Todd McShay gives Bills curious player in early 2021 mock draft

The 2020 Buffalo Bills season in en route and it’s a big one for some younger players on the team.

Another All-Pro story for Tre’Davious White? Will Tremaine Edmunds finally grab the national spotlight himself? And of course, is Josh Allen a franchise quarterback? Plenty of questions that need answers.

But what about tight end Dawson Knox?

As a rookie, Knox flashed, but he had his struggles, too. Knox is entering his second season in the NFL and has shown he has an ability to play in the pros. But is that as a No. 1 tight end? Or could he be a solid No. 2 option?

If you’re asking ESPN’s Todd McShay, Knox is a soon-to-be strong complement. The draft analyst released his way-too-early 2021 mock draft this week. In it, McShay has the Bills selecting a tight end in the first round.

Using ESPN’s power index, the Bills pick No. 23 overall in McShay’s mock and here’s his explanation for the pick:

23. Buffalo Bills
Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida*

Stefon Diggs gives Josh Allen help outside, but what about the tight end position? Dawson Knox had flashes in his rookie season, but Buffalo still has a long way to go in seeing what it has in its 2019 third-rounder. Even if Knox pans out, adding a versatile matchup piece like Pitts to the mix would be huge. He should continue to get bigger and stronger as a blocker, but his combination of length, speed and route running makes him a first-round talent. Pitts, who led the Gators with 54 catches last season, is the most dangerous seam-stretching tight end in the country.

Right now in August, tight end seems much off the radar for the Bills. In the first round, Buffalo could consider another pass rusher, maybe a cornerback again, or even an offensive lineman? We’ll see how things pan out all the way in April, but under the surface, Knox has to show promise in 2020 if he’s expecting to keep his No. 1 role.

For the foreseeable future, his job is safe. His rookie contract should see him keep a roster spot locked up throughout it. But NFL offenses are no stranger to having a great 1-2 punch at the tight end spot. If Knox doesn’t fix his drop issue next season, he could force the Bills’ hand in looking for that duo approach to the position.

But in regard to Pitts, we’ll have to see exactly where the youthful prospect lands in terms of his future draft stock. He might be way off the board before Buffalo picks in such a scenario like this. Pro Football Focus recently released a 2021 mock draft of their own and Pitts was a top-10 talent in it.