The Tennessee Titans may be losing games, but there is a lot of things to like. I am not going to preach moral victories, but man it is great to have a good OL again, and that is starting with Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin.
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While Taylor Lewan is the top tackle in the NFL by a healthy margin according to PFF, Jack Conklin is the 4th overall tackle and the 2nd right tackle and he looks like a stud. Speaking of PFF, let’s look where they have other 1st round rookie offensive linemen ranked in the order they were drafted:
(The numbers beside them are their overall grades and in parentheses I have their rank at their position)
FanSided
Ronnie Stanley 71.2 (40th)
Jack Conklin: 86.2 (4th)
Laremy Tunsil 70.7 (42nd)
Taylor Decker 72.8 (38th)
Joshua Garnett, unranked hasn’t played
Germain Ifedi (G) 40.4 (74th if he had played more snaps, hasn’t had enough to qualify)
So, one of these things is not like the other. Jack Conklin has been absolutely great for any offensive tackle, not just for a rookie.
What is that? You want some examples? Well, I am glad you asked let’s take a look at my timeline from yesterday and bring some of those gifs in.
Here is Conklin just using some power and hand placement to work a guy who has about 40 lbs on him.
After struggling w/ power on previous rep, #Titans RT Conklin comes back strong here throwing a guy listed at 335 lb https://t.co/4PoCjCmBo4
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) October 3, 2016
Conklin is a great right tackle, but in a pinch he could probably also play some left tackle. The Titans showed this look 7 times by my count on Sunday and I think they will use it more in the future. Jack Conklin at left tackle with Taylor Lewan as a jumbo tight end to his size. Great combo of power and athleticism.
Watch if #Titans RB Murray takes this left he could also get big yards behind Lewan (TE) and Conklin (LT) https://t.co/le3mCL0b8i
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) October 3, 2016
These two gifs show some fun power by Conklin, just plays with such strong hands and good feet at times that you really have to remember that he is a rookie.
#Titans Conklin (playing at LT again) is out here bullying people. Watch him just throw around Texans #98 https://t.co/PXLQpoz5lj
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) October 3, 2016
#Titans Conklin here at LT again. Work. Work. Work. Bury a dude. That is ideal https://t.co/XuWZxLukeo
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) October 3, 2016
Conklin isn’t just a physical player, watch his great pass pro technique on these plays. Just looks so smooth for someone who doesn’t have a clean kickslide.
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3rd & 4 obvious pass here, look how clean Conklin looks vs Clowney, watch his body & hips relative to the hash marks https://t.co/pRI82NqJHq
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) October 3, 2016
Again, Conklin v Clowney here Clowney gets frustrated & tries to throw #Titans Conklin but he has a rock solid core https://t.co/vHG9t4xTuU
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) October 3, 2016
This is the last gif to show what a great day he had. There is a lot to this play, watch how well he works his guy into a pile in the middle of the field to give Mariota a lane to run if he wants it. Then, as soon as he feels that it has turned into a run both he and Taylor Lewan flip the switch and turn to run blockers. After the smoke clears both tackles have pushed their defenders 8 yards from where they started.
This is a #Titans OL love fest, watch @PFF #1 & #4 OT work here. Punch & drive 77 & 78 just handle their business https://t.co/092NemTTrt
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) October 3, 2016
Now, he had some issues too. He will get bucked about once per game and lose his balance and end up giving ground against great speed to power rushers. However, I will take one of two bad plays if he can be great 95% of the time like these gifs show.
He is winning with technique, power, leverage, hand use, feet, and awareness and if you are a Titans fan there is no way on Earth you could have been expecting any better from Jack Conklin to start his career.
Kudos to Jon Robinson for getting him to Tennessee even when everyone wanted Laremy Tunsil, and the same to Russ Grimm for taking him and making him better. Those may be the only two people on the staff that I really want to see back in 2016, and we all know Robinson isn’t going anywhere.