PFF’s Tennessee Titans players to watch for Preseason Week 2

Pro Football focus named its two Tennessee Titans players to watch for in the Preseason Week 2 matchup with the New England Patriots.

Pro Football Focus recently released a list of players to watch in each of the 16 Preseason Week 2 games. For the Tennessee Titans, PFF has an eye on third-year wide receiver Taywan Taylor, and rookie defensive back Amani Hooker.

Taywan Taylor

Let’s take a look at the case for Taylor. A small-school guy with big-time speed and high draft capital, full of talent and upside. The Tennessee Titans saw it and spent a third-round pick on him back in 2017, but to date, he hasn’t proved to be worthy of that selection.

Somehow, he’s lived at the top of the Titans’ depth chart consistently—mainly due to the lack of competency at the position on the roster.

Now, with more talent than ever on the depth chart in front of him, Taylor faces an uphill battle for snaps. Here’s what PFF had to say:

"Titans third-year receiver Taywan Taylor didn’t have the start he wanted last week. The former third-rounder caught just 2-of-5 targets for 16 yards and dropped two passes thrown his way. He earned a lowly 41.7 receiving grade for his efforts."

It’s a bit of an overreaction losing your cool after one preseason game, but I imagine most Titans fans are irritated by Taylor’s inconsistencies. Last year, he had a brilliant preseason. Per PFF, Taylor was the most productive receiver in the NFL when it came to yards per route run with 5.78. What happened?

After a 2018 stat line of 37/466/1, let’s not throw Taylor to the wolves—yet.

Sure, fellow wide reciever Tajae Sharpe has responded to the Titans drafting receiver A.J. Brown, but don’t count Taylor out. He is still a more athletically gifted player than Sharpe and can be deadly with the ball in his hands in space.

Despite his rocky start, Taylor is still a virtual lock to make the roster and has looked good in practice of late. I believe the Titans keep six receivers, and the former Hilltopper certainly has what it takes to keep his spot. Keep your eyes peeled for Taylor on Saturday night, and hope he can turn on the juice.

Amani Hooker

Hooker is the fourth-round rookie who could be the heir apparent to current slot cornerback Logan Ryan when the time is right. Ryan is in the final year of a three-year deal, but he is arguably the best cover corner on the inside in the NFL. More importantly, he’s a veteran that can help you win now, and a perfect guy to foster Hooker. Check out this super deep-dive by PFF:

"Rookie safety Amani Hooker earned a 73.6 overall grade across 36 defensive snaps in his 2019 NFL preseason debut, picking up two defensive stops along the way."

There’s a lot of “meat on the bone” in that statement. Let’s explore a bit more.

According to PFF, from 2017-2018, Hooker’s 90.4 was the highest rating among all slot defenders in the FBS. That’s remarkable, especially coming from a “smaller” school. Don’t get me wrong, Iowa is churning out NFL-ready prospects left and right, but doesn’t your mind automatically think SEC (Southeastern Conference) when referring to draftable talent?

In 2019, it’s a surefire bet that Hooker will be on the field. His football IQ is supposedly off the charts, and he is a more prepared rookie than I’ve seen in a long time. Not only can he cover elite tight ends in the slot (been there done that; In college, he played with TEs George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and Noah Fant), but he brings thunder from the safety position also.

While I don’t expect a “changing of the guard” to happen this season, I do envision Hooker making some significant plays for the Tennessee Titans.

He reminds me of linebacker Jayon Brown. Not in position, but as someone who will see a rotational role and flash early on in his career. Hooker is the type of young, foundational defender that adds depth and security to a potentially elite defense.