George Kittle is one of the best tight ends in the NFL. As both a blocker and a pass-catcher, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more productive player at the position.
The San Francisco 49ers star's talent hasn't gone unnoticed in Foxboro. Ahead of the New England Patriots' Week 7 meeting with the Niners, head coach Bill Belichick shared the highest of praise for Kittle.
Curran: Five games in, Patriots are on a flat-line trajectory
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"He does everything well," Belichick told San Francisco media on Monday. "I'd put him right at the top of the league there, period. His ability to run, catch, get open, after the catch, block, he does everything at a high level. He's as good as anybody that I've coached or as good as anybody that we've played against."
Check out the full quote below, courtesy of ESPN's Nick Wagoner:
As good as anybody Belichick has coached or played against? That's incredible praise no matter how you slice it, but even more so when you consider Belichick coached future Hall-of-Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski for nine years.
Kittle has a ways to go before we can put him on the same tier as Gronkowski, but the 27-year-old certainly is on the right track. If he can avoid significant injuries -- something Gronk was unable to do -- Kittle very well may join him in the "best TE of all time" conversation.
New England Patriots
Through four games this season, Kittle has 30 catches for 380 yards and two touchdowns.
The Patriots and 49ers are scheduled to kick off Sunday at 4:25 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.