2017 NFL Draft watch: JuJu Smith Schuster

Dec 30, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) attempts to catch a pass while defended by Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Darius Hillary (5) during the 2015 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (9) attempts to catch a pass while defended by Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Darius Hillary (5) during the 2015 Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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There isn’t a lot of news going on in the NFL right now and instead of forcing some new content out there, I think it would be fun to look at some big names in the 2017 NFL Draft.

More from Titans Draft

There are a lot of different ways to look at the 2017 NFL Draft. You can look at a player for the Tennessee Titans and their two 1st round draft picks. You can look for a player who might be a concern in the division. You can look at a player who is a lock to go to a team projected to have a higher pick like the Cleveland Browns. You can even look at a player from a value standpoint to see what the Titans could get in a trade if he was still available at their pick.

So, no player is off limits so just sit back and enjoy reading up on the top players in the 2017 NFL Draft and plan your college television viewing schedule to accommodate the players you want to see most.

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  • Who?

    JuJu Smith Schuster was one of the top high school players in the country heading into USC, and his 1,450+ receiving yards last year made him one of the top college players in the country. He is a staple of the USC offense and he is poised to have an even better year now that there is a change at quarterback.

    What does he do well?

    JuJu is such a talented player that at first glance it looks like he is doing everything right. He has solid hands, can attack the defense down the field, he has the size to keep opposing defenders at bay in post of situations, and he runs well through contact.

    Now, he gets a lot of leeway because of just how bad Cody Kessler was for the majority of 2015 so this year could be a clear make or break year to see just how talented he is.

    Where does he need to improve?

    I said at first glance JuJu seemingly does everything correctly, because that is true. However when you look a little deeper there are flaws in his game that could make him less appealing if a new quarterback shows these flaws.

    He isn’t exceptionally quick out of breaks and he creates separation mostly on fade and go routes. That is usually fine for a 6’2″ wide receiver with good speed, however he doesn’t always come down with those passes down the sidelines.

    While he is an effective blocker which generally points to good effort, sometimes his burst out of breaks can leave you really disappointed considering his deep speed.

    Does he fit with the Tennessee Titans?

    I don’t know. Despite a great college career, I am not sure he does anything exceptionally well. He can run off coverage, but that is something that Justin Hunter can and has done for years and it hasn’t helped him carve out a spot on the team.

    Can he run slants and crossing routes on the intermediate level to help compliment the running game? Is he just a deep threat in year one? If so then he really isn’t worth what he will probably cost.

    More from Titan Sized

    Potential selection range?

    Everything I am seeing has him as a top-16 player. I don’t see it, but there really isn’t anyone else who screams WR1 in the 2017 NFL Draft based off 2015 film. If he is the top guy, just how long can the top wide receiver fall? This year showed us that even in a sub par group there is still a great chance that someone will take them in the top half of the 1st round.

    In my opinion, you can’t spend that pick if you are the Tennessee Titans and have a chance to set your team up for long term success in the 2017 NFL Draft.