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Turron DavenportESPN
NASHVILLE TENNESSEE — The 2019 and 2020 seasons were both the best. Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
After the 2019 season, Tannehill was named Comeback Player of Year and had a record 33 touchdown passes in 2020.
Tannehill’s first success with the Titans was due to his ability to find wide receivers. A.J. BrownAnd Adam HumphriesClosed end Jonnu SmithThere are many things he can throw.
But, 2021 didn’t go according to plan. Tannehill had 14 interceptions in the last season. He threw 14 interceptions last season, more than the 13 he did the previous two seasons with Smith, Humphries, and Brown.
Smith signed a 2021 free-agent deal with the Patriots. Humphries, a cap casualty, signed with the Patriots in 2021. Washington Commanders.
Brown was available for 13 regular-season games. However, he will not be available for the upcoming season. contract issues resulted in Brown being tradedTo the Philadelphia EaglesTwo weeks ago, on draft night.
Jon Robinson, Titans general manager, took a look at the draft prospects who could replicate Tannehill’s success in the past. In Treylon Burks, Chigoziem OkonkwoAnd Kyle PhilipsRobinson chose three players that closely resembled their big three from the past.
Here’s an overview of how prospects compare with past players:
Treylon Burks — A.J. Brown
Brown, who was responsible for 23% of Titans total receiving yards last year, will be the largest part of the trio that Tannehill must replace. Brown was targeted 272 more times than Tannehill did during their time together. This is more than any Titans pass catcher from 2019-2021.
Burks is expected to make an impact in the lineup, but he’s not worried about being Brown 2.0.
Burks stated, “Just being me and not trying to be anyone else.” “It is about taking on every day as I am supposed to, and putting in the effort and finishing. To be the guy who puts in extra effort to succeed.
These comparisons are natural because Burks was picked with one of two picks (No. 18 overall) that Tennessee received in Brown’s blockbuster deal.
Brown is 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. It is evident that the playstyles of Brown and Brown are very similar.
Arkansas WR Treylon Burks said he has seen a lot of @1kalwaysopen_He is open to the suggestions he has made. Burks stated that he studied a lot Julio Jones’s running style, particularly how he uses slants. pic.twitter.com/XpTH9rQAzF
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) March 2, 2022
Both Browns and Burks have the ability to make contested catches, which helps their quarterbacks gain extra yards when they catch the ball.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Brown ranks third among wide receivers in average yards after the catch since entering the league in 2019. Burks’ average yardage after the catch was 9.4 which placed him seventh among FBS receivers.
Chigoziem OKonkwo — JonnuSmith
Smith was one Tannehill loved in the redzone. The Titans had more touchdown receptions by Smith than any other Titans player in 2020’s tight end.
It all starts with Smith’s similar build. Okonkwo, a fourth round draft pick from Maryland, measures 6 feet 2 inches and 238 pounds. Smith, on the other hand, is 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds when Smith entered the NFL in 2017.
“Jonnu was one of the guys I liked to watch throughout college, just because he’s a 6-foot-2 guy just like me,” Okonkwo said.
Both players can be used as athletic tight ends in many alignments that present matchup problems for defenses.
Their versatility extends to carrying the ball out from the backfield. Smith lined up running back and ran a 57-yard run against the Houston TexansThe 2019 season’s 15th week. Okonkwo’s touchdown run of 54 yards helped the Terrapins win 63 to 33 over Illinois.
“[Smith is]Okonkwo said that Okonkwo is one of my favorite players to model my game after. His play style is also very physical. It’s very easy to feel that he can hold the ball with his hands. It’s the same for me. I am very physical. I won’t be afraid to put my head in there. The catch was made and he is strong. So those are the commonalities people see between him & me.
Kyle Philips — Adam Humphries
Tannehill had a reliable receiver in Humphries. He was responsible for 43 of the 59 targets, most of which were from the slot.
Philips is expected to take over as Tannehill’s primary slot receiver. Robinson grabbed the UCLA receiver in the fifth round.
Robinson was an advocate for Humphries’s cause when he discovered the Tampa Bay BuccaneersIn 2015, Humphries was an undrafted agent. Robinson was followed by Humphries, who signed a four year contract worth $36million in 2019.
Humphries as well as Philips possess a crab-like speed that allows them to move in the lateral direction at the same pace as when running straight. Their ability to set up defenders and route them makes it difficult for them to be covered, especially when they are on third downs.
Philips admittedly doesn’t watch a lot of Humphries, but he mentioned some receivers that he has modeled his game after.
“I would say” [I model my game after] Cole Beasley, Hunter RenfrowPhilips stated that they are just as good in the slot at running their outs. “I love how thoughtful they are about their stems, heads, and eyes. Next, Keenan AllenHis toughness on outs. He has a little skip that he freezes DBs with. I have been able to add this to my game and enjoy it a lot. The last thing would be Davante AdamsHis release package. I absolutely love his split release so I’ve been allowed to add that to mine a bit.”
The punt return skills of Philips are also a benefit to the Titans. Philip’s 25 career UCLA punt returns went for more than 20 yards. Two of those touchdowns were two.