Latest news with #ElicAyomanor
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: Exciting WR youth movement, how much should you expect from rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike
Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: Exciting WR youth movement, how much should you expect from rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike originally appeared on A to Z Sports. Rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike are the future for the Tennessee Titans at receiver. But how quickly can the get up to speed? Advertisement This is the fourth and final WR installment of an ongoing article series, breaking down the Titans projected 53-man roster one position at a time. Here's what we've covered so far, in case you've missed it: To wrap up this deep dive on Cam Ward's receivers, lets look at the two rookies that will make or break the strength of the WR room: Wide Receivers Calvin Ridley Van Jefferson Elic Ayomanor Chimere Dike Tyler Lockett Bryce Oliver Xavier Restrepo Cut: James Proche, Colton Dowell, Treylon Burks, Jha'Quan Jackson, Mason Kinsey, TJ Sheffield Rookie Roles When the Titans entered Day 3 of the draft in April, they hadn't taken a pass catcher yet. That was, reasonably, very concerning for fans! I remember tweeting that night about how the Titans WR depth chart had Calvin Ridley, Hopes, and Prayers as the projected starters. Advertisement Then early on Day 3, the Titans drafted the players they hope push Hopes and Prayers down the depth chart. Their names were Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor. This pair of 4th Round picks presented some tepid excitement for fans, but now just a couple months and a handful of public practices later, the excitement is much louder. Everything about these two guys has been green flags so far. They seem to be fantastic young men off the field, and their coaches and teammates can't say enough nice things about them. Based on the conversations I've had, they're both really far ahead in their study and understanding of the offense so far. One of the biggest unseen hurdles for rookie receivers is getting comfortable with the speed of an NFL offense mentally. It's like learning a new language: once you start thinking in that language, you're truly up to speed. And it's not uncommon at all for young guys to take some time to grasp their role in that way. Although it's early, it sounds like both Dike and Ayomanor are ahead of schedule on that front. And that's very important if both of them are going to be an early impact in this offense. But how will they be used? With Ayomanor, I don't see how they don't play him at X. For my money, he's the only true X receiver on this team in terms of body type and skillset. That's a big part of why I liked him so much in the draft and was elated that the Titans took him. Finding guys who can consistently win on the boundary in the NFL is hard, and that's why that skillset is so coveted. I actually think he's likely to be a Week 1 starter at the position, and if it's not quite Week 1, it'll be month 1. I'd be disappointed if that's not the case at this point. And with Dike, I don't think his involvement in the offense will be very far behind Ayomanor. If you told me he's actually more involved a bit earlier than Ayomanor, I wouldn't be surprised at all. They really feel neck-and-neck, and it will likely just come down to positional deployment. The thing about Dike is how much I expect his role in the NFL to change from how he was used in college. At Florida, his usage was pretty disgusting. I'm not sure anybody was forced to run a further distance in 2024 than Dike was, who apparently was required to run no less than 40 yards every time he was in the route. He was on that Cardio King diet, running deep crossers until the cows come home. Advertisement That's not how the Titans are going to use him at the next level. I actually think they'd like him to develop into a starting role as a big slot option, utilizing his speed and acceleration up the middle of the field. He'll play on the outside as well and has three-position versatility in that way, but I think we'll see a lot more of him aligned inside and running a more diverse route tree than he did at Florida. Realistic Rookie Rises Here's the cognitive dissonance of this situation: Yes, these players are exciting so far and have every opportunity to become starters in 2025. But they are still Day 3 picks, and those guys just don't hit at a very high rate statistically! In fact, Since 2015, only 11% of Day 3 WRs have reached 500+ yards their rookie year. So are we getting entirely too far over our ski's with the expectations for these two young players? The answer is... maybe. Advertisement Because they're 4th round picks, it shouldn't be surprising to anybody if either (or God forbid, both) of them just don't pan out in the NFL. It also shouldn't come as a surprise if either or both of them hit a ceiling as a role player. Finding NFL starters is hard! But as long as we keep the statistical reality in mind, I don't think it's unreasonable to be really excited about these specific players given the circumstances. Most "Day 3 picks" aren't 4th Round picks. Obviously, that increases their odds of panning out. They both also have a good reason to think they were undervalued by their