Tag: Jaelyn Duncan

Fans, media react to Titans drafting OT Jaelyn Duncan

How Titans fans and media reacted to the Titans drafting OT Jaelyn Duncan.

The Tennessee Titans made their second selection of an offensive lineman in the 2023 NFL draft when they picked Maryland offensive tackle, Jaelyn Duncan, who follows Tennessee’s first-round pick of Peter Skoronski.

While, again, we would have preferred a wide receiver in this spot, I’m not going to harp on that any longer because it just isn’t happening. Instead, I’m going to take this pick at face value and go from there.

Duncan is a solid selection for Tennessee, as he offers another backup option at multiple spots, especially at tackle where the Titans were a bit shaky.

And, perhaps he develops into a starter down the line, but he’s going to need a lot of work before that ever happens.

The 6-foot-6, 306-pound lineman was someone the Titans met with in the pre-draft process, so he was already on their radar.

Here’s a look at how fans and media reacted to the Titans passing on a wide receiver yet again in favor of more offensive line help.

Titans select OT Jaelyn Duncan with 186th pick in 2023 NFL draft

The Titans selected Maryland OT Jaelyn Duncan in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft.

The Tennessee Titans selected Maryland offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan in the sixth-round of the 2023 NFL draft (No. 186 overall) on Saturday.

The wait for a wide receiver continues, as the Titans remain without one in this draft after six rounds. Tennessee has one more pick in the seventh but that’s hardly an exciting place to grab a wide receiver.

Putting the wide receiver debacle aside for now, Duncan is a solid pick in this spot, as he gives Tennessee another much-needed depth option who has the potential to develop into a starter. And, he can probably play guard, also.

Tennessee is projected to have some combination of Andre Dillard, Peter Skoronski and/or Nicholas Petit-Frere manning the starting tackle spots.

However, depth options behind them are a bit shaky, with guys like Andrew Rupcich, John Leglue and Dillon Radunz, who is coming off a torn ACL, among them. Jamarco Jones also has the ability to play tackle if need be.

With the selection of 6-foot-6, 306-pound lineman, the Titans now have one more pick in the 2023 NFL draft, which comes in the seventh round (No. 228).

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2023 NFL draft: Breaking down the Commanders picks in ESPN’s new 7-round mock

Breaking down each of the Commanders’ picks in this new seven-round mock draft.

NFL draft week is here. And throughout the week, Commanders Wire will break down some of the latest mock drafts and how they would impact the Washington Commanders.

Most would agree that Washington’s primary needs ahead of the 2023 NFL draft are the offensive line and cornerback. The Commanders could use help at linebacker and running back, too. And don’t sleep on Washington targeting a quarterback at some point during the draft.

With that being said, ESPN’s Matt Miller released a seven-round mock draft Sunday. Let’s break down his picks for the Commanders.

Dolphins nab two offensive, two defensive players in seven-round mock draft

He has them attack two of their biggest needs first.

In just days, the Miami Dolphins will enter the league’s 2023 draft with the goal of improving their roster for not only this year but for the years beyond as well.

General manager Chris Grier only has four selections at this point for the second straight year, meaning he’ll have to be really confident in his selections if he wants to make the biggest impact.

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter recently published a seven-round mock draft where the Dolphins selected two offensive and two defensive players to address some of their needs.

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Here’s who Reuter predicts Miami could select:

Report: Colts meeting virtually with OT Jaelyn Duncan

Jaelyn Duncan was a four-year starting left tackle for the Terps.

The Indianapolis Colts reportedly have a virtual meeting with Maryland offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

Finding depth and competition at both offensive tackle spots will be necessary for the Colts during the draft. Even if they like the potential duo of Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith, they shouldn’t avoid bringing in competition.

According to Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston, the Colts are among several teams interested in Duncan ahead of the draft.

A projected Day 3 pick, Duncan has a lot of experience working at the left tackle position from his five seasons at Maryland. He made 39 starts across four seasons with the Terps.

At the combine, he measured in at 6-foot-5 and 306 pounds with 33 5/8-inch arms. He has impressive athleticism and has fluidity in his movements, but some believe his lack of anchor and inconsistent technique will force him to move inside to guard.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), the Colts also have a need to add some depth and competition to the interior offensive line as well.

The Colts currently have six selections on Day 3 of the draft so there’s certainly going to be an opportunity for them to use a pick on Duncan if they feel so inclined.

We’ll be tracking the Colts’ reported interest in the 2023 draft class so be sure to keep up with latest updates via our tracker.

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Chiefs to host Maryland OT Jaelyn Duncan on pre-draft visit

The #Chiefs are hosting a toolsy offensive tackle prospect on a top-30 visit on Wednesday, per report.

The season for pre-draft visits is winding down, but the Kansas City Chiefs still have a few more prospects to bring in. The latest is an offensive tackle prospect with a ton of tools who is in need of a little refinement at the next level.

According to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, the Chiefs are hosting Maryland OT Jaelyn Duncan on a top-30 visit. He’s already taken visits with teams like the Raiders, Bears, Titans, and Cardinals per Fowler. He’s the fifth player with offensive tackle experience that has been reported to take a top-30 visit in Kansas City so far.

