Surprising Tennessee Titans defensive back is turning heads in preseason
One area of question for the Tennessee Titans heading into training camp was the last cornerback spot.
Competition was wide open, but as we inch closer to the release of the 53-man roster, an unlikely player has made a name for himself. From mini-camp tryout to preseason playmaker, Eric Garror has become the name to know.
Unless someone was throwing darts at the wall hoping to make a lucky guess, you couldn't find anyone seriously talking about Garror before training camp started.
He was just another undersized cornerback that looked like a training camp body and nothing more...until the pads came on.
Eric Garror is maximizing opportunity with the Tennessee Titans
When you watch Garror play, the one thing that stands out above all else is his ability to make tackles and hits. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that when he is in the open field and has the chance to lay the body, he does not miss.
In the first preseason game, the Tennessee Titans defense did terrible job sticking to their assignments and limiting "X plays" for the most part. Garror was an exception and this play is the epitome of why he should make this team.
He caught the eyes of everyone who watched him play against the Chicago Bears and had a chance to reaffirm the excitement against the Minnesota Vikings last weekend. Nobody could have questioned his ability to make tackles even after just one showing -- it was just that good in that aspect -- but people really wanted to see if he could hold up in actual pass coverage.
He answered that question big time, as there were multiple passes he defended and did so quite well. It does not even stop there, as the Titans had him return some punts in Minnesota, and is now getting that opportunity in practice days later.
In less than just two weeks, Garror has shown that not only can he excel as an open-field tackler, but he is well-rounded enough to be an actual weapon. He is proving to be technically sound and a major athlete, which has the potential to be a dangerous combination.
Guys like Garror are the exact types who have meshed so well with Mike Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans over the years. His size was a "flaw" that held him back from being drafted, but he clearly has tools that are much more indicative of a long career, and a coach like Vrabel who consistently does well with under-appreciated talents is so perfect for a guy like Garror.
He has passed every test with flying colors and barring an injury or catastrophically awful showing on Friday night, he will be on this roster next Tuesday. For as much as I and many others are currently raving about him, the biggest test will obviously be against legit competition in legit games, and all eyes will be on him.
It is way too early to say anything definitive, but you never know, the Tennessee Titans might have just lucked into a gem in Garror.