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Turron Davenport
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Though Tennessee Titans rookies Cameron Ward and Xavier Restrepo arrived at St. Thomas Sports activities Park collectively after serving to lead Miami to its first 10-win season since 2017, their paths could not have been extra completely different.
The Titans chosen Ward with the No. 1 total choose in April in hopes that he may very well be their quarterback of the long run. Two days later, they signed Ward’s prime goal as an undrafted free agent. Like he did in predraft conferences with numerous groups, Ward urged Tennessee to draft Restrepo — who hauled in 69 receptions for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns final season, fueling Miami to develop into one of many highest-scoring offenses within the nation final season.
Whereas Restrepo acknowledges Ward helped him get to Nashville, the receiver is aware of he’ll have to face out on his personal to remain.
“He received me a fantastic alternative to get within the door,” Restrepo stated. “I am tremendous grateful for him. However on the finish of the day, I am a grown man, similar to he is a grown man. So, I’ve to go get mine.”
Regardless of a stellar profession at Miami, questions on Restrepo’s straight-line pace surfaced after he ran an unofficial 4.83-second 40-yard sprint at his professional day. Groups ignored the 200 profession receptions that yielded 2,844 yards and 21 touchdowns, all of which set all-time program information.
Restrepo sits on prime of lists that embody Corridor of Famers Andre Johnson and Michael Irvin, Tremendous Bowl Champion Reggie Wayne and plenty of extra.
Now Restrepo finds himself in an uphill battle to make the Titans’ roster, however he is placing in further work, on the sphere, as he tries to pave his approach.
“[Restrepo] is type of like Cam’s shadow,” Titans coach Brian Callahan stated. “They’re at all times doing stuff collectively. X is attempting the whole lot he can to place himself able to play properly and have an opportunity to make our roster.”
Restrepo’s work ethic stood out to the Titans earlier than they drafted him. He powered by way of hamstring points at Miami’s professional day, after which confirmed up at Tennessee’s non-public exercise with Ward the subsequent day, the place he would catch passes from him.
Restrepo credit his father, Jaime, for enjoying a big function in his athletic improvement. Jaime educated Xavier from a younger age, usually waking up earlier than daybreak to work with him on soccer abilities and conditioning. That dedication prolonged from little league by way of highschool, shaping Restrepo’s work ethic.
Whereas at Miami, Restrepo and the opposite go catchers would meet with Ward at 5 a.m. for movie examine periods. They introduced the thought to Nashville, and the group now consists of fellow rookies Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike and Gunnar Helm.
“The preparation hasn’t modified,” Restrepo stated.
The pre-dawn wakeups stay a part of Restrepo’s routine within the NFL. Restrepo rolls off the bed round 4:30 a.m. and heads to the ability. Offensive coordinator Nick Holz jokingly stated the group arrives on the facility earlier than a few of the coaches and praised Restrepo particularly for the element he places into learning and digesting the playbook.
“His understanding of the offense proper now could be elite,” Ward stated. “I believe the most important factor that he is gotten higher at since he is been right here is simply studying the brand new terminology quick.”
Figuring out exactly the place he must be and easy methods to alter routes to completely different defenses permits Restrepo to play quicker than his 40 time would point out. The outcomes had been evident early in OTAs and minicamp, with Restrepo routinely making performs throughout 7-on-7 and workforce durations.
Not like OTAs and minicamp, although, Restrepo’s on-field reps with Ward have diminished for essentially the most half in coaching camp. He is now catching passes from backups Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. However Ward is in Restrepo’s ear every time they’re collectively in between reps.
Early on in coaching camp, Restrepo did not discover the identical success, however he says his confidence by no means wavered due to his religion, together with his wristband displaying his favourite scripture serving as a day by day motivator.
“I by no means get too excessive or too low,” Restrepo stated. “I put on Philippians 4:13 on my arm each single day simply because I do know I can do something by way of Him.”
Ward received to expertise firsthand how properly Restrepo can discover holes within the protection and make himself a dependable goal for his quarterbacks. There’s one thing to being a participant that the quarterback can rely on. The majority of Restrepo’s reps got here working from the slot, however he has additionally began to get reps on the skin, which ought to assist his probabilities of making the roster.
In any case, the extra a participant can do for his workforce, the extra beneficial he turns into.
“It is like irrespective of the place you set him, I believe he’ll be capable to make a play,” Ward stated.
Added Restrepo: “I am actually simply attempting to reap the benefits of each single alternative wherever it presents itself.”
The alternatives are beginning to come, with Restrepo turning heads final week when he received behind the protection on a publish route and caught a deep go from Allen.
The competitors for the ultimate broad receiver spots has develop into intense, even after 2022 first-round choose Treylon Burks suffered a fractured shoulder and was positioned on injured reserve final week.
Veterans like Bryce Oliver and James Proche II have made a robust push as exterior receivers, and each maintain particular groups worth. Restrepo strains up with the group of punt returners, which might assist his probabilities of making the roster.
“There’s one thing about him as a soccer participant you could’t measure,” Callahan stated. “He simply has a knack for locating house and getting open, and the ball tends to search out him. X is admittedly clever. He does a pleasant job of being on prime of what he is alleged to know and do. He will battle like loopy to discover a approach on our workforce.”
