Tennessee Titans-2nd Round: A.J. Brown
Titans second-round pick A.J. Brown was a stud for Ole Miss last season. Not only did he catch 85 balls for 1,320 yards and six touchdowns in his last collegiate year, he also broke the all-time record for most receiving yards by a Rebels wideout.
This man is explosive, with an ability to be a deep threat, as well as a receiver who can catch short passes and turn them into long gains.
With good hands and solid route-running skills, Brown can be a major asset right off the bat to quarterback Marcus Mariota, and his versatility in playing all over the field—something he proved he could do at Ole Miss—will almost guarantee he’s involved consistently.
There’s just one problem: he’s a rookie receiver.
Perhaps the biggest wild cards in the NFL are rookie receivers. Some of them burst onto the scene and make their presence felt almost immediately, while most take time to grow and really blossom into impact or even star players.
New #Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown is a player to keep an eye on for Offensive Rookie of the Year. See who else is on the list below.#TitanUphttps://t.co/JJblqG3APA
— PFF TEN Titans (@PFF_Titans) May 6, 2019
There is no question that Brown has star quality to him, and he’s already been compared to Hall of Fame receiver Andre Reed. However, expecting him to be that receiver you see on his college tape immediately in the NFL is just an unfair expectation.
In the grand scheme of things, adding any level of playmaker that Brown can be in his first year will be a huge plus for the Titans as compared to the groups of receivers they’ve had in recent years.
Just keep your expectations tempered. Brown has to get used to the NFL and has a lot of competition for targets. At worst, we’ll see flashes of the No. 1 receiver he has the potential to be sprinkled in here and there, and at best the Titans have an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate on their hands.