In his rookie season, the deck was stacked against Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Peter Skoronski. Skoronski, drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, had been a standout offensive tackle at Northwestern. He excelled at protecting the quarterback on the edge and became the first unanimous All-American in school history.
When the Titans drafted him, they decided Skoronski was best suited to move inside to guard, a position he had never played, so there would be a learning curve. To make matters worse, he missed three games early on in the season due to an appendectomy. Compounding the issue, Skoronski lost a significant amount of weight after the procedure. It all led to the young lineman never really getting his footing in his rookie season.
Now, in Year 2, Skoronski is back and fully healthy. He's had part of a year at the position under his belt and has another full camp to continue settling in. He also has one of the all-time great offensive line coaches in NFL history, Bill Callahan, joining the team to be his position coach. All of that together makes Josh Dubow of the Associated Press believe that Skoronski is going to have a breakout year in his sophomore season.
The Titans are going to need Skoronski to have a good year if they want to keep pace in the explosive AFC. His role in protecting young quarterback Will Levis is not just important; it's of paramount importance. Levis's progression into a franchise quarterback hinges on the performance of Skoronski and the line in front of him. The Titans did a lot of work in the offseason getting Levis the tools he needs to succeed, but it won't matter if Skoronski and the line can't hold up and keep rushers out of his face.
Skoronski has a world of talent. He also faced a world of bad luck in his rookie season. If things can turn around for him, and all signs point to a positive change, he could be on his way to becoming a very good guard at this level. His potential is undeniable, and it's a reason for Titans fans to be hopeful for the upcoming season.
