What Former Stanford Cardinal Elic Ayomanor Brings to the Tennessee Titans in 2025

When the Tennessee Titans traded back into the fourth round of the NFL Draft to select wide receiver Elic Ayomanor out of Stanford, you knew that they were high on him. This week, they showed just how much they like what he's been doing, naming him a starter for Sunday's season opener against the Denver Broncos.

Veterans Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett will serve as the Titans' other two receivers in the starting lineup, while fellow rookie Chimere Dike and veteran Van Jefferson (whom Ayomanor beat out for the starting gig) will serve as the backups in Week 1.

Back at Stanford, Ayomanor was incredible. The two seasons he played with the Cardinal, the program went 3-9, which almost makes his production stand out even more. He was an NFL caliber wide receiver on a team that was having a hard time collecting wins.

Ayomanor ready to take a step forward with Titans

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (5) watches his teammates during an NFL football training camp practice at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

His quarterback for those two years, Ashton Daniels, transferred to Auburn in December, where he is now third in line on the depth chart. Pairing him with the No. 1 overall pick in Cam Ward as his QB should help unlock Ayomanor and showcase a level of performance that has laid dormant.

Of course, he has made spectacular catches in his college days, like the one-handed touchdown grab he hauled in against Syracuse last season. He also set the school receiving record when he torched Travis Hunter and Colorado for 294 yards and three TDs.

In his career with the Stanford Cardinal he totaled 1,844 yards on 125 catches with 12 touchdowns. That was while being a big fish in a small pond. Now he's in the NFL and we're going to get a look at how his athleticism translates at the next level, while also adding talent around him.

Reason for optimism

While Lockett and Ridley are the two main pass catchers for the Titans, the former is entering his 11th NFL season—first in Tennessee—and will be a free agent following the season. Ridley is signed through 2027. They should be the leaders of the receiving group, but Ayomanor should be able to drift off of their success and find plenty of his own.

While on-field results are important each season, could Cam Ward be slightly more focused on building up his rapport with the fellow rookie? The two could end up being a major duo in the league for years to come, and getting started early could mean big things for Tennessee down the road. They reportedly already have a burgeoning connection, which should bode well for the future.

At the very least, Ayomanor has the skills to make his presence felt almost immediately in the NFL. With this opportunity, he'll surely provide Titans fans with some core memories for the 2025 campaign, like he has for Stanford fans the past two seasons. He could also completely break out this season and look like an absolute steal in the fourth round.

Ayomanor should be a big piece of the Tennessee offense for years to come.