Titans view newly drafted wide receiver Jha'Quan Jackson as the answer to an NFL rule change

The Tennessee Titans surprised some people when they made Tulane's Jha'Quan Jackson the 182nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft,

While Jackson was drafted in the sixth round and given a sixth round grade by many pre-draft analysts, many Titans fans were surprised to hear Jackson's name called before the likes of Malik Washington, Brenden Rice, and others.

But the Titans have a plan for Jackson. As GM Ran Carthon would share in his post-draft press conference, Tennessee views the 23-year-old slot receiver as an answer to the NFL's latest rule change.

"I think he's a guy that he's a dual returner. I think he can kick return, I think he can punt return, and he has an element that he can bring to the offense," Carthon told me when I asked him what he liked most about Jackson.

"He was a complete guy for us and it just made sense, especially with this new kickoff rule that we're all trying to figure out. It's essentially the first play of offense the way it's going to be run, so you need a guy that has a run-to-daylight skillset that can make something out of nothing in short space," said the Titans' second-year GM.

The NFL's new kickoff rule is going to be a challenge for every team to navigate. As Carthon said, it's now becoming the first play of offense and the first opportunity to break out a big play. It's no longer the dead play it had been for years.

From what we know about Jackson, his short area quickness makes him a threat on returns. He flashed that often at Tulane, averaging an impressive 11.5 yards per punt return during his college career.