At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, Duncan is extremely nimble for his size. He showcases impressive movement skills and footwork to mirror and match against finesse pass rushers. He’ll need to improve his play strength at the next level, but he’s shown the ability to anchor well enough against power at the college level that it shouldn’t be too big of an adjustment in the NFL.

Duncan’s movement skills lend themselves to the screen game, which is something that will certainly catch Andy Reid’s eye. He’s good at displacing defenders in the run game, especially when he can get a moving start as a puller or working at the second level, but he’s not one blow defenders off the ball right out of his stance.

One reason that the Chiefs likely brought Duncan on a top-30 visit was to check on his health. He suffered an ankle injury during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine and sat out the OL on-field drills. He did, however, post solid numbers in the 40-yard dash (5.1s), vertical jump (31.5 inches) and broad jump (9-5) prior to his injury.

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Jalin Hyatt, Emmanuel Forbes named prospects Giants ‘should avoid’

Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt and Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes have been named NFL draft prospects the New York Giants “should avoid.”

The New York Giants have needs at both wide receiver and cornerback, so it should come as no surprise that many mock drafts have them going with either Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt or Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes.

However, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes general manager Joe Schoen should avoid both.

When it comes to Hyatt, Knox views him as a complimentary piece and not that true No. 1 receiver the Giants are lacking.

Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt — the 12th-ranked wideout on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s big board — will likely be available later in the draft. However, he’s not a tremendous fit for New York’s needs.

While Hyatt has good speed — he ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine — he isn’t a polished pro-ready receiver.

“Hyatt’s route running is lacking,” Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. “He doesn’t waste very much movement via technique, but his high-waisted build makes him stiff in the hips. He can struggle to sink and explode out of routes, which limits his ability to separate on non-vertical routes.”

As it relates to Forbes, Knox views him as an undersized rotational cornerback who is incapable of handling the physicality of the NFC East.

Forbes is also a wiry 166-pound prospect who can struggle against more physical receivers and in run support.

“There are times where he can struggle defeating blocks,” Cory Giddings of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. “He does a good job of taking on blockers with his length and occasionally uses his quickness to beat blocks, but he’s often overpowered by strength on the edge.”

While any team with playoff aspirations should be looking to add cornerback depth, Forbes simply isn’t a great fit for New York. The NFC East features some bigger receivers in CeeDee Lamb and A.J. Brown, plus two teams that love to run the football in the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

In addition to Hyatt and Forbes, Knox also lists Maryland offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan as a player the Giants should avoid.

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Titans have pre-draft visit scheduled with OT Jaelyn Duncan

The Titans have a visit scheduled with Maryland OT Jaelyn Duncan.

Reports of Tennessee Titans pre-draft visits with 2023 NFL draft prospects just keep rolling in, with the latest pertaining to Maryland offensive tackle, Jaelyn Duncan.

According to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler, Duncan has a visit scheduled with the Titans over the next few weeks.

In addition to Tennessee, Duncan is also slated to meet with the New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals.

Here’s more on Duncan, per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:

Highly athletic four-year starter at left tackle who might have the best chance to stick in the league as a zone-scheme guard. It’s easy to love the athletic flashes, but it’s challenging to love the complete body of work when studying the game tape. Duncan rarely plays with enough finish and his man is frequently near the final action because of it. He has the foot speed to protect as a left tackle, but his ability to anchor is a major concern. His lateral quickness should work to his advantage as a move blocker, but he’ll need to unearth enough grit to stand up to NFL bullies at the point of attack to make it.

Per The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez, Duncan is slated to go somewhere in the third round.

Stay up to date with all of the reported pre-draft visits the Titans have scheduled with our tracker below.

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Jaguars 7-round mock draft: 9 potential targets after free agency

What position should the Jaguars target early in the 2023 NFL Draft?

The first two weeks of NFL free agency were more about subtraction than addition for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While the team reportedly aimed to keep offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor and pass rusher Arden Key, both players signed elsewhere last week. Taylor signed a massive deal with the Kansas City Chiefs and Key joined the Jaguars’ division rival, the Tennessee Titans.

Jacksonville signed running back D’Ernest Johnson and reportedly agreed to terms with a couple defensive lineman, but none of those additions will change the team’s draft plans much.

With the 2023 NFL Draft now less than a month away, here are nine prospects who could make sense for the Jaguars:

Maryland OT Jaelyn Duncan to have official visit with Cardinals

Duncan was a four-year starter at left tackle for Maryland and is a late-round prospect.

The NFL draft is at the end of April and NFL teams are busy preparing for it, evaluating players. They can host 30 players for official visits, flying them in, giving them a tour of the facility and having them overnight.

These visit range from top prospects to potential undrafted rookie signings.

One of the Cardinals’ official top-30 visits will be with Maryland tackle Jaelyn Duncan, according to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo.

A 6-foot-6, 306-pound tackle who started at left tackle four years for the Terrapins, he is long and athletic. He moves well enough to play tackle but doesn’t have great arm length (33 5/8 in.).

He participated in the Senior Bowl.

He is probably a Day 3 selection or could go undrafted.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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