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[TheMowMow17]

The list of the league’s top third-down receivers includes one very surprising name.

Kendall Wright, a rookie wide receiver, has played in all eight games this season for the Titans.
There, ahead of Wes Welker, Michael Crabtree, Victor Cruz, Brandon Marshall and Reggie Wayne is Titans rookie Kendall Wright.

Wright’s got an NFL-best 19 receptions on third down, ahead of Welker (17) and those other four (16).

And of those 19 catches by Wright, 14 have created first downs, tied with Wayne for the most in the NFL.

I asked Matt Hasselbeck why he and Jake Locker have looked to Wright so much in big situations.

“Probably trust, I think,” Hasselbeck said. “Third down is where, as a quarterback, that’s when they bring all their exotic stuff, that’s where they game plan for you specifically and you in those situations go to somebody that you trust.

“I was actually not aware of Kendall getting so many balls. But in my past, usually third down you need it. It’s not a time to just give it anywhere, I mean you’ve got to have it.”

Wright has made some nice progress, but I feel like he’s still underachieving. His biggest attribute coming into the league was an ability to take a short pass and run a long way with it, and he’s not broken off that sort of play yet.

“It’s coming,” he said when I spoke with Wright on Wednesday. “I don’t know when. It could be this game. It could be next game. I honestly don’t know when it’s going to happen. I’m positive that it’s going to happen, that I can make a short pass into a big gain.”

[jhutch]

Wow. That is surprising. I was actually going to guess Nate Washington - figuring that would be a shock consider all the Steeler fans knew him for his drops in big situations.

[MDFinFan89]

You guys will have yourselves a real playmaker there. I was kind of wanting Miami to draft him if we had the chance since we needed a receiver, he's going to be a great talent.

[Fightin' Titans]

3rd down? It's probably only for 2 yards per catch then. 3rd down is throw a screen to Wright/Damian Williams or throw a short slant time.