As an undrafted free agent, expectations were limited of linebacker J.R. Tavai heading into the Tennessee Titans' offseason program. But a combination of injuries and aptitude provided Tavai, a former USC standout, with the chance to work with the Titans' first-team defense during OTAs and he didn't disappoint.
"I surprised myself that I stepped in right away," Tavai said, via John Glennon of the Tennessean. "I thought they would have (the rookies) learn some more things first, but the best way of learning is experiencing."
With fellow linebackers Jonathan Massaquoi and Brian Orakpo sitting out of OTAs with injuries, Tavai made the most of his opportunity, showing the Tennessee coaching staff he may be much more than just an extra training camp body.
"He got an opportunity to get in there, and he's done a good job with the mental aspect of it," Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "The thing that you like is that he doesn't make a lot of mistakes, and he continually shows up.
"He really showed up in the run game. The biggest question is going to be the pass game and the space drops, those kind of things, to see how he adapts. You're excited by what you've seen. But we're still in shorts, too."
The 6-foot-2, 249-pound Tavai had 53 tackles and seven sacks for the Trojans last season. With training camp looming at the end of July, he said the biggest challenge he faces is working on his ability to drop back into coverage.
"There's more responsibility dropping into coverage, even dropping like a middle linebacker sometimes," Tavai said. "At (USC) you just really had to cover the boundaries. The NFL is a whole new thing, but the more you can do, the better off you are. That's my goal, to do more."
So far, Tavai has already done more than expected. If he continues at the same rate once camp begins, he'll make it hard for Whisenhunt and the Titans to keep him off the 53-man roster.
(h/t The Tennessean)
Photo credit: AP
