Tag: Cole McDonald

Tennessee Titans QB Cole McDonald’s former coach gives scouting report

What does Cole McDonald’s former coach have to say about the Titans’ newest quarterback?

The Tennessee Titans got themselves an intriguing prospect to work with in seventh-round pick Cole McDonald, who will compete for the backup quarterback job with Logan Woodside in training camp.

McDonald brings NFL size and arm strength with him, but he also possesses elite athleticism for the position that gives him the ability to make plays with his legs.

As you’d expect with a late-round quarterback, the Hawaii product will need some developing, and in particular with his throwing motion, which was the biggest knock on him coming out of college.

McDonald has already been hard at work at that, though, as he’s been working with quarterback guru Steve Calhoun to shorten up his release.

In a recent video posted by the Titans on Twitter, McDonald’s former head coach at Hawaii and the current head coach at Washington State, Nick Rolovich, gave us a scouting report on the newest Titans quarterback.

If McDonald can improve his throwing motion between now and the start of training camp, he has a realistic shot to win the No. 2 job because of the more complete skill set he brings to the table.

However, there’s a realistic possibility that the Titans bring in a more experienced option at some point because neither Woodside nor McDonald have ever taken a regular season snap in the NFL.

In that instance, it’ll be interesting to see if the Titans decide to carry a third quarterback and if McDonald can grab that spot, or if he’ll be relegated to the practice squad to start the season.

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Watch: Titans’ Cole McDonald working out with UDFA Kyle Williams

Cole McDonald is making progress in fixing his throwing motion, but still has a ways to go.

The biggest thing to watch with Tennessee Titans seventh-round pick Cole McDonald this offseason and in the preseason is how he improves his throwing motion.

The knock on McDonald coming out of college was that he took too long to get rid of the football with his elongated motion, and it’s something he has been working on with quarterback guru Steve Calhoun.

In a recent video posted to his Instagram (H/T Mike Herndon of Music City Miracles), McDonald, who is working out with Titans UDFA wide receiver Kyle Williams, gave us an updated look at his progress.

We can certainly see the adjustments McDonald has been able to make thus far, but it appears he still has a ways to go, as his motion hasn’t been adequately shortened up yet.

In a recent interview with John Glennon of The Athletic, McDonald explained what goes into fixing the biggest hole in his game.

“In terms of me and what I’m working on, obviously my throwing motion is the biggest thing,” McDonald said. “I’m learning just to create muscle memory, shortening my motion, which is ultimately going to result in more accurate, more efficient throws and a tighter release.”

“It’s all about your mental capacity, in terms of adapting to the situation and ultimately making yourself a better player and a better person,” he said. “For me, I don’t think it’s very tough. It’s just going to take works and more reps.”

This kind of slow and steady progress doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as McDonald figured to need plenty of development, which is why he was a seventh-round pick in the first place.

Regardless, the Hawaii product will go into training camp and compete with Logan Woodside for the backup job. If he can continue to improve his form, McDonald could conceivably win the job thanks to his overall skill set (big arm, athleticism) being superior to that of Woodside.

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1 bold prediction for each Tennessee Titans 2020 NFL Draft pick

It’s time to go out on a limb with some bold predictions for the Titans’ 2020 NFL Draft picks in their first season.

The Tennessee Titans added six rookies to their roster in the 2020 NFL Draft to help fill some holes the team had coming into the offseason.

For the most part, general manager Jon Robinson was praised for his selections, as he added several young players with intriguing skill sets.

Let’s go out on a limb and make one bold prediction for each of Robinson’s 2020 draft picks.

Isaiah Wilson won’t make any starts in 2020

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest knock on Titans first-round pick Isaiah Wilson was that he left college too early and could have used another year to develop his game, as ESPN’s Mel Kiper revealed following the draft.

