Titans first round thoughts
Titans first round thoughts
We have discussed the wide receivers many times this offseason. I was not a fan of the first round wideouts. I expected the Titans to select wide receivers later in the draft and preferred those types for the roles they play. Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter, Dorial Green-Beckham, and Kenny Britt have contributed to my nerves here.
An offseason that started with Wright cleaning out his locker, then a Brandin Cooks trade, then draft prospects…it looks like we will be discussing wide receivers all offseason, yet again. How many years has it been? The secondary has been about the same. We’re always discussing a deficiency. Will the new players pan out? Will the veterans step up? Same story, just different characters.
The first round didn’t go as expected, but I don’t blame Jon Robinson one bit. He has to throw a big giant ax at this tradition. How often were Cowboys fans worried about the run game with Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston? Were the 49ers concerned when Joe Montana was slinging it to Jerry Rice? This secondary and wide receiver negative roundtable needs to be destroyed. Robinson hacked away at it with Corey Davis, then smashed it by adding Adoree Jackson at pick 18.
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Gold star for me, yep. I have regularly called Jackson my surprise pick for the Titans. One reader offered to buy my kid a fathead if I got it right and it’s already on order. Thank you again, very kind and generous. Due to the playfulness of the emails and the whole surprise nature of my prediction, I didn’t expect the bet to stand up. I will give you a chance somehow, email me some surprise prediction for tomorrow.
The surprise nature was simply to pick someone unexpected that the Titans may select. Quite honestly I did not expect them to select Adoree.
Cliche? Odd? Whatever…I adore Adoree.
Years ago, when Randall Cobb was at Kentucky, he played quarterback, running back, and wide receiver. There have been many players that have shown similar versatility, but something about him stuck out to me. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, until it “hit me.” He looks like a quarterback. He looks like a wide receiver. He looks like a running back. He’s not just some guy playing a part as we oh so often see, he looks so comfortable, so natural. I loved that. What a football player! Not what a quarterback or…but a football player. That was my thought. He was so good, I stopped saying the positions he played.
The Titans selected someone I find quite similar in this regard. I don’t know that I would call Adoree a great corner or a great receiver, but I would call him a great football player. He is comfortable no matter what he does on the field. He runs. He returns kicks. He’d probably kick off and go sell hot dogs if the coaches would let him. He’s a rare type of athlete- a sincere football player’s player.
As I wrote previously, the Titans two and three tight end offense only uses multiple wide receivers in third and long situations. If there was any team where he could sprinkle in on offense, the Titans were the perfect fit. Well, this is still the case here.
My issue now is with Tajae Sharpe. The heat is on for Sharpe in a big way. The second Corey Davis was drafted, he became the second wide receiver. I’m not sure if he can supplant the reliable Rishard Matthews so easily, as the lone wide receiver on early downs. In training camp and in college, Sharpe was mister reliable with hands that must have glue on them. His catch rate his rookie year was not as predicted. Sharpe does not have big play ability whereas Adoree can take it to the house. I think we will discover that the Titans alternate Adoree and Sharpe on third downs. Sharpe has to step up. He will have to be the wide receiver he was last summer or become buried in the Titans depth chart.
Adoree Jackson is personable and I rarely have heard him called Jackson. He’s always Adoree.
The swiss army knife from USC could also be the Titans third down back on occasion. The draft isn’t finished. The Titans could add yet another wide receiver or another running back. For now, it seems reasonable to project a few carries here and there for Adoree. Not many. The Titans won’t mess with the Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray backfield. He will get a tiny number of carries that will provide a breather for these two.
I don’t so much like Adoree Jackson’s technique in man to man coverage. He’s a special athlete and he can follow guys around just fine. He can keep up with anyone. There is more of an art to playing corner though. This reasoning is why I wouldn’t start him if I were Dick Lebeau. I would sub him in all game long and feel comfortable playing him all over the field, but, I wouldn’t start him.
Year two should show tremendous growth for Jackson. This “football player” will have time to drink it all in and focus on the differences of the NFL game. He’ll have a year of coaching and filmwork under his belt also. His position and how the Titans utilize his skills, will be far more well defined by then. I would expect a rookie year of him sprinkling his skills all over.
Ahh Eric Weems we barely knew ya. The Titans are already close to cutting their brand new free agent kick returner. Rookies usually have nerves and drops issues. It is possible they keep Weems, but the second Jackson was selected, Weems became at risk to be cut.
An interesting nugget could be Weems as a wide receiver. He is fast and “slick.” He hasn’t been all that successful in the NFL as a wide receiver. Maybe he sees the Adoree pick and starts working on his route running. Maybe he starts spending hours in front of the juggs machine? It would be a wonderful story in camp to see Weems step up and prove to be a weapon at wide receiver.
Round two
The Titans do not have a pick in round two. It wouldn’t surprise me if they traded up into round two, but I don’t think there is a big need. As I’ve stated a few times, the talent drop off from about round three to about round four is huge. If Robinson is going to somehow trade for picks, I would imagine he wants as many as he can get in round three. The Titans do have two picks already.
If the Titans trade up into round two, it would have to be for someone they love. A player they really came away impressed with from the interview process. Someone that fills a glaring need. I would suggest this could be a corner or Zach Cunningham. I know many of the readers adore Cunningham and are hopeful. I would want a 3rd and 4th or 5th or 6th depending on the perceived market. With the talent drop I mentioned earlier, I’d do that trade “in a heartbeat” if I was in Robinson’s shoes.
Not trading
Isn’t it odd how surprising it was that the Titans didn’t trade? An entire calendar year of trade talks involving Robinson the trader GM were all for nothing. The thing that surprised me most was not trading to 17. I thought for sure the Titans would go and get Johnathan Allen. He fell so far, it’s possible the Redskins weren’t interested in a trade. However, they were “this close” to getting what seems to be the steal of the draft.
No corner
I don’t think Jackson’s selection indicates a corner is likely on the chopping block. The Titans had released Jason McCourty and freed up a spot. I suppose Kalan Reed is most affected by this in a numbers game, but as a former 7th round pick this was inevitable. I still like Reed and how he has a knack for getting his hands on the football. He’s going to have to step up though in camp.
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