Titans HC Mike Vrabel Impressed By Pair of Jaguars Rookies
Mike Vrabel is no stranger to successful NFL rookies. Since he has taken over as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans in 2018, the Titans (1-0) have been fueled by the success of their draft classes under his staff's tutelage, specifically rookie wide receiver A.J. Brown last season.
So if anyone knows what a talented and impactful rookie looks like, especially on the defensive side of the ball, it is Vrabel. This is good news for the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0), who has a pair of rookies Vrabel knows his team will have to focus on during the matchup of the teams in Week 2.
"You better be careful, man," Vrabel said about Jaguars cornerback CJ Henderson, the No. 9 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. "He was very sticky in coverage, very tight. You know, they challenged him at the end of the game, you know, 'got to have it' situation. They threw to T.Y. Hilton and he was able to break the pass up and had some other really nice pass breakups as well as the interception."
Henderson had a dominant performance vs. the Indianapolis Colts in his NFL debut. In fact, Henderson was arguably the ultimate difference that decided victory in the 27-20 win, with the former Florida standout recording three pass breakups and one interception.
Included in Henderson's gaudy stats is the fact that the aforementioned pass breakup clinched the win for the Jaguars. He wasn't doing it against a middling receiver group, either, making his performance even more impressive.
"So very good skill set, good size, good quickness, speed. Came up, had another third down tackle short of the sticks. So he is going to be a very good player and is a very good player," Vrabel said.
"We'll have to run good routes and know where he's at."
As for Jacksonville's top offensive rookie Laviska Shenault, Vrabel and his staff know they will have to be hard at work to counter how he is utilized in Jacksonville's scheme. Shenault had a successful NFL debut, catching three passes for 37 yards for one touchdown and rushing two times for 10 yards.
Shenault, the No. 42 pick in April, was used on the outside, in the slot and in the backfield in his NFL debut, much like he was utilized throughout his career at Colorado. And even when Shenault isn't getting the ball, he has to be monitored closely by the Titans' defense.
"We liked him, you know, we watched him coming out and we evaluated him. And, you know, he did a lot of those things at Colorado and the Wildcat and, you know, ran a nice route down the red zone and was able to score. He is a physical player," Vrabel said.
"And so I'd say he's, he's picking up where he left off from college."
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