Former Jaguars star shows insane disrespect to Tony Pollard in RB rankings

The Tennessee Titans were not afraid to write a big enough check during the 2024 offseason to improve their team. In order to fit head coach Brian Callahan's vision of what he wants this team to be, new skill position players like wide receiver Calvin Ridley and running back Tony Pollard were brought into the mix.

After splitting carries with Ezekiel Elliott for most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, Pollard was given the starting role last year. The results were so exemplary that the Titans were willing to give the former Memphis star and Tennessee native a three-year contract to be the main man in the backfield.

While Titans fans seem to be very optimistic about how their offense will perform, NFL.com analyst and former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew thinks that Pollard is in over his head. Jones-Drew's ranking of every team's starting running back has Pollard near the bottom.

MJD ranked Pollard as the 29th-best RB1 out of 32 contenders in the league. Some names ranked above him include Zamir White and his 451 rushing yards, Elliott and his 3.5 yards per carry, and the recently traded Joe Mixon. With Jonathan Taylor ranked ninth and Mixon 21st, Jones-Drew has it out for his old AFC South rivals.

Maurice Jones-Drew calles Titans RB Tony Pollard 29th-best starter

Pollard has consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards rushing and 1,300 yards from scrimmage, one of which was accomplished while splitting carries. Ready to get a bigger workload in Tennessee alongsid Tyjae Spears, Pollard will gain many opportunities on offense in 2024.

Pollard ending up anywhere outside the Top 20 is disrespectful, but this should be expected for Titans players who aren't often in the national spotlight. With a tremendous blend of speed, instincts, and versatility as a ball carrier, Pollard could be a more productive running back for Callahan than the sluggish Mixon was in Cincinnati.

The Titans have an inexperienced offensive line that remains a work in progress, especially with two youngsters in JC Latham and Peter Skoronski holding down two of the most important positions. While this could eat into Pollard's numbers at various points during the season, he has enough base physical skill to overcome this and put together a productive year.

While many a Jones-Drew seasons ended at the hands of a Jeff Fisher-led Titans team, that is no excuse to put a player with Pollard's history one slot above injured rookie Jonathan Brooks in a running back rankings list.