The Tennessee Titans added a pair of offensive linemen during the 2023 NFL draft, one of whom was Maryland offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan in the sixth round.
Duncan fits the mold of what the Titans are looking for, which are athletic offensive linemen who can get out in space and block. The former Terrapin notched an impressive 9.01 Relative Athletic Score, ranking 129th out of 1,294 tackles who have been registered between 1987 and 2003.
Depending on who you ask, the Titans also got pretty good to great value with their sixth-round pick. Our Shaun Calderon listed Duncan as his No. 9 tackle, projecting him to go anywhere between the fourth and fifth rounds.
Jaelyn Duncan was drafted with pick 186 of round 6 in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.01 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 129 out of 1294 OT from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/mBwwcovYnJ pic.twitter.com/ASKgCzb8Se
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2023
“Experienced and athletic lineman who has real long-term upside if he can polish his technique once he gets around NFL coaching on a full-time basis,” Calderon wrote about Duncan ahead of the draft.
Now, find out what other draft experts had to say about Duncan before he went as a sixth-round pick to the Titans.
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
Brugler’s position rank: 11
STRENGTHS: Impressive athletic gifts with a tall, moldable frame … has the lateral foot quickness and patient hands to cut off arc speed unstressed … loose in his movements to quickly reset/respond versus spins and shakes … flexible hips to adjust once he latches to prolong engagement … improved understanding of blocking angles … effective catch technique on kick-outs … mobile blocker to execute challenging move/reach blocks and various pulls … when he stays under control, he looks comfortable picking off and burying linebackers in space … four-year starter (39 starts in college).
WEAKNESSES: Upright pass setter and struggles versus length and power … wide, tardy hands, often giving up his chest and allowing rushers to bully him … struggles to counter versus long-arm techniques who attack his body … his balance and footwork fall apart when attempting to recover … his poor leverage negates any power… below-average fire into his blocks and not a drive finisher … underwhelming strength in his hands/grip … easily reaches the second level, but below-average connect rate and has too many missed assignments in the run game … finicky motor and doesn’t always fight through the whistle … his compete levels fluctuate from snap to snap, lacking the finishing aggression coaches desire (NFL scout: “You have to push him, keep him motivated.”) … flag magnet in college, drawing 20 penalties over his final two seasons in college … was a left tackle only in college and doesn’t have experience at other positions … suffered a concussion during Senior Bowl week (February 2023) … added 16 pounds between the Combine and his pro day.
SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Maryland, Duncan was a mainstay at left tackle in head coach Mike Locksley’s balanced offense and should be the first Maryland offensive lineman drafted since 2010. He became a starter as a redshirt freshman and showed improvements each season. However, his senior year fell short of expectations with six of his seven sacks allowed coming against the top opponents on the schedule (Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State). Duncan has the big-man athleticism to fluidly reach his landmarks in both pass protection and the run game. But his leverage, anchor and mechanics fall apart quickly at contact and hurt his ability to sustain, especially against long-armed, powerful rushers who can turn him into a turnstile (he did show some improvements in those areas during Senior Bowl practices). Overall, Duncan has desirable athletic tools, but the continued issues with his technique, balance and competitive makeup (especially for a four-year starter) are worrisome for his NFL transition. His projection might be best inside to guard in a zone-based scheme.
GRADE: 4th-5th Round
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
Overview
Highly athletic four-year starter at left tackle who might have the best chance to stick in the league as a zone-scheme guard. It’s easy to love the athletic flashes, but it’s challenging to love the complete body of work when studying the game tape. Duncan rarely plays with enough finish and his man is frequently near the final action because of it. He has the foot speed to protect as a left tackle, but his ability to anchor is a major concern. His lateral quickness should work to his advantage as a move blocker, but he’ll need to unearth enough grit to stand up to NFL bullies at the point of attack to make it.
Strengths
Four-year starter at left tackle.
Very loose-hipped and fluid when working in space.
Smooth acceleration when asked to pull.
Comes off the ball with adequate bend and pad level.
Feet to jump and steer edge defenders on kickout blocks.
Quality slide quickness in his pass sets.
Athletic ability improves recovery potential when beaten.
Weaknesses
Gets out in space easily but fails to accomplish much with those opportunities.
Lets opponents off the hook with passive finishes.
Barely delivers glancing blows to secure first block on combos.
Lack of length gets exposed in protection duties.
Speed rushers drive through his outside edge too easily.
Anchor unable to withstand continuous pressure.
