Big Fish from Small Ponds:
Davis and Taylor can have a colossal impact for the next decade
Jon Robinson packed up his tackle box and headed to the NCAA draft pond. He did his homework, knew what bait to bring on the trip, and patiently waited for a bite. He may have reeled in whale shark from a little puddle in Western Michigan. But on his trip back to Tennessee, he may have found another when he cast his rod in Western Kentucky.
Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor aren’t the type of fish you throw back.
The Tennessee Titans are hoping they hit the jackpot with their pair of small school Wide Receivers. Statistically speaking, they may be right. Let’s compare the numbers of Davis and Taylor to Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, and Jerry Rice to see how these two measure up.
Physical Attributes
| Name | Davis | Taylor | Moss | Owens | Rice |
| Height | 6’3” | 5’11” | 6’4” | 6’3” | 6’2” |
| Weight | 209 lbs | 203 lbs | 210 lbs | 224 lbs | 200 lbs |
Numbers Don’t Lie
What do the numbers mean? For one, they show that Randy Moss was a physical freak of nature. One important thing to keep in mind, however, is that Moss – unlike the others – would have been playing for Notre Dame and Florida State had he not been involved off field incidents.
None of the others listed below were offered scholarships to major colleges. That didn’t affect their work ethic. If anything, it made them work twice as hard.
Below are statistical comparisons to some of the best Wide Receivers to come out of non major conferences schools.
| Name | Davis | Taylor | Moss | Owens | Rice |
| Yards | 5278 | 4234 | 3529 | 1748 | 4693 |
| Rec. | 331 | 253 | 174 | 115 | 301 |
| Yards Per Catch | 15.94 | 16.73 | 20.28 | 15.2 | 15.59 |
| TDs | 52 | 41 | 54 | 12 | 50 |
| College Exp. | 4 years | 4 years | 2 years | 3 years | 4 years |
A Pair of Trophy Fish
Davis has a chance to be something really special. If his skill set transfers over, he could be the deadliest small school Wide Receiver ever. His college productivity puts him in great company.
One observation I had when comparing Davis’s and Rice’s college career stats was steady progression. Every year, their productivity increased in every category at a consistent pace.
In looking at Taylor’s numbers, there was a jump in productivity from his sophomore to his junior season. His stats essentially doubled. Taylor became the heartbeat of the Western Kentucky offense.
Both Davis and Taylor have the potential. They both can play any receiver role and be effective. Inside or outside, it doesn’t matter. They will produce from anywhere on the field.
Comparisons
Davis has been compared to Demaryius Thomas, Terrell Owens, and Eric Decker – who is now his teammate. In my opinion, he reminds me of a more physical AJ Green. Taylor has been compared to Stefon Diggs but his game has also been suggested to resemble Derrick Mason – the greatest receiver to wear a Titans uniform. If either come close to who they’ve been compared too, the Titans did indeed hit the jackpot.
Twice.
Taylor and Davis were both very productive players – which is what gained GM Jon Robinson’s attention. This could be a draft we look back on 5 years from now and say, “Damn, he picked up both of those guys in the same draft?”
The crazy thing about it is, that was only Robinson’s second fishing trip in Nashville.
Titan Up!
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