ESPN and The Athletic were split on the Titans: we know who's right
Austin Stanley and Easton Freeze go through the Tennessee Titans young core of players and determine how successful they can be in 2026 and beyond
Video Transcript
I think one of the biggest hangups here is the fact that so many of these young guys for the Titans are, at least in some part, only on paper right now.
We are, we are hoping that they go from a guy that showed us some flashes or a guy that had, like, a, a great profile in college or a guy that has been a really nice rotational player to full-time bona fide starter, and that, that's at a, a lot of this, you know, on the offensive line, on the defensive line, in the secondary, at receiver.
There, there's a bunch of dudes in that department right now who we have good, logical reason to have faith in taking a leap.
We have good, logical reason to believe they absolutely can reach that ceiling and ha- have all of that potential in them, and it's r- it's, like, reasonably so.
I, but it's still based on faith more than it should be.
So I would say top five young potential more than I would say top five young talent.
And that, and that was stated in, by Schatz.
In his methodology he says, like, a, a 21-year-old player of X ability is expected- Yeah to grow more than a 23-year-old player.
So it's like, when Cornell Tate- And that, and that- When you have guys, Cornell Tate, Caldrick Falk, Kevin Wilson Jr. And Anthony Hill are all roughly 22 years old, right?
Mm-hmm.
Those guys have, I think, depending on their birthdays, three seasons left to be in Aaron Schatz's exercise.
Right.
You know?
Yes.
That's a lot.
Like, Cam Ward's about to graduate out after this season, but then you're gonna have all these other Like, they've dr- J.C. Latham has another sea- his fourth season, he will still count towards this conversation.
Yep.
And that's insane.
And, and you're- That is insane.
So I think that's the whole J.C. Latham part of the conversation, to just get super specific, is everybody judging J.C. Latham for not living up to his top 10 potential or top 10 slot.
I, it's, it's, I understand the criticism, but it's, hey, let's remember, he was 22 years old last year.
He was 21 years old the year before, and he's gonna be 23 years old this year, and he's a d- offensive tackle playing against grown men who have been doing it and that know how to do it, and he is that young.
It, it's like a, you gotta have time, especially at that position, to fully mature and grow into it.