draft slots. With Dike, it's what the Titans believe was his gross misuse in college. And with Ayomanor, most draft analysts projected him as a Day 2 pick for a reason: that's what his tape showed! The understanding I have is that a small medical hiccup is what pushed him down team's boards. And finally, perhaps most importantly, they're in a WR room with much more opportunity than the vast majority of Day 3 receivers. Besides Calvin Ridley, this puppy is wide open. They're going to get many more chances to go out there and get baptized by fire than most rookies. So let's see what they do with it. Related: Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: Why a career year for Calvin Ridley should be the expectation with the Cam Ward connection in Year 2 Related: Dolphins trade rumors could open the door for two Titans to be on the trade block following blockbuster Jalen Ramsey trade View the original article to see embedded media. This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watch: Titans' Cam Ward builds chemistry with young receivers
In less than a month, fans will begin to rejoice as training camps for all 32 NFL teams will kick off in cities across the nation. This will mark the final stage before the start of the 2025 NFL season and finally give some clarity on the burning unanswered questions that remain. The Tennessee Titans will be reporting to camp in Nashville on July 22, and the excitement in the air is building. However, just because the players are in their off-time before camp does not mean they are not still putting in the necessary work to improve their craft. One of those players is rookie quarterback Cam Ward, who is still working to build chemistry with his receivers and improve his mechanics. In the video from 305 Sports, you can see Ward working on different aspects of his game while training with the team at Select QB in Miami in this session. Advertisement Some of his current and former teammates made the trip to Miami to take part in these sessions. While no official list was released after the session, social media reports indicate that tight end Chig Okonkwo and rookie wide receivers Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and Xavier Restrepo were in attendance. Gaining these extra offseason reps is vital for these young players, who appear poised to take on significant roles with the Titans in 2025. It will be interesting to see how this translates to the field once the players report to camp in three weeks. This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Watch: Titans' Cam Ward builds chemistry with young receivers
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Surprise Titans WR Projected to Start in Week 1
Surprise Titans WR Projected to Start in Week 1 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Tennessee Titans made several changes on the offensive side of the ball this offseason under new general manager Mike Borgonzi. Advertisement Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was the biggest upgrade, but he also carries the most hype and expectations. Borgonzi also made an effort to bolster the team's pass-catching unit in free agency by adding veterans Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson before the draft. The team selected wideouts Chimere Dike from Florida and Elic Ayomanor from Stanford in the fourth round as well. Former Miami Hurricane and one of Ward's favorite college targets, Xavier Restrepo, was also signed as an undrafted free agent. Calvin Ridley is seemingly the lone holdover at wide receiver from last year's roster. Tennessee Titans WR Elic Ayomanor (5).Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images With the season now just under three months away, AtoZ Sports' Easton Freeze made predictions about when each of the Titans' rookies would make their first professional starts. At wide receiver, he made a bit of a surprise choice. Advertisement "I'm calling my shot," Freeze wrote. "I think 4th Round rookie Elic Ayomanor will be out there on the Titans opening offensive play from scrimmage in Week 1." While Ayomanor may seem like an interesting choice, considering he was selected in the fourth round, Freeze came ready with details about his strong performance throughout the team's offseason program. "He's been my guy since the draft process, and I believe in his ability to both physically and mentally get up to speed in the NFL in a hurry," Freeze continued. "He's the only true X receiver on this roster for my money, and that's where I think he's lined up to begin the year. I was really encouraged by what we've seen from him in practice so far, and look forward to his continued progress in Training Camp." During his last two college seasons at Stanford, Ayomanor caught 125 passes for 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, the rookie wideout has an NFL-ready frame and could be ready to contribute right away. Advertisement Tennessee begins the season on the road against a difficult opponent, the Denver Broncos. Denver won 10 games last season and made the playoffs in a loaded AFC, so the Titans will be challenged right off the bat. Related: Titans Reporter Explains Why Team Released All-Pro Player Related: Titans Reportedly Unworried About $76 Million Star's Injury Concerns This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Titans Wide Receiver Gives His Thoughts on Elic Ayomanor
