Tennessee Titans, A Decade In Review : A Closer Look At The First Round Picks
By Josh Gunnels
Dec 30, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright (13) rushes against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at LP Field. Titans won 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Webster and company shocked Titans fans by taking Wright in the first round. Much like they did with Locker the year before, they identified their guy, and pulled the trigger. NO ONE had Wright going to the Titans. In hindsight it seems to be a pretty darn good pick. He plays HARD and was incredibly productive as a rookie in a sputtering offense.
Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd were the only two WRs taken before him. The receivers taken after Wright were AJ Jenkins, Brian Quick and Stephen Hill. In context of receivers alone, the pick was stellar.
The Titans could have taken guard David Decastro or Defensive Ends Chandler Jones and Whitney Mercilus which were both taken shortly after, but in a re-draft I’m not sure they should change the pick.
Overall I love Kendall Wright as a player, and he could very well turn into a cornerstone of the Titans offense for years to come. But even if he’s the best rookie receiver in the draft, the Titans failure to address the offensive and defensive line killed their season. With no run game to work with and a defense that gave up a franchise record in points, DeCastro or Jones could have helped the team more. I think Wright is an “A” player, and the staff did a phenomenal job targeting him, but for these reasons the pick is downgraded.
Grade: B