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As if George Kittle needed more plaudits, more have arrived. In a league-wide poll of NFL executives, coaches, players and scouts conducted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Kittle, by just a narrow margin, was ranked the top tight end ahead of Travis Kelce. Fowler said the debate between Kittle and Kelce was the most hotly debated among all of the positions which were ranked in the poll, the results of which will be released position-by-position in the coming two weeks.
“After the first round of votes, the two sat at a dead-even split,” wrote Fowler. “In a race this close, it comes down to preferences: The pure-form receiver (Kelce) for the AFC champion or the do-it-all catalyst for the NFC champion (Kittle).”
The decision came down to Kittle’s blocking and his on-field presence in effectively carrying the 49ers’ offense. While Kelce is a better route-runner and you could argue Zach Ertz is too, Kittle is at least the third-best receiving tight end in the NFL with the greatest yards after catch potential, and is by the far the NFL’s No. 1 when it comes to blocking and eating up space.
Below is a roundup of the praise lofted Kittle’s way.