That makes two Georgia offensive tackles in Round 1 here, and there has been some buzz around Wilson over the last few weeks. At 6-foot-6, 350 pounds, Wilson is massive, but he’s going to need some time to clean up his technique before he can start in the NFL. I actually thought he could have been a top-15 pick if he had returned to school for another year and entered the 2021 draft. There is some upside with Wilson, who started at right tackle over the last two seasons, but he’s raw. Yes, Tennessee has a hole at right tackle with Jack Conklin gone, but I don’t see Wilson as an immediate starter.

If Wilson is as raw as Kiper believes, it might take some time for the Titans’ coaching staff to develop him further. It also won’t help that rookie mini-camps are being done virtually as opposed to on the practice field.

But the Titans don’t need to rush Wilson into action with veteran Dennis Kelly already on the roster. He has proven to be a quality starter at right tackle during his career after playing well in place of Jack Conklin in 2018.

There is simply too much riding on this 2020 season for the Titans to trust a rookie on the right side who isn’t polished in pass protection, which will lead to Wilson spending his rookie campaign on the bench.

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Breaking down new Tennessee Titans QB Cole McDonald

Taking a closer look at new Titans QB Cole McDonald.

The Tennessee Titans have struggled at the quarterback position greatly in recent history, but appear to be headed in the right direction after signing Ryan Tannehill to a four-year, $118 million extension.

But just as the team has gone through several starters who didn’t pan out, they’ve also gone through some backups who have failed to deliver in important games.

For now, the Titans have Logan Woodside and newly drafted Cole McDonald to work with behind Tannehill.

Here’s a closer look into the latter.

Pros 

McDonald does a good job looking off safeties, and his quick release almost makes up for some issues with his throwing motion.

In terms of zip on the ball, McDonald has shown some flashes of arm strength and dropped some absolute dimes with the Rainbow Warriors.

His overall athleticism, speed, competitive spirit and willingness to take a hit when he takes off with the ball are a big part of what’s made him an appealing prospect.

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Titans’ Cole McDonald explains how he can improve throwing motion

The biggest knock on Titans quarterback Cole McDonald is his throwing motion.

The Tennessee Titans have their starting quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, but entered the 2020 NFL Draft with no other option behind him other than Logan Woodside.

Whether or not Woodside will ultimately take the No. 2 spot remains to be seen, but the team did add another player to compete with him, selecting former Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald in the seventh round.

McDonald is a raw, intriguing prospect who has both drawn comparisons to and worked with former Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota.

He’s got some things to work on before he’s ready to effectively play in the NFL game, and one particular issue he’s focused on this offseason is his throwing motion.

It’s an elongated one that causes his arm to dip lower than preferred, and one that he’s trying to shorten. McDonald explained what goes into fixing it, according to John Glennon of The Athletic.

“In terms of me and what I’m working on, obviously my throwing motion is the biggest thing,” McDonald said. “I’m learning just to create muscle memory, shortening my motion, which is ultimately going to result in more accurate, more efficient throws and a tighter release.”

McDonald doesn’t seem to believe he’ll have too much trouble cleaning it up.

“It’s all about your mental capacity, in terms of adapting to the situation and ultimately making yourself a better player and a better person,” he said. “For me, I don’t think it’s very tough. It’s just going to take works and more reps.”

It will be interesting to see if the Titans make any other moves at quarterback before the season starts, and where McDonald ends up falling on the depth chart.

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What analysts said about Titans’ Cole McDonald before 2020 NFL Draft

What did the pre-draft scouting reports look like for Titans quarterback Cole McDonald?

The Tennessee Titans selected Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft in order to add some competition at backup quarterback with Logan Woodside.

McDonald brings an intriguing skill set to the Titans with his size, big arm and exceptional athleticism that allows him to create plays with his legs.

The addition of McDonald to the backup quarterback competition will no doubt add a little extra excitement to the Titans’ preseason.

