2011 NFL Draft Round One (Part 10)
University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, drafted eighth overall by the Tennessee Titans, is discussed here. This is the tenth part in a series of articles discussing the first round draft selections in the 2011 National Football League (NFL)
Draft, held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York.
Once Smith’s family and friends got off of the stage, the Tennessee Titans used their eighth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft to draft Jake Locker, quarterback from the University of Washington. This was the first shocker of the draft, with Locker being
the second quarterback taken after Cam Newton instead of Blaine Gabbert, from whom many expected great things. But things just weren’t going his way.
You should know that Locker first round tools and being accurate and aware when he drops back into the pocket are his issues. If you watch his game tapes, you get the good with the bad. When the zone blitz comes in, he reads and reads correctly. When he
runs, he runs fast and is also very tough, fighting for every last yard he can get.
That is a very rare quality amongst quarterbacks since they usually just stop short to keep from getting injured. However, it is a very dangerous trait as well since quarterbacks do tend to get injured when they play this way. Locker weighs in at 230 pounds
and when he rolls out to his left he is very accurate and, with a turn of his hips while running, passes the ball exactly where he wants to, just like the Green Bay Packers’ Super Bowl XLV Most Valuable Player (MVP) Aaron Rodgers.
However, there are some times when Locker’s decision can be questioned. He seems to have some problem with awareness inside of the pocket and tends to throw the ball into double coverage which can, and has, resulted in an interception. You often see this
happening with Locker when watching tapes. It happened in a game against the University of Nebraska and most people just can’t understand why Locker would throw the ball to the corner when the intended receiver is being double-teamed.
However, his ability cannot be discounted. Many have said from day one that he is a first round pick but Titans head coach Mike Munchak and general manager Mike Reinfeldt will be tied at the hip going forward with Locker.
In defence, the Titans ranked 26th overall in total yards allowed, 20th in rushing yards allowed, 29th in passing yards allowed and 15th in points allowed per game. They finished the season ranked last in their
division, the AFC South, after a 6-10 record in the 2010 season. Overall, their offense ranked 27th in the league while their defence didn’t do much better, ranking at number 26, and have not won a single playoff game since 2003.
In conclusion, the eighth overall pick by the Tennessee Titans went to University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker. The remaining article about the first round draft selections in the 2011 National Football League (NFL) Draft, held at Radio
City Music Hall in New York City, New York, will be discussed in the next part of this article. Take a look!
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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