Kittle had to go to a different team to be developed. The 49rs stole him because he looked average in Iowa's decrepit offense.
This is completely false. Kittle developed quite a bit at Iowa.
Here's some reading for you on the subject.
https://www.espn.com/blog/san-franc...orge-kittle-became-the-49ers-mr-indispensable
When Kittle arrived on Iowa's campus, he was 6-foot-2, 201 pounds. In need of added size and muscle, he redshirted his freshman season and began a process that would see him grow another inch and add 50 pounds.
Since he wasn't counted on to contribute on game day as a freshman, Kittle worked on the scout team in a variety of roles. It was there Kittle embraced the idea that the more he could do, the better his chances of getting meaningful playing time.
It's also where Ferentz first saw signs Kittle would grow into the player he is now. Ferentz knew Kittle was a good athlete but noted his relentless motor. When Kittle would jump in with the scout-team offense, he gave the starting defense fits with his ability to get open and make contested catches.
Kittle's willingness to do the dirty work made for a natural progression, as Ferentz and his staff hammered home the importance of being not just a willing blocker, but a dominant one.
"We asked him to block as well as being good in the passing game," Ferentz said. "And it’s probably fair to suggest that the passing game came easier to him at the front end of his career. But, you know, just like he's got better in all areas, and certainly is a lot more physical, a lot more mature now than he ... it's not even close to what he was as a freshman."
Iowa strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle still marvels at how Kittle managed to add weight so methodically as he gained about a pound a month every year for four straight years.
"It was steady," Doyle said. "It took a lot of diligence, and it just took time. Even when he went to the NFL, he was still developing. In my mind his best football was still ahead of him."