Tennessee Titans rookie running back Tyjae Spears was electric in his preseason debut.
The Tulane product averaged over five yards per carry, looking explosive and elusive each time he touched the ball on his lone drive of the day.
To be honest, this isn’t much of a surprise to anybody who watched him at Tulane. In fact, the last time we saw Spears play in an actual football game (excluding Senior Bowl) he had arguably the best performance of his collegiate career.
Spears played a large role in upsetting USC in the 2023 Cotton Bowl, totaling a whopping 205 rushing yards and four touchdowns on just 17 carries (12.1 yards per carry).
Truthfully, the Titans’ rookie running back often looked like the best player on the field in a game in which Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams was on the opposing sideline.
While many didn’t feel like running back was a priority in the draft on Day 2, it’s easy to see why a team like Tennessee was willing to take a chance on Spears.
That decision certainly appears to be paying off thus far, and it could look like a steal in the near future if Spears can stay healthy and be productive.
Thanks to his preseason Week 1 showing, the NFL staff over at Fox Sports are among those who believe in Spears’ potential, recently naming him to the “all-hype team”.
I have personally been a lifelong Tyjae Spears fan for monthspic.twitter.com/0xgntLDvjW
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) August 14, 2023
Here is what the Fox Sports staff had to say about their selection of Spears:
The third-round pick had six carries for 32 yards (5.3 yards/carry) in his lone drive of action with the starting offensive line in the Titans’ preseason loss to the Bears, showcasing the speed and quickness that should serve as a nice complement to Derrick Henry in the backfield this season.
As they briefly mentioned, the change of pace that Tennessee will be able to use out of the backfield is undoubtedly going to be a headache for opposing defenses. Going from a powerful runner like Henry to a fast and agile athlete such as Spears is not something that’s going to be fun for the opposition.
It’s hard to imagine Spears dethroning Henry as a rookie, but it’s definitely possible that the first-year ball-carrier ends up flashing enough in his limited role that Tennessee ultimately feels okay with letting Henry walk in 2024.
More importantly, adding the Tulane legend should do wonders when it comes to keeping Henry fresh for a potential playoff run later in the year.
For now, Titans fans should just be excited that we could be on the verge of one of the best and most exciting running back tandems in the league.