Keith Sanchez, The Draft Network
Top Reasons to Buy In:
Plus-level size and length
Good quick lateral agility
Top Reasons For Concern:
Inconsistent technique
Strength at the point of attack
Ideal Role: Developmental tackle
Scheme Fit: Scheme-versatile athletic traits
TDN Consensus Grade: 77.50/100 (Third-Round Value)
Jason Spriggs, Bleacher Report
POSITIVES
— Easy, fluid mover with light feet out of his stance, gliding to set points and landmarks in pass-protection and effectively tracks targets on the move in the run game
— Very good quickness to close space and get into his initial fit on jump sets, kick-out and cut-off blocks
— Flashes light hands, fluid base and overall mirroring skills in pass-protection to adjust to counter moves, keep his base and wall off the corner
— Had a good week of practice in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, showing improvement using his hands in pass-protection
NEGATIVES
— Unreliable use of hands, posture and balance in pass-protection
— Tends to wind his hands up and around to establish contact on rushers causing him to be persistently late and/or missing his target
— Plays with an open, exposed chest that leaves him vulnerable to getting blown open and losing down the middle or inside against speed to power
— Struggles to re-leverage his hips and hands in the second and third phases (after the initial fit) of run-blocks, leading to below-average sustain, steer and finishing skills
— Provides minimal thump or power when feeding defensive tackles over on double-teams. Looks content with getting into position rather than delivering force on contact
— Had his worst games against the best competition in 2022 (Ex: Michigan and Ohio State)
GRADE: 6.5 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)
OVERALL RANK: 136
POSITION RANK: OT12
Ian Cummings, Pro Football Network
Duncan’s blend of athleticism, power, and strength serves as a solid physical foundation to work with. But until he refines his upper and lower body technique, and learns to better manage his leverage, he’s a developmental tackle, who may ultimately better project inside.
At his maximum, Duncan has a starter’s traits, either at tackle or on the interior. But he’s mainly relied on those traits throughout his collegiate career, without much refinement, and he might not be ready to start in the NFL on Day 1. Ideally, he has time to sit and keep growing, because with his non-elite length, the margin for error will be smaller against NFL defenders.
The NFL Draft Bible, Sports Illustrated
Positives
His ceiling is enormous with proper coaching. Duncan is explosive in all directions out of his stance. He has very quick feet and loose hips to mirror before and after contact. He can recover after biting on salesmanship or oversetting. Duncan has impressive change of direction for his size. He can be deployed creatively by offensive coordinators, even working to the third level at times. Duncan’s flexible hips, knees, and ankles ameliorate all aspects of his game. Moreover, the Maryland standout boasts an easy anchor even if he plays with poor technique and allows contact to his frame. His wide base, balance, and flexibility help him drop a late anchor. When Duncan employs proper hand technique, his power is stifling. He exhibits persistent leg drive to move defenders and sustain blocks. Duncan’s strong grip and core enable him to control defenders when his hand placement is sound. Further, Duncan’s flashes of accurate hands inspire confidence in his capacity to improve.
Negatives
The Terrapins’ star can get very low at contact, but he must do so more consistently. For his various outstanding athletic traits, Duncan’s draft profile is not perfect. The talented tackle will be a 23-year-old developmental rookie. Additionally, his spring measurements (3328 arms, 0918 hands, 288 pounds) are very concerning. He cannot always latch onto defenders. Long opponents will capitalize when they reach his chest in the NFL. Duncan also oversets and bites on salesmanship at times. His tendency to shoot extremely wide and high punches reduces his power, limits his ability to sustain blocks, and gives up his chest. He also keeps a very high pad level and sometimes leads with his shoulder, only further offering opponents his frame. Duncan’s feet can fall inactive. In pass protection, the athletic tackle allows defenders to corner too easily even after mirroring properly. In the run game, Duncan fails to break down and whiffs. He chases instead of cutting off opponents.
Grade:
1st-2nd Round
Charlie Campbell, Walter Football
Strengths:
Excellent skill set
Ideal height, length, weight
Good athlete
Quickness
Quick feet
Gets depth in his drop to neutralize speed rushers
Can play the typewriter to cut off the corner
Bends at the knee
Doesn’t have to reach for rushers
Fast to the second level
Walls off and ties up defenders in the ground game
Bulk to hold his ground against bull rushes
Can anchor against bull rushes
Athletic upside
Weaknesses:
Raw
Needs development
Hand placement needs to be improved
Does not have a mean streak, tenacity
Could stand to get more physical
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