Take a look at what draft analysts had to say about McDonald before the Titans took him in the seven round.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic:

A two-year starter at Hawaii, McDonald was the starter in former head coach Nick Rolovich’s run-and-shoot offense, recording 40-plus touchdowns each of the last two years. With Hawaii being his only Division-I scholarship offer (and that didn’t arrive until the final moment), he fully embraced the Hawaiian culture, including growing blonde dreadlocks and getting a tattoo of the Hawaiian islands on his left forearm. McDonald gets the ball out quickly and accurately on short timing throws, showing a keen understanding of the offense and his options vs. coverage. However, he is a very frenetic passer and his composure and mechanics tend to falter when the heat is cranked up. Overall, McDonald is a challenging evaluation due to Hawaii’s wide-open offense and although he needs to improve his fundamentals and take better care of the football, he is a rhythm thrower with quick feet and a loose arm, projecting as a late-round developmental option.

Lance Zierlein, NFL.com:

Next up from the pass-happy Hawaii offense with good size and impressive touchdown production over the last two seasons as a starter. While he can read defenses and throw with touch, he doesn’t have the timing or ball placement to make up for his weak arm. He needs to work to a condensed field as a pro, but even then, jumpy cornerbacks could feast since he struggles to work with consistent anticipation to limit contested throws. He’s a decent athlete, but it’s not enough to offset his throwing deficiencies.

Kyle Crabbs, The Draft Network:

Cole McDonald projects as a developmental quarterback the the NFL level. McDonald has several desirable traits, including flashes of arm talent, athleticism and the size of a prototypical passer — but he is a point and shoot passer by design in Hawaii’s Run-N-Shoot offense. The mental side of the game is going to need to be reconstructed from the foundation and as such McDonald should be considered a low risk, high reward prospect late in the NFL Draft. Great tools but a long way out. 

Patrick Conn, Draft Wire:

Hawaii has been known to produce some highly productive passers, such as Colt Brennan. McDonald is next on the list. His has a NFL-sized frame for the position. He is more of an athlete than he is a passer but could get some looks from NFL teams that should follow during the free agent scramble after the NFL Draft.

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report:

McDonald is an intriguing developmental option at quarterback because of his athleticism and ability to read a defense, but his lack of accuracy and arm strength leave him with limited tools to develop. His inability to drive the ball will plague him against tight coverage in the NFL, and there isn’t an ideal scheme fit that would cover up his weaknesses. McDonald grades out as a late-round option with a backup ceiling.

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Cole McDonald will add excitement to Tennessee Titans’ preseason

Cole McDonald will be one of the most talked about players during the Titans’ preseason.

The Tennessee Titans added a shiny new toy in the 2020 NFL Draft after selecting Cole McDonald out of Hawaii in the seventh round.

Prior to that pick, it looked as though Logan Woodside was on the fast track to becoming the team’s backup quarterback, but now we have a full-blown competition with two quarterbacks who have contrasting skill sets.

And that competition may not stop at just Woodside vs. McDonald, as it’s quite possible the Titans bring in a veteran at some point to add to it.

McDonald brings an intriguing skill set to the table that Woodside doesn’t, and that will help make preseason games must-watch television even after the starters aren’t seeing the field following the third preseason game.

McDonald not only brings great size (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and a rocket arm, he also possesses elite athleticism for the position, giving him the ability to improvise and make things happen with his legs.

And, as is typically the case, everything McDonald does in the preseason will be over-analyzed and any impressive plays he makes will create a buzz that the Titans might have something in their rookie quarterback.

Of course, overreacting to anything in the preseason is silly, but that’s the way of things every single year, no matter how much we are reminded of it.

When it comes to seventh-round picks — and in particular, quarterbacks — expectations should always be tempered, and especially during a year in which offseason activities could be cut short or cancelled due to Covid-19.

But there’s no denying that watching McDonald will be much more interesting than watching Woodside because the Hawaii product has far more upside thanks to what he brings to the table.

