Tag: Kendall Wright

Are Titans using Kendall Wright effectively?

Rookie Notes, Titans
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The Tennessee Titans presumably drafted Kendall Wright in the 1st round with the hope that he would add a new dimension to their offense.

However Wright is slightly undersized and didn’t play in a complex offense at Baylor. His route running skills definitely need some work, but one area where he could help immediately would be to stretch the field. Wright is likely the fastest receiver on the Titans roster, and was a serious deep threat during his days in college.

But through two games, Wright has been targeted beyond 10 yards just twice (both incompletions).

Instead the Titans have used Wright on quick routes, hoping to allow him to make plays after the catch. All seven of Wright’s catches have been less than 10 yards down the field and two have come behind the line of scrimmage.

Wright is definitely dangerous with the ball in his hands but it’s hard not to wonder if the Titans are limiting him by preventing him from stretching the field.

Draft Grades: Tennessee Titans

Draft Grades - 2012, Titans
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The Tennessee Titans are stuck in limbo. They’re not in full rebuilding mode, but they aren’t legitimate contenders. As a result, they had a tough decision to make in this draft: addressnz immediate holes, or draft for the future. Based on their early selections it seems as though they chose the latter, which was probably the right decision.

The Titans shocked a lot of people with the selection of Kendall Wright. Receiver was not viewed as an immediate need, but the Titans apparently viewed him as one of the best values on the board. Wright is a perfect compliment to Kenny Britt, and the Titans now have two legitimate weapons in place which will ease Jake Locker’s transition whenever he takes over for Matt Hasselbeck.

Zach Brown is an elite athlete who fell down draft boards due to a lack of production in 2011 at North Carolina. He’s undersized and not very physical, but the Titans defense is one of the few units that tends to favor athleticism over size and Brown should fit right in.

Mike Martin could be a steal in the 3rd round. He’s limited athletically, but is a tough, physical player who can anchor a defensive line. He’ll have to fight for playing time on the Titans crowded defensive line, but he’ll force the coaching staff to find a role for him as part of the rotation.

If the Titans were drafting purely for need, cornerback is an area that should have been addressnzed earlier. Coty Sensabaugh adds depth, but he doesn’t even begin to replace Courtland Finnegan.

I love the selection of Taylor Thompson in the 5th round. He played defensive end at SMU, so we have no idea what lies ahead for him as a tight end, but he has all the physical attributes necessary to play the position at an elite level. He’s obviously a project, but his upside makes him well worth a 5th round selection.

Markelle Martin should provide some much needed depth in the secondary. He’ll likely backup Michael Griffin at free safety and play on special teams.

Scott Solomon will compete for a backup job at defensive end. While the starters are locked in, there’s very little depth at the position which should allow him to earn a spot on the roster.

This was a solid draft haul for the Titans, but don’t expect it to allow much improvement on their 9-7 record in 2011. This class was about putting the pieces in place to ensure a smooth transition from Hasselbeck to Locker. With the added weapons and offense and the depth added on the defensive side of the ball, the Titans should be able to avoid the typical dip in production when ushering in a new franchise quarterback.

Kendall Wright scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
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Kendall Wright WR Baylor #1
Ht: 5’10”

Wt: 190

  
Strengths:
Elite speed; can consistently stretch the field. A playmaker with the ball in his hands; quick and shifty; elusive in the open field. Does a nice job adjusting to poorly thrown balls. Experienced and efficient running a variety of routes; can stretch the field with his pure speed, but also uses quickness to get open on other shorter routes. Tough for his size; not afraid to go across the middle. Reliable hands and good technique; catches the ball away from his body and then brings it in. Good fundamentals as a runner; secures the ball. Elite all-around athlete; played basketball at Baylor as a freshman.
Weaknesses:
Slightly undersized; will struggle against more physical cornerbacks if jammed at the line of scrimmage. Played in a spread offense at Baylor which allowed him to frequently get open in space; rarely forced to make plays in traffic. Limited experience on special teams, where some teams may want to use him.
Comments:
Wright has the potential to be a game-changer on offense, the only question is his size. Fortunately for Wright, he’s entering the league at the right time. The NFL is continuing to become a more passing-friendly league, and undersized receivers such as Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace and DeSean Jackson are among the most feared receivers in the league. Wright has all the tools necessary to be in that class of receivers if he lands in the right system.
Videos:
2011 vs Washington (bowl game)
2011 vs Texas
2011 vs Oklahoma
2011 vs TCU