Titans Excited About Rookie LB

The Tennessee Titans feel good about rookie linebacker

Oct 21, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Cedric Gray (33) stands on the sidelines during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports / Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans rookie linebacker Cedric Gray quickly made a positive impression on first-year coach Brian Callahan.

Gray displayed his athleticism at Titans rookie minicamp and is establishing himself as a versatile three-down linebacker who can cover tight ends, tackle running backs, and sack the quarterback on a blitz.

Gray is not just showing signs of being a good leader; he's demonstrating a level of dedication that is essential for a team striving to reestablish itself as a contender in the National Football League.

"You see the command there as being able to get people lined up, communicate amongst the defense," Callahan said. "You see him interact with his peers off the field, in the locker room, in the building, in the meeting room. So there are, things you can glean from it. A lot of it's going to have to do with how quickly he can understand the information and then be able to communicate it to others in a live moment. Now, there's no live football here to be played but, that's where you'll see how quickly he can pick it up. It's an important part of that process of determining if he has that leadership ability."

During his time at the University of North Carolina, Gray played in 51 games and started 37. He made 369 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and five interceptions. He also forced five fumbles, had 13 pass break-ups, and made 30 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

In 2023, Gray started all 12 games for the Tar Heels. He totaled 121 tackles, five sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, an interception, and seven QB pressures. Last season, Gray had five games with double-digit tackles and was the second in the ACC in tackles.

"Yeah, you know, I'm a firm believer that experiences are one of the best teachers out there," Gray said after the draft. Being able to have three years of experience at Carolina, being two years a captain, two years making calls on the defense, and really just understanding the game and developing and getting a lot of snaps and having a lot of knowledge of the game, I feel like it will only help me out to continue forward in my football journey."

The fourth-round pick will have opportunities to become a starter because the Titans need help at linebacker. However, Callahan wants to ensure that Gray stays focused on growth.

"I always tell rookies at this first part of the offseason for them it's going to feel like they're going to lose some confidence," Callahan said. It's going to be hard. And the key is to make sure you don't lose that confidence because by the time you get to training camp, everything should start to settle down a little bit and you should be able to feel like you can go play and play fast. But it is a process and it's not easy, and so there's patience on both sides."

"Ours in terms of our evaluation and on them, knowing that it's going to come at some point. But, as long as you're putting the work in, you have a chance to get to where you need to get to."

Make sure you bookmark All Titans for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Titans Have Excess Cap Space After Latest Deals
• Titans QB Shares Love for New WR
• Three Things to Watch at Titans OTAs: Week 2
• Titans DB Named Most Underrated Player
• Titans Land Bengals Superstar in Re-Draft