When the Tennessee Titans kicked off Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft by drafting Florida wide receiver Chimere Dike over receivers with bigger names like Jalen Royals and Dont'e Thornton, fans were less than pleased.
After all, each prospect was a deep threat, but Dike didn't seem to stand out from the pack. If you wanted production, then Royals should have been the guy, and if you wanted potential, it was hard to overlook the size-weight-speed combination that Thornton brought to the table.
Being underappreciated was a theme for Dike as he spent camp being overlooked on the depth chart behind veterans like Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett at their respective positions. To make things worse (or better, depending on how you look at it), fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor was the first-year playmaker earning the "media darling" title while Dike received little attention.
Titans rookie WR Chimere Dike has earned bigger role in Week 2
Dike showed off his outstanding athleticism on a 71-yard kick return against the Denver Broncos. It was a timely return that occurred right after the Broncos scored a touchdown with less than 30 seconds remaining in the half. That return got the Titans into field goal position, and they put points on the board, which helped the team take some momentum into the locker room when things looked like they were on the verge of spiraling.
Dike clearly wasn't a big part of Brian Callahan's first 2025 game plan. The former Florida standout was only on the field for five passing plays, though he was explosive enough to warrant getting the ball on a nine-yard designed rush. Perhaps it was an indicator that the coaching staff knows how explosive Dike can be in the right situation.
With no one else stepping up to the plate and creating an explosive play of their own, don't be surprised if we see Dike featured more consistently against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2. Dike's specialty in college was deep crossing routes down the field, and that fits in perfectly with the type of offense Ward wants to run.
This rookie class is already close to being great, and maybe Week 2 against the Rams is the day they make their presence fully felt.