Once the preseason comes to an end, the attention will turn to if McDonald has done enough to win the competition, or at the very least, earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

It’ll be interesting to see is if the Titans will carry just two quarterbacks like they did last season or if head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson will decide to carry three.

A lot of that will depend on how far along McDonald has come.

Even if McDonald doesn’t beat out Woodside or a veteran option the team adds down the road, the Titans might not want to risk cutting him because another team could pick him up before he can be added to the practice squad.

No matter how you slice it, McDonald competing for the backup job, on top of the team’s other positional competitions, will be enough reason to have some added interest in what the Titans do during the preseason.

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Tennessee Titans near bottom of USA TODAY’s backup QB rankings

USA TODAY isn’t impressed with the Titans’ backup quarterback situation.

The Tennessee Titans have had more than their fair share of issues at quarterback — both at starter and backup — for about as long as we can remember in recent history.

They seem to have their guy at the No. 1 spot in Ryan Tannehill, but there’s no true experience behind him with Logan Woodside and seventh-round 2020 NFL Draft selection Cole McDonald as the options at backup.

It’s for that reason that Tennessee ranked at No. 31 — just one place away from the very bottom — of USA TODAY’s backup quarterback rankings.

Only the Seattle Seahawks, who recently signed former WSU quarterback Anthony Gordon, ranked lower on the list.

“Logan Woodside and rookie Cole McDonald offer little in the way of significant upside or NFL experience behind Ryan Tannehill,” the network’s Nate Davis wrote. 

Davis placed the New Orleans Saints, who recently added both Jameis Winston and Tommy Stevens to go along with Taysom Hill, at the No. 1 spot.

There’s still plenty of time left in the offseason as the Titans prepare for 2020, and they could always bring a veteran presence into the room. Whether or not they’ll actually take the steps to do that remains to be seen, though.

It will be interesting to see what the quarterback room looks like when the Titans play their first regular season game on the road against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14.

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Projecting first-year roles for each of the Titans’ 2020 draft picks

What role will the Titans’ draft picks play during the 2020 season?

The coronavirus pandemic might end up forcing teams to cancel offseason programs, which would have a major impact on the development of the Tennessee Titans’ 2020 NFL Draft class.

It’s already difficult to foresee what roles rookies will play, but this potential reality only makes it more difficult.

With all that being said, we’re going to take a look at each Titans draft pick and try to project what they’ll be doing for the team in 2020.

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

RT Isaiah Wilson

If Wilson is going to be a starter in 2020, he’s going to have to earn it. General manager Jon Robinson made it clear that Wilson will have to compete for the starting job with Dennis Kelly in training camp.

Until he wins that competition, we have to give the edge to Kelly, who has much more experience and knowledge of the Titans’ system. For now, we’re going to peg Wilson as a backup.

Projected role: Backup

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Did Titans’ Cole McDonald confirm his jersey number for 2020?

Did Cole McDonald gives us a look at his jersey number for 2020?

On their respective Instagram accounts, Tennessee Titans seventh-round picks Cole McDonald and Chris Jackson shared Photoshop pictures of themselves in uniform.

And McDonald might have given us a look at what his number will be for the upcoming season before it was officially released by the team.

The quarterback and Hawaii product shared this photo, which shows him wearing the No. 2. McDonald wore No. 13 in college, but that number is currently worn by Titans wide receiver/returner, Cameron Batson.

The No. 2 isn’t taken on the Titans roster currently, so that might be McDonald’s new number.

View this post on Instagram

On to chapter #2

A post shared by || COLE McDONALD || (@king_colleee) on

His caption also reads “On to chapter #2” below the picture.

Here’s a look at Jackson in a Titans uniform, also.

Jackson wore No. 3 in college, so there isn’t much to dissect here. He may or may not wear it in the pros.

We should be getting confirmation on what numbers Titans rookies and new free-agent signings will wear soon, as second-round pick Kristian Fulton hinted a few days ago.

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