Former Titans Wide Receiver Gives His Thoughts on Elic Ayomanor originally appeared on Athlon Sports. These days, Dr. Kevin Dyson is highly involved in education. He has been a teacher, coach, administrator or principal since 2006. However, before he pursued his educational career, he played for the Tennessee Titans. Dyson was drafted 16th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Oilers, who would eventually become the Tennessee Titans the following year. Advertisement The talented wide receiver out of the University of Utah played five seasons for the Titans and is most famously known as the man who scored the touchdown on the Music City Miracle. Dyson, who still lives in the Nashville area, keeps a close eye on his former team, and one player he has been watching is rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor. The talented rookie out of Stanford is turning heads with some of the things he has done in OTAs and is doing in minicamp so far. "He is a big target in the red zone and has a big catch radius," Dyson said of Ayomanor to Athlon Sports. "He high-points the ball well and uses his frame well." Advertisement But along with the praise, Dyson also has some notes on things he has to work on. "He needs work on precision with routes, but who doesn't need that though?" Overall, the former Titans first-round pick likes Ayomanor and thinks he is a good football player with potential. The only question is whether that potential will start to show on the field this year, and if so, at what point in time. But it is very evident that Ayomanor has the skills to make an impact in the Titans' wide receiver room, not only this year but for years to come. Related: Cam Ward Reminds Former NFL Wide Receiver Of Eagles Legend This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
How the Titans are integrating Cam Ward as their franchise quarterback
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In just two practices with the Tennessee Titans, wide receiver Elic Ayomanor is already bracing for change with Cam Ward, his new quarterback. The No. 1 pick, Ayomanor said, gets the ball out "really fast" — so fast that he's determined he just needs to be ready to catch it. Otherwise, as the receiver, he's in the wrong. "You know that he's going to be on time every time," explained Ayomanor, a fourth-round rookie from Stanford. "If you're late, you're late. Because he's not going to be late." Ward showcased the zip and accuracy of his passes at Titans rookie minicamp Saturday. With no 7-on-7 action or team periods — a byproduct of coach Brian Callahan's orientation-style approach for integrating rookies into the team — Ward spent the day working through individual drills and building rapport with the rookie pass catchers, including Ayomanor and fellow fourth-round picks Chimere Dike and Gunnar Helm. The Titans are starting at "square one" with Ward, according to Callahan. The former Miami star brings franchise quarterback expectations, but Tennessee is not approaching his acclimation process that way. He's had the playbook since he was drafted. But like all their rookies, the Titans want Ward to start small, focus on daily improvement and learn the full operation — from the install and the huddle to the meeting room. The worry is the day's practice, not September. Callahan isn't thrusting leadership expectations on Ward, either. "We're not asking him to do anything outside of what he'd normally do," Callahan said, "and I think that personality will start to show as he moves forward and gets more comfortable and understands more. Obviously, he has to worry about himself first. He's got to make sure he knows what to do, how to do it. "The leadership thing comes naturally," he added. "Those things show up organically because you're around players more and you get more comfortable and you learn people's personalities. I don't put too much pressure on him to do that. I'm more concerned with him making sure he knows what to do and how to do it. From there, that stuff grows." RELATED: The night hope returned to Nashville: 'Cam Ward is a game changer' What is Ward focusing on? Maintaining his base inside the pocket. Feeling the pocket. Knowing how deep to get in his drops. Limiting unnecessary shuffling. The Titans' route concepts are similar to what he had at Miami, but there are differences in the footwork he's learning to grasp. He received pointers from quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree between reps Saturday. Ward admitted that he's sometimes looking ahead in the playbook, but the Titans are rooting him in the present install. "They're not really pushing everything on me at once," he said. "But I'll continue to look ahead, continue to prepare the way that I know how to prepare." Like Ayomanor, Helm and Dike have gotten strong first impressions of Ward. They praised his leadership. They raved about his presence. "He's exactly what people think he is," Dike said. "He just does things the right way. He comes in the building early. … He has that confidence. He knows the work he puts in and what he's capable of. "At the same time," he continued, "he knows he has to continue to work hard to improve, and I think that rubs off on everything else." Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
