Kylie Fitts selected by Chicago Bears in 6th round

Kylie Fitts selected by Chicago Bears in 6th round

(Josh Furlong, KSL.com)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Defensive end Kylie Fitts is headed to Chicago to continue his football career.

Fitts, a 6-foot-4 disruptor on the defense, was selected No. 181 overall by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft. Fitts is the first University of Utah player selected in this year’s draft.

The former UCLA four-star recruit turned Ute had a big impact on Utah’s stout defensive line, disrupting offenses around the Pac-12. Fitts finished his senior season with 23 total tackles and three sacks. He also had one forced fumble and one pass breakup in his senior year.

He also saw a 4.69 second 40-yard dash, 32.5 inch vertical jump and 117 inch broad jump in the 2018 NFL Combine.

His durability is also a concern for analysts, who say if he can overcome this weakness, his talents could see him playing at a more advanced level. Fitts missed significant time during his final two seasons with injuries.

"Fitts simply hasn't been able to stay at full strength over the last two seasons and it takes heavy digging to find good tape against quality competition because of it," NFL analyst Lance Zierlein said on NFL.com. "He could be a target for 3-4 teams as a strong-side outside linebacker, but a lack of anchor at the point of attack could chase him into competition for a role as designated pass rusher. He has the talent and traits to play at a higher level than his current grade, but he'll have to prove he can stay healthy."

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Josh is the Sports Director for KSL.com and beat writer covering University of Utah athletics — primarily football, men’s and women's basketball and gymnastics. He is also an Associated Press Top 25 voter for college football.

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