Titans work out intriguing RB prospect
The Titans hosted Tulane running back Tyjae Spears for a pre-draft visit this Wednesday, the last day teams can bring prospects in for testing and interviews. Spears is one of the most intriguing players in this upcoming draft class and is coming off a monster season for the Green Wave. He rushed for 1,581 yards, 19 […]
The Titans hosted Tulane running back Tyjae Spears for a pre-draft visit this Wednesday, the last day teams can bring prospects in for testing and interviews.
Spears is one of the most intriguing players in this upcoming draft class and is coming off a monster season for the Green Wave. He rushed for 1,581 yards, 19 touchdowns and added on 22 catches, 256 yards, and two touchdowns in the passing game. If you want to see just how special he can be, watch this highlight from the AAC championship game:
Spears was part of a historic turnaround in New Orleans, where he carried Tulane to their first AAC championship and a Cotton Bowl victory over USC. In that Cotton Bowl victory, Spears ran 17 times for 206 yards and four touchdowns. Stepping up when it mattered most was a trend for Spears all season, as he consistently had his best games on the biggest stages.
Here is what Sports Illustrated had to say about Spears:
“Tyjae Spears is at his best when he is in a zone-blocking scheme, where he is able to use his patience behind the line of scrimmage to set up his explosive running in the open field. He is comfortable waiting for zone blocks to develop to open up cutback lanes. Spears has great top speed that allows him to break a lot of plays into big gains. Once out in space, he is very much a north-south runner that would rather run through defenders than around them. Spears has a knack for always fighting for yards, which really sets the tone for his team. He has great open-field vision combined with the footwork to make sharp cuts and gain as many yards as possible. What is probably Spears’s most polarizing trait as a player is the heart he plays with every time he steps on the field. Despite his smaller stature, nothing seems to intimidate him. Whether it’s a defensive lineman he has to block in pass-pro or a 240-pound linebacker in the open field, Spears does not back down from a fight and always gives 100%. Having this trait demonstrates his love for the game and desire to improve, which he has every year at Tulane.”
According to CBS, Spears is the fourth-ranked running back in this draft class and is the 94th-ranked overall player. Spears is expected to go anywhere from the middle of the second round to late in the third round. With rumors of a Derrick Henry trade circulating, the Spears pick makes sense in two ways.
As a compliment for Henry, Spears fits what the Titans have always looked for. He is capable of playing the Dion Lewis / Dontrell Hilliard role and could thrive next to Henry. However, Spears is talented enough to be a lead back on his own. If the Titans decide to move on from Henry, whether this year or next, Spears is a logical pick for his replacement.
