Cole McDonald | QB
Background
McDonald was able to post some big numbers during his days at Hawaii. In fact, he totaled 8,010 passing yards and 69 touchdowns in his last two collegiate seasons. In 2019, his 4,135 yards were the third-most in college football.
McDonald doesn’t only bring a big arm to the next level, he also has elite athleticism for the position and can make things happen with his legs, which only adds to the intrigue of having him on the roster.
The biggest knock on McDonald coming out of college is his elongated throwing motion, making it impossible for him to get rid of the football quickly. While it didn’t present a huge issue in college, McDonald is going to have to improve his release if he wants to succeed in the NFL.
The competition
The rookie signal-caller will be thrust into a competition for the backup quarterback job behind Ryan Tannehill, with Logan Woodside being the other candidate to land the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
It’s also possible that the Titans bring in a veteran option at some point before or during camp, which would certainly throw a wrench into McDonald’s chances of being the backup.
Development will be key for McDonald, as he is very much a project. It’ll be interesting to see how far the Hawaii product has come in terms of improving his throwing motion, which is something he has been working on since last year and has continued trying to improve during the offseason.
While McDonald lacks experience, his current competition for the backup job, Woodside, doesn’t exactly have much of an advantage there seeing as how he has never taken a regular season snap in the NFL. Woodside does have a better knowledge of the Titans’ offense, though.
The biggest thing McDonald has over Woodside is a more complete skill set that better mirrors the Titans’ starter, with his stronger arm and vastly superior athleticism. The latter quality might lead to McDonald seeing the field in trick-play packages should he make the roster.
If no veteran option is brought in, we could see McDonald seize the backup job or be No. 3 on the depth chart if the Titans decide to carry three quarterbacks, which is possible given Woodside’s lack of experience.
If Tennessee does sign a veteran option, McDonald will almost certainly start the year on the practice squad unless the Titans see enough that they don’t want to risk another team snatching him away after final cuts.