Tennessee Titans offensive lineman named as team’s biggest X-factor
The Tennessee Titans spent a second-round pick on North Dakota State’s Dillon Radunz with the hopes that he could help clean up the mess that former first-round pick Isaiah Wilson left on his way out of Nashville. Wilson barely saw the field as a rookie, which is a bummer, as the Titans wanted him to be their right tackle of the future.
The Titans hit the reset button with Wilson, shipping him to Miami this offseason after a bust of a rookie season and took Radunz in round two. Tennessee’s plan was to plug Radunz in at right tackle, which was where he played at North Dakota State. He’s currently listed as the backup right guard, per the depth chart, but the plan is still to have him play right tackle in the future.
Radunz impressed in his first preseason game, making the list of PFF’s highest-graded tackles for his efforts against the Falcons, so that should make fans more confident moving forward.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report picked Dillon Radunz as Tennessee’s X-factor for the 2021 season. Sobleski writes:
"The Titans are cross-training Radunz at right guard and tackle. He acquitted himself well in Tennessee’s first preseason contest against the Atlanta Falcons. According to Pro Football Focus, Randunz was one of three rookie tackles to play 10 or more pass-blocking snaps and not surrender a pressure.Tennessee has veterans Kendall Lamm and Ty Sambrailo to hold things down until Radunz is ready to start. He must earn his keep to complete the front five."
Dillon Radunz is the Tennessee Titans’ X-factor this season.
As Sobleski mentions in his writeup, the Titans don’t need Radunz to start right away. They have Kendall Lamm and Ty Sambrailo who can hold down the fort while Radunz continues to learn and hopefully progress into a starter, whether that’s as a tackle or a guard.
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It’s not shocking to see Radunz chosen as the X-factor given his draft spot and what he’s being asked to do. While he played college at a smaller school, Radunz went on Day 2 of the draft for a reason and the Titans are hoping he can be a force on their offensive line this season.