Rookie Depth Chart Battles: Titus Young

by Jon Dove on Jun 17, 2011 10:00 AM EDT

More and more NFL rookies are expected to contribute early in their careers. However, for them to make an impact they need to beat out a veteran player. We are going to analyze the situation of specific rookies and determine the likely hood of them winning a position battle.

Player: Titus Young

Team: Detroit Lions

Position: Wide Receiver

Competition: Stefan Logan, Derrick Williams, Nate Burleson, Bryant Johnson

Chance of winning the battle: 80 percent

Scouting Report

Thoughts: The Lions used this draft to improve on both sides of the football and Titus Young could easily be their biggest addition. Young is a game breaking player with the ability to threaten the defense. Detroit needs to have a healthy Matthew Stafford in order to have any chance at competing.

Calvin Johnson is one of the best receivers in the game and is producing even though he is facing constant double teams. This franchise brought in Bryant Johnson, Nate Burleson, and Derrick Williams with hopes of taking some attention away from Johnson. However, these players are not consistent enough to hurt a defense so the double teams remained.

Young is the ideal slot receiver because he possesses the quickness and route running ability to create mismatches. His ability to stretch the defense means that defensive coordinators will need to create a game plan to shut him down. The more attention paid to Young means the less attention paid top Calvin Johnson. Young will see the field a lot and will be moved around in order to create mismatches.

Tweet Comment 4 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I don't agree that teams will pay less attention to Calvin because of Titus.

Calvin will still be double covered, but Titus will get favourable opportunities to make them pay for it. A team would be crazy to ease off on Calvin’s coverage to cover Titus or Nate Burleson.

I agree that Titus will see the field a lot and have a reasonably large impact on the Lions offence.

"Filling a need doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a good player," said Schwartz. "It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re getting a player that best fits; it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re getting a player that’s better than what you have already."

by NorthLeft12 on Jun 17, 2011 12:01 PM EDT reply actions

true

but I tell you what, doubling Megatron now is going to burn them with this kids speed
put him in the slot, then you got Megatron on the outside, Pettigrew roaming the middle, and Best out of the backfield paired with a GREAT young QB in Stafford man thats a sick offense

please focus on OL next draft please

not to mention you got the best defensive line in your division, add some LB’s and CB’s and Detroit is going to be scary good man

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on Jun 18, 2011 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah and nate is pretty consistent as well

you add titus to a receiving corp that includes cj, nate, pettigrew/scheffler combo, and best who’ll be used more in the passing game, this is one dangerous offense. But as a d coordinator you have to double cover calvin regardless. Without the double team, Calvin would tear up opposing defenses every week.

by TheForceOfFollett on Jun 17, 2011 2:04 PM EDT reply actions