Tennessee Titans rookie CB shines in first padded practice of training camp

Rookie cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. has seized his opportunity with the Tennessee Titans . With veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie sidelined due to a calf injury and L'Jarius Sneed's workload being managed, the 23-year-old has been turning heads in camp.

The Titans recently donned pads for the first time in camp, signaling a shift to more aggressive play. This change plays perfectly into Brownlee's style of play.

He was a stand-out performer on Tuesday, using his physicality and long reach to make some impressive plays. He successfully broke up passes intended for wideouts Kearis Jackson and Tyler Boyd in 1-versus-1 drills.

It's safe to say that the Titans coaching staff has taken notice and are willing to give him every opportunity to not only make the roster but command playing time.

"That's kind of his M.O.," head coach Brian Callahan said via Kayla Anderson . "He's a hyper-competitive player. That's what we liked about him coming out (of the draft) "He's got the skill set to be competitive. He's going to get plenty of chances with L'Jarius (Sneed) and Chido (Chidobe Awuzie) being out to show what he's all about.

"So far, I've liked that part of his game. He's an aggressive-minded player, and as he gets the techniques down and feels more comfortable in the scheme, it will be fun to watch him grow over the course of the next few weeks."

As a fifth-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, Brownlee enters the Titans organization with a strong determination to make his mark. He was a starting cornerback for Florida State in 2021 before transferring to Louisville, where he established himself as a scrappy defender.

During his time with the Cardinals, Brownlee racked up 96 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 18 pass deflections, and one fumble recovery in 24 games played.

As a former fourth-round draft pick, safety Amani Hooker can relate to the experience of needing to prove oneself, and he has already noticed significant growth in Brownlee.

"He's been improving, and he's been aggressive," Hooker said via John Glennon of the Nashville Post . "Every day he's coming out and competing, and that's what you look for in the young guys is coming out and competing. Even if you make a mistake, he's still coming back, learn from it, and trying to improve."