Film Friday: Josh Whyle Is a True Jack of All Trades
Josh Whyle shows some versatility, smooth movement, and a willingness to hit someone on tape. He rounds out this Titans tight end room well.
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Okay, everyone. I have to start this week’s piece by saying something that isn’t always easy to say. But, sometimes, we have to say the difficult things because it builds trust, and I’m nothing if not transparent and authentic with you guys. I just flat out chose not to watch Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Josh Whyle (From Zach: pronounced Wiley…new nickname The Coyote?) this draft season.
I know. It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed. But, there were a couple of factors at play here. One, the production isn’t exactly inspiring. The tight end position has been devalued damn near to the point of extinction in college football, but still, you’d like to see a little something more than an average of 28.6 receptions for an average of 337 yards and five touchdowns per season. Two, I saw him at the Senior Bowl and thought he was just alright.
My notes included his size (potential jump ball tight end) and his fluid movement (not necessarily fast, but quick). But, he didn’t sizzle out there on the field at Hancock Whitney Stadium. By now, you guys know that I love to scout guys that have something I can latch onto. I had trouble finding something to latch onto with Whyle, so truth be told, he ended up on my “just guys” list as…well…just a guy.
After the Titans drafted him, I heard the Austin Hooper comparison and thought, “yeah, that makes sense.” They’ve really rounded out their tight end room well. Chig Okonkwo is the real play-maker of the bunch. Trevon Wesco is the blocking tight end. And, Whyle absolutely can be the security blanket on third down who can also do a little bit of everything. But, can he be more than that?
Well, that’s what I’m here to answer today! I watched a few Cincinnati games from 2022 when I was evaluating Tyler Scott and Tre Tucker (Arkansas, Miami (OH), and Indiana in addition to the 2021 CFP Semifinal vs. Alabama). There were a few times that he popped up and I thought, “oh there’s Whyle…I remember him.” So, I’m going back to his 2021 tape to get a larger sample size here. The games I’ve picked are at Tulane (19.8 yards per catch and two touchdowns), at Notre Dame (one catch on the road vs. a top 10 opponent), and vs. Houston (C-USA Championship).