Wide receiver Justin Hunter was the star of the show for the Titans on Friday night, catching four passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns in their game against the Saints.
It was a pretty good way for Hunter to show that he was more than “Just Another Guy,” an assessment that coach Ken Whisenhunt agreed with when discussing Hunter and the rest of the team on Saturday. Whisenhunt wasn’t willing to go much further than that while discussing the things Hunter has to do to continue progressing in his second NFL season.
I think you’re seeing just a glimpse of what he can be, but because of what he did last night, let’s not make the mistake and think he’s, by any stretch, close to what he can be. There are a lot of things, from route depth to discipline on his releases, where even though he made some big plays last night, those have got to become more consistent. So he’s still got a lot of work to do,” Whisenhunt said, via ESPN.com. “I’m excited for two things: No. 1 because he can make those big plays; and No. 2, because he seems to have the right mindset to work on those two things. Part of being a young player is you’ve got to be able to do that yourself. Right now, he has to be reminded at times to do that. Not from a negative standpoint, just because there is a lot going on.”
There’s nothing unusual about any second year player having a lot of work to do to fulfill their potential, but not all of them start from the same point in terms of ability and upside as the Titans wideout. As long as he continues to have the mindset that Whisenhunt likes, he probably won’t be confused for just another guy anytime soon.