me to get mismatched with the guys that can't guard me. It came with a repetition, practice, great game planning. I appreciate, like I said, Coach Mullen for dialing it up, making sure when I do go out into that lineup, I'm winning my matchups and doing my part.”
Pitts had both Mullen and former Gator tight end coach and current Howard head coach Larry Scott in attendance with him at the NFL Draft in Cleveland, Ohio. Toney watched with his family in Southern California, where he's been training.
Toney elected to return for his senior year, as opposed to going to the NFL last year. But he wanted to come back and fine tune his route running and technique. Pitts elected to play the 2020 season amidst the pandemic, and furthermore to return after a dangerous concussion injury suffered during the Georgia win, despite being a first round lock before the season even began. Both could have done fine sitting out any or all of the season. But both wanted to play and both are now seeing their hard work come to fruition
The NFL Draft continues on Friday evening with the second and third rounds at 7pm Eastern. Rounds four through seven will take place on Saturday, beginning at noon Eastern. There are still 10 players from the Gators that could hear their name called. You can read the full Gators draft breakdown here.
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