Tennessee Titans: Five 2020 NFL Draft late-round sleeper targets

As I said earlier, the Tennessee Titans did not bring back shifty running back, Dion Lewis, and also have not agreed to a new contract with the league’s reigning rushing champion, Derrick Henry. So what do the Titans do if Henry isn’t out there?

One of my favorite players to watch in the 2020 NFL Draft is J.J. Taylor. He may only be 5-foot-5, but he runs like Derrick Henry. You’ll have a hard time finding someone his size who runs as hard as he does.

Taylor actually ran for over 1,000 yards as a junior in 2018 and is a very good runner between the tackles. He really has a nose for the end zone, using his small size and running power to find a hole and pound through for the score.

At his size, many will try to pigeonhole Taylor as a shifty, change-of-pace, third-down back. He is clearly more than that, but he does do that well, too. He is a very good route runner and a fearless blocker in pass protection.

Taylor also brings value to special teams, as he is an excellent kick returner. Taylor could really step in and fill that Dion Lewis role very, very well. If Henry leaves after this season, I’m not sure that Taylor could handle a full NFL workload, but he is definitely capable of playing on all three downs.

Assuming the Tennessee Titans do come to terms on a new contract for Derrick Henry at some point, I think they have the chance to bring in a perfect complement in the 2020 NFL Draft with Taylor. He can contribute right away, lessening the load on Henry, bringing a different dynamic while still exhibiting that same powerful running style that worked so well for the Titans a season ago.