Elite NCAA coach marvels over Titans' pick in latest mock draft
The Tennessee Titans will have a new leader when it comes to the NFL Draft this off-season. General Manager Ran Carthon has his group in place, along with Mike Vrabel to try to ensure that the Titans get an impactful draft class in 2023. In the first round, they'll have options at pick eleven. Having […]
The Tennessee Titans will have a new leader when it comes to the NFL Draft this off-season. General Manager Ran Carthon has his group in place, along with Mike Vrabel to try to ensure that the Titans get an impactful draft class in 2023.
In the first round, they'll have options at pick eleven. Having a pick in the first half of the round can lend a team plenty of talent at the ready.
In Bruce Feldman's latest mock draft for The Athletic, he has the Titans selecting Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round.
JSN has been a consistent pick for Tennessee at their first selection. When he isn't the pick, offensive tackle is normally the route that mock drafts have the organization going. Both make plenty of sense.
For Smith-Njigba, he got a gleaming report from one of the best position coaches in college football.
His WRs coach, Brian Hartline, thinks that he is a fantastic NFL WR prospect. Any team would be lucky to get the former Buckeyes wideout, according to the former NFL WR.
“His change of direction is definitely the best that I’ve had,” Ohio State receivers coach Brian Hartline told The Athletic. “He’s kind of unguardable. He’ll be über-productive in the NFL. I think he will be a guy that leads the league in receptions and receiving yards.”
“You can line him up anywhere. He’s light on his feet. Really strong hands; is strong after the catch. Has great change of direction. He really blocks. He high-points it really well. Just a better all-around player than Olave and Wilson. I thought he was better than Marvin Harrison Jr., too. They’re different. You can put him in the slot and do a lot with him. I don’t think Harrison will be able to run certain routes. You can line (Smith-Njigba) off of the ball in stacks and bunches and really give people problems with pick routes, rub routes and Jerk routes. You see people playing with a three-corner defense with that nickel who is more of a blitzer (and) he will eat them alive.”
“He’s different than the other ones. There’s more quickness to him, more suddenness. He can really make you miss with the stops, re-starts.”
“He is really frickin’ good. When he was a sophomore (in 2021) he looked like a pro.”
Clearly, Hartline believes that Smith-Njigba has a very impressive professional future ahead of him.
For the Titans, the fit makes sense.
They need more upside at wide receiver. Treylon Burks showed solid flashes in year one, but they will need him to stay healthy.
Adding a player like JSN to the offense would give them an exciting, young duo for years to come.
