Jerry Jones’ reported “infatuation” with Kyle Pitts means it would be hard for the Cowboys to pass on him

We have reached the point in the lead-up to the 2021 NFL Draft where we might be starting to go a little bit stir crazy. This happens every year. Having a pick near the top of the draft like the Dallas Cowboys do this year (number 10) sounds exciting and ultimately is, but it is also sort of boring. With so few picks to figure out before Dallas will be on the clock, it is rather easy to figure out the handful of scenarios they will be facing when it is ultimately their turn to pick.

If you closed your eyes and picked a mock draft at random. the overwhelming odds would be that the Dallas Cowboys would be drafting Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II. In fact, in the mock draft exercise that the Talkin’ The Draft crew ran on the BTB YouTube Channel, Surtain was the pick.

Perhaps the latest discussions within the confines of Cowboys Nation are born out of boredom since Surtain has the best chances of being the team’s pick (specifically as the draft’s first defensive player taken) or maybe it is because all options are worth exploring.

Where Surtain represents hope and promise for the side of the ball in Dallas that needs the most work, one hypothetical is percolating where Florida tight end Kyle Pitts is available at number 10 overall. Considering Chris Moretnsen’s recent comments about Jerry Jones being “infatuated” with Pitts many are starting to wonder if the team could potentially trade up for someone like him. While Pitts is undeniably an elite prospect at tight end, trading up for almost anyone seems unwise for this particular Cowboys group.

There is a large swath of Cowboys fans who are in favor of drafting Kyle Pitts, specifically under the hypothetical where he is available with the 10th overall pick. The Cowboys are going to have a nice choice between - hypothetically speaking - Pitts, Surtain, and/or one of the tackles in Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater, and there arguments to support any of those directions.

Depending on what day you are having the conversation it appears unlikely that Pitts will even make it to the Cowboys’ pick. For what it’s worth, we recently polled BTBers on how they would feel about the state of things if he did and drafting the star tight end won out.

The benefits of Kyle Pitts exceed just having another tight end for the passing game (where the Cowboys already made serious commitment this offseason by paying Dak Prescott). Pitts’ presence allows them flexibility in two very different and important ways.

For starters, when Dallas drafted CeeDee Lamb last year the idea shared by many was that the team should never abandon 11 personnel so as to properly take advantage of their trio of Lamb, Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. Pitts would make 12 personnel all the more exciting as the Cowboys could utilize him with either Blake Jarwin or Dalton Schultz, making them less predictable when one of the receivers runs off of the field.

Speaking of Michael Gallup, though, Pitts would also allow the Cowboys roster flexibility. It is no secret that Gallup is in the final year of his rookie contract and if Dallas is having the conversations that we have said that they should be having. then turning in Pitts’ card could be the first domino leading to a Gallup trade.

Additionally, Dalton Schultz is also in a contract year so it’s not like the Cowboys are completely set at tight end for the foreseeable future (plus Blake Jarwin is returning from a torn ACL). Ultimately the option bears serious merit if Pitts somehow makes it past the draft’s first nine picks, but that is a serious if.