Titans' rookie WR already showing signs he could take NFL by storm

It’s not often that fourth-round rookies garner significant attention from a fanbase, especially during a draft in which the team selected their supposed franchise quarterback. However, former Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor continues to generate more and more hype as a potential day-one starter in the Titans’ receiver room. While typically placing this level of expectation on any rookie (let alone a day-three draft pick) is irresponsible, his tape more than warrants the excitement.

First gathering attention as a draft prospect back in 2023, Ayomanor distinctly put himself on the map when he exploded for 13 catches, 294 yards, and three touchdowns against Jaguars second overall pick (and now in-division rival) Travis Hunter. From then on, he was mostly discussed as an early-to-mid day two draft pick. 

Despite his pre-draft projections, day two of the NFL Draft concluded and Ayomanor remained on the board. After already adding two fourth-round pass catchers in Chimere Dike and Gunnar Helm, Tennessee decided to add a third when they traded up to the 136th pick to end his dramatic slide. Regardless of where he was selected, Ayomanor has the potential to radically change the Titans’ receiver room and become a significant contributor to the offense.

What Ayomanor brings to Tennessee’s offense

The prototypical "X" boundary receiver has not only been sorely lacking in recent Titans offenses, it’s been a dying breed across the entire league. This problem persisted in the 2025 draft class, with a glaring lack of big-frame boundary receivers. However, Ayomanor, measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, more than meets the size requirements for a stereotypical X receiver.

While his huge frame may lead you to believe otherwise, the strength of Ayomanor’s game actually lies in his athleticism, footwork, and separation ability. Although size is a large part of the equation when playing the X receiver role, the ability to beat press off the line of scrimmage is equally vital. In tandem with his size allowing him to survive more physical defensive backs, he also has top-end footwork (especially for his size) to utilize a diverse release package when beating aggressive press coverage.

In addition to this, it’s Ayomanor’s combination of size and separation ability that makes him such a unique prospect. One aspect of his profile that makes him such a threat when operating against man coverage is his ability to sink his hips on stop routes. It’s incredibly rare to see a receiver of his stature be able to break down and stop on a dime, and this makes him a matchup nightmare for boundary corners. Even at his size, he excels when separating against man coverage and is nothing short of a technician in his routes.

Titans rookie WR Elic Ayomanor displays dominant frame

In a less surprising vein, Ayomanor’s frame also allows him to flash dominance at the catch point. While this aspect of his game needs to be more consistent, he has shown the ability to use his size advantage to box defensive backs out and gain advantageous leverage in contested catch situations. 

Although often an overlooked part of receiver evaluation, Ayomanor’s blocking ability is a highlight of his game. While his size contributes to his ability as a blocker, his most important attribute is pure effort (which he has no shortage of). Virtually adding the blocking presence of another tight end from the boundary, his blocking will have a significant impact on the Titans’ run game. He brings a skillset that Tennessee has desperately needed in recent years, and should see a starting-caliber snap count in his first season.

What caused Ayomanor’s drastic fall in the draft?

After Ayomanor’s shocking slip out of the top-100, members all across draft media began to speculate on what caused this slip. The most common cause that began to float around was supposed medical red flags. However, his only significant medical history is a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus in high school (which clearly didn’t bother him at Stanford). Although medicals seem to be the primary reason, there are also shortcomings in his game.

The most concerning of which being his aforementioned inconsistency at the catch point. While he shows flashes of excelling through contact at the catch point, he also has a tendency to allow contact to cause drop issues. Boasting a worrying 8.7% drop rate in 2024, his inconsistent hands were a sure contributor in his draft slide.

How Ayomanor fits into Tennessee’s receiver room

After the offseason departure of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (who split time between X and slot for Tennessee in 2024), Ayomanor’s only true competition for the X role is fellow offseason acquisition Van Jefferson. While Jefferson’s experience obviously gives him an advantage, he’s coming off of an abysmal 2024 season in Pittsburgh. Even as a fourth-round rookie, Ayomanor has a path of very little resistance to a starting role in the Titans’ receiver rotation.

While this amount of hype behind a fourth-round rookie receiver would typically be a recipe for disaster, Ayomanor has the film to back it up. Cautious optimism is always the best approach to expecting starting-level production from young players, but it’s hard to imagine a world in which he isn’t Tennessee’s starting X receiver within his rookie season.