A cornerback with first-round talent, Roger McCreary looks poised to make an immediate impact with the Tennessee Titans.
Coming from Auburn University, the Mobile, Alabama native is no stranger to playing against the top competition.
McCreary was tasked with lining up against Alabama’s Jameson Williams and John Metchie III, Penn State’s Jahan Dotson, LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, and Titans 2022 first-round and Arkansas product Treylon Burks.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound defensive back earned the fourth-highest coverage grade in the FBS among all corners (90.2) last season, per Pro Football Focus.
And despite being taken 35th overall in the 2022 NFL draft, McCreary understands that where a player is taken in the draft means little once you step on the field, a message reiterated time and again by Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.
“I want to show them I am a competitor, and I came here to compete in everything,” McCreary said via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline. “I am trying to get better. Going to the next level I am trying to get better. I am not at my top, so I am going to keep working no matter what.
“I got drafted second round, but that means nothing. I am not worried about where I got drafted. It is just me trying to get better… I am just trying to compete and get better at my position.”
Vrabel has guided the Titans to three straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the AFC Championship Game in 2019. His hard-nosed mentality can come across as brash, but his players have responded well.
Whether it be roasting former players on Twitter, criticizing star wide receivers for committing a costly penalty, or giving blunt answers to the media before and after games, Vrabel isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
Additionally, Jon Robinson is one of the most hands-on general managers in the National Football League, often seen holding pads for players during practice.
Simply put, the Titans organization doesn’t sugar-coat anything, on or off the field, especially Vrabel.
“They are going to tell you the truth — they are physical (minded), and they are going to coach you hard in everything,” McCreary said of the Titans coaching staff. “I learned from them — they don’t care about your feelings. This is all business, and we are coming to work to get better, and that’s what I love being coached by him. I am happy I am getting coached by this staff.”
McCreary is a physical cornerback who isn’t afraid to line up against bigger receivers. Of the 449 snaps played in 2021, the Auburn cornerback lined up in press coverage for 215 of those.
He was responsible for only one touchdown allowed while recording two interceptions and a 57.8 passer rating (PFF).
He assembled his best season on campus as a senior, accumulating 49 combined tackles, including two tackles for loss, one sack, and an SEC-leading 14 passes defended.
Going from arguably the best conference in college football to the NFL should make for a smoother transition. That said, McCreary knows it’s a significant mental hurdle to overcome adjusting to a faster style of play.
“Mentally, it is all in your head,” he said. “Stuff happens faster, and it’s different stuff going up against bigger and taller guys now, stronger guys. It is the mental part of competing to be more physical.”
With Kristian Fulton locking down one of the two cornerback positions, McCreary should be in line for playing time with Caleb Farley, who continues to work his way back from an ACL injury.
With a solid training camp and preseason showing, the Auburn product could leapfrog into a starting role.
