Tennessee Titans struck gold in 3rd round
By Will Lomas
Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson showing off his skills.
Everyone knows that you need to hit in the first round each year to build a championship roster. The Tennessee Titans are no exception.
However, if you ask people that know they will tell you that teams that habitually end up in the playoffs generally hit on about three or four prospects per year.
If you can find three or four long-term starters in a draft, you don’t have to overextend yourself in free agency and you can keep your key players on the roster.
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Each round after the first it gets harder and harder to find guys like that. So, if you can land three guys in the first three rounds you are golden.
In case you forgot the Tennessee Titans didn’t have a second round pick, but with two picks in the 1st and 3rd they ended up with four chances to really find a talented starter.
They ended up with:
5th Corey Davis
18th Adoree Jackson
73rd Taywan Taylor
100th Jonnu Smith
It looks like they hit on Taylor and Smith for sure as rotational players, and I think Adoree Jackson looks like the Titans best cornerback already.
Corey Davis is rehabilitating a hamstring injury, but when he is healthy he will be a force for this team.
However, I want to focus on Jonnu Smith. Taywan Taylor and Adoree Jackson have eyes on them, but check out what Smith has been doing under the radar.
Jonnu Smith the receiver
Jonnu Smith doing things that OJ Howard did in college at a cheaper price #Titans https://t.co/tzJcqPsCDa
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) August 26, 2017
Jonnu Smith making me believe in tight end screens #Titans https://t.co/ZwEyf8YGAn
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) August 26, 2017
Smith goes up for a pass & DB tries to lay a hit in the air. Smith unaffected, DB got helped off the field. #Titans https://t.co/SFnmZWR88P
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) August 26, 2017
Smith here with a great route. Covered by a CB, gets him to flip his hips then breaks. YAC for a 1st down #Titans https://t.co/JAPkpNJzEd
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) August 26, 2017
Jonnu Smith the blocker
Two things to note here: Lewan throwing KK Short to the ground with one arm, Jonnu Smith caving down the DL #Titans https://t.co/steF1rwErG
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) August 26, 2017
Smith taken 100 as a receiving TE, Daeshon Hall taken 77 to rush QBs. Here is Jonnu blocking Hall easily #Titans https://t.co/PvTrOsfrJC
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) August 26, 2017
Small thing, but here is Jonnu keeping his eyes on the QB, then when he sees the scramble he blocks the DB #Titans https://t.co/afRpKVzmu4
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) August 26, 2017
Smith is doing so many things well, so early in his career. In the clips above he won with his routes, with his size, balance and quickness on the sideline, vision to set up blocks, and just overall athleticism.
As a blocker, he won one-on-ones with huge pass rushers, he caved down starting defensive ends, he helped spring his QB for a first down, and he looked comfortable doing all of it.
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The Tennessee Titans don’t have a tight end controversy on their hands and Delanie Walker will still be the star tight end on this team, but it isn’t a one man show.
With how often they use 2TE sets or how often they like to have two men in the backfield, it isn’t a stretch to imagine Jonnu Smith being a serious part of this offense by October.