With two preseason games already in the books, some of the rookies from the Titans 2008 draft pool have already shown glimpses of their vast potential.
Were all excited about what scintillating RB Chris Johnson brings to the offense and Jason Jones has already gave us an indication that he will be a big part of the defensive line rotation this year.
Its time to put on the professor hat and dish out grades on the performance of each of the Titans 2008 draftees through the preseasons halfway mark.
Chris Johnson: A
Many of our draft day fears have been alleviated as a result of Johnsons performance thus far. Chris is a certified playmaker who should wreak havoc on Titan opponents during his rookie year.
It should be exciting to see what offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger has in store for Johnson during the regular season. Weve mostly seen Johnson simply taking handoffs and catching balls out of the flat.
A coy Jeff Fisher made the following statement about Johnsons potential role in the offense:
“We have shown absolutely everything at this point. Everything weve got weve shown in preseason games.”
I cant wait to see the variety of ways that Johnson will be utilized once the regular season starts.
Jason Jones: A-
While operating in the shadow of the speedy Johnson, Jones has quietly emerged as a potential contributor on the Titan defensive line in 2008. His ability to play both defensive line positions provides him with versatility that should enable him to get plenty of playing time during the regular season.
Craig Stevens: C+
With veterans Alge Crumpler and Bo Scaife firmly entrenched as the number one and two tight ends, most of Craigs playing time in the first two preseason games has come in the latter portion of those contests.
Stevens is a solid blocker and may see some time during the regular season in certain running packages. He appears to have decent hands as evidenced by his two preseason catches.
William Hayes: C-
Prior to the second preseason game, many were wondering about the progress of Big Play Hayes. Via training camp reports, we learned that Hayes was having his share of ups and downs while trying to make the transition from the MEAC to the NFL.
Last Friday night, Hayes received extended playing time at DE and played adequately. He displayed the nice motor and good speed that sealed the Titans decision to draft him unexpectedly in the 4th round of Aprils draft.
Hayes is a project, but appears to be making some progress.
Lavelle Hawkins: B+
Lavelle made his first big-play as a Titan when he caught a 51 yard touchdown pass during Fridays win over Oakland. Hawkins has been turning heads all throughout training camp and appears to have a chance to see some passes thrown his way during the regular season.
An ankle injury will prevent Lavelle from playing in this weeks game against the Falcons but hopefully, he will be back on the field soon so we can continue to witness his development into a potentially solid WR target for Vince Young in 2008.
Stanford Keglar: B-
The last of the Titans trio of 4th round draft selections, Keglar is currently tied with Stephen Tulloch for second in total tackles (10).
Keglar appears to have some athleticism and should see an ample amount of playing time on the Titans special teams once the regular season starts.
Cary Williams: Incomplete
Injuries have been the recurring theme in the first few months of Carys NFL career. His appearance in the second preseason game ended abruptly as a result of pulling up lame in his attempt to track down the Raiders Adimchinobe Echemandu on a 71 yard scamper.
You cant make the club from the tub, so it is crucial for Williams to get healthy and show some promise over the course of the next couple of games. If this doesnt take place, dont be surprised to see Cary follow in the footsteps of Ryan Smith and Joel Filani, 2007 draftees who failed to make the team.
How would you grade the performances of the Titans draftees so far?
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