AFC Notes: Lou Anarumo, Travis Hunter, Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts DC Lou Anarumo said the team always hopes to gain an advantage in matchups by putting players in the best position possible.

“It’s a matchup league,” Anarumo said, via Indy Star. “If the offense puts out a certain personnel group, you want to be able to match it with what they’re doing. Especially on third down. You want to try to get cover guys covering receivers and, nowadays, these tight ends. … The days, to me, of putting linebackers on tight ends is not ideal for the defense.”

Colts rookie LB Hunter Wohler is expected to play both linebacker and rush off of the edge.

“Lou is pretty creative with what he’s going to do,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said. “We listed (Wohler) as a linebacker. He’ll play a little bit of both.”

Jaguars

The Jaguars gave up a haul to move up and take first-round WR/CB Travis Hunter because they believe he’s capable of doing in the NFL what he’s done at every level of football previously — playing two ways. Jaguars GM James Gladstone made that clear in a glowing soliloquy introducing Hunter after the pick. 

“He elevates not only this football team, not only this city, but the sport itself, right?” Gladstone said via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. “Along the way, you can count however many drafts you want to, there are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself. Travis, while he still has a lot to learn, in our eyes, has the potential to do just that.”

The Jaguars didn’t say this, but they made it clear they agree with Jackson State GM Otis Riddley, who called Hunter a “football savant” while also praising his maturity, work ethic, and character. 

“The amount of attention he had in 2021, 2022 as a high school senior — I know it pales in comparison to the NFL — but at that age, the way he handled himself [was impressive],” said Riddley.

“He was different from the day he stepped foot on campus,” Riddley added. “He was light years ahead and from the maturity standpoint, but he also was light years ahead from the work ethic standpoint. He doesn’t mind working. He doesn’t mind doing the things off the field to make him a better athlete on the field.”

Titans

Titans S Xavier Woods explained coming into the NFL as a sixth-round pick, where he had to fight an uphill battle in order to make the roster.

“I came in (2017) as a sixth-round draft pick, so nothing was promised,” Woods said, via Titans Wire. “I had to make every opportunity count. I could have been cut and never made it to this point. I probably wasn’t supposed to make the team, but every opportunity I got, I made a play. That’s just my motto – make a play a day. If I get the opportunity, never give it back. Once I got the opportunity, whether it’s starting practice or starting a game, I think it speaks for itself – I never gave it back. Just being from that standpoint, I just want to earn my teammates’ respect, being at a new place, and make the most out of everything.”