Jaguars must trade up to draft TE Kyle Pitts, no matter the cost

The Jacksonville Jaguars are primed for a franchise-changing weekend, as the 2021 NFL Draft rapidly approaches. They will roll Thursday night the first and 25th overall picks and eight additional picks throughout the rest of the selection meeting. Could they use those extra picks to trade up and acquire the best non-quarterback prospect in the draft?

While there hasn’t been a formal announcement, the common expectation is that the Jags will select Clemson Quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the top pick. Still, the plans at 25 are a bit more ambiguous. There are several directions they could go, such as Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore, Florida wide receiver Kadarious Toney, TCU safety Trevon Moehrig, or Texas offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi, to name a few.

However, there is a scenario in which this Jacksonville team could address their most significant need while also picking up the best overall player in the draft and that is trading up to the top 6 to take Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.

Pitts was dominant during his junior season at Florida. Through eight SEC games, the tight end hauled in 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. He measured in at 6’6, 240 pounds at his pro day, and ran a blazing 4.44 40-yard dash. He is thought of as the best tight end prospect to ever come through the draft process by many draft analysts, and the word “unicorn” has been used to describe him.