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Tennessee Titans: A.J. Brown projected to have big rookie season

By Michael Moraitis

OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 02: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels runs with the ball for a touchdown during the second half of a game against the South Alabama Jaguars at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 02: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels runs with the ball for a touchdown during the second half of a game against the South Alabama Jaguars at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah is projecting Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown for a big rookie season.

If Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown has the kind of season that NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah is projecting, the Titans will have a star on their hands.

In an article where Jeremiah talks about the best- and worst-case scenarios for some of the top offensive rookies, he projects Brown will catch 65 passes for 800 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season.

Here are Jeremiah’s best- and worst-case scenarios for Brown, as well as his projection for the Ole Miss product:

"Best-case scenario: The Titans move Brown around in their scheme, and he is a perfect complement to third-year pro Corey Davis. Brown catches a boatload of slants in the RPO game and proves to be very difficult to bring down after the catch. His physicality helps the run game, as well.Worst-case scenario: There just aren’t many balls to go around in this offensive system. Davis emerges as a true No. 1 weapon, and veteran tight end Delanie Walker returns to his Pro Bowl form after losing most of 2018 to an ankle injury. Brown proves to be reliable, but his opportunities are limited.Projected stats: 65 catches, 800 yards, five TDs."

We’ve warned you all offseason that expectations for A.J. Brown should be tempered. Historically, rookie wide receiver can be an unpredictable commodity in the NFL, usually going one way or the other.

The same could happen to Brown, who will also be up against a ton of competition for targets.

Not only do the Titans have tight end Delanie Walker returning from injury and No. 1 wideout Corey Davis entering his third season, but Tennessee also added slot receiver Adam Humphries during the offseason.

Going up against those factors, if Brown can crack 800 yards through the air in 2019, it will be a major success and a big season for the Titans’ second-round pick.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver, A.J. Brown.
OXFORD, MS – OCTOBER 20: Wide receiver A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels looks to catch a pass in front of linebacker Richard Jibunor #37 of the Auburn Tigers during the forth quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

Brown will be used mostly on the outside, but as Jeremiah points out, he can be moved all over the formation by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Brown played both in the slot and on the outside in his college career, thus giving him the versatility to do both at the next level.

The skillset Brown possesses is perfect for the Titans’ passing offense. He could become a deep threat, but Brown is more of a physical receiver with great hands who can catch short passes and make things happen after the catch.

He’ll be an especially huge threat on slants over the middle of the field. Brown is just one of a few pass-catchers on this roster who can make things relatively easy for quarterback Marcus Mariota.

And that’s why Mariota’s arrow is pointing up. The Titans have set their quarterback up with weapons that are a great fit for what Mariota and the Titans will try to do, and Brown could end up being one of the more dangerous weapons of the bunch in 2019.

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