George Kittle NFL Draft 2017: Scouting Report for San Francisco 49ers' Pick

Combine/Pro Day Results

Height	Weight	40 Time	3-Cone	Short Shuttle
6'4"	247 lbs	4.52s	6.76s	4.07s

 

POSITIVES

A technician with top-level athleticism, Kittle explodes off the snap looking to bury his assignment as a blocker right through the whistle. He fits every positive Iowa stereotype, including his mindset, killer instinct and desire. Kittle can get out in front to set up screens or help runners get to the second level of the field. He displayed impressive straight-line speed at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.52 40-yard dash. You'll be hard-pressed to find him dropping a catchable pass on film, even though he wasn't featured in the Iowa offense that relied heavily on the ground game. Kittle's numbers weren't great in college (22 catches in 2016), but his wiring and athleticism are fantastic. He's a natural fit as an in-line tight end or even playing some H-back given his movement skills and strength. Kittle projects as a better pro than college player. 

 

NEGATIVES

Kittle will struggle to remain as an in-line tight end at the next level due to size. He displays his best asset as a blocker, but overaggression can allow him to get beat at times. While he possesses straight-line explosiveness, he fails to be shifty in and out of routes and may need to be utilized mostly over the middle or up the seam. Ideally, Kittle can become more of a technician as a route-runner to shore up some inconsistent and sloppy routes.
 

 

PRO COMPARISON: Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

FINAL GRADE: 5.99/9.00 (Future Starter—Round 4)

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