Executive producer and analyst Greg Cosell, whose breakdowns can be seen weekly on ESPN's NFL Matchup, joined KNBR on Friday afternoon and discussed San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.
The second-year player had an impressive outing against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday night. He caught four passes on four targets for 108 yards with a touchdown during the dominating 34-3 win. It was Kittle's second 100-yard game of the season and the third of his career.
Kittle also hauled in his second reception of 70-or-more yards this season. He is the only tight end in the NFL to do so in a single season since Rich Caster of the New York Jets in 1972.
While Cosell admits to being a big fan of Kittle's, just how high does he believe the tight end's ceiling is? How does the analyst compare him to the likes of a Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, or Jimmy Graham?
"I think he's getting there, yes, because he's very athletic," Cosell said on the "Gary & Larry" show. "We've talked about this. His explosive immeasurables at the combine were better than O.J. Howard's. I mean, when was the last time a tight end, in a given season, we're only halfway done, had two 70-plus yard receptions? That's a tight end, now.
"I love George Kittle, and I think he could be a great, great player. I think if Jimmy Garoppolo can come back next year, stay healthy, and they can grow together, I think you'll be looking at George Kittle in the next year or two being talked about as a top two, three tight end in this league, for sure."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Cosell below.