Tennessee Titans wide receiver Corey Davis justified his status as the fifth overall pick of the 2017 season with a strong 2018 campaign.
After being slowed by hamstring issues during his rookie year, Davis followed up with a healthy sophomore year and it showed in his statistics.
The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Davis started all 16 games last year, totaling 65 catches for 891 yards and four touchdowns on 112 targets. He appeared in 11 games with nine starts in 2017, producing just 34 catches for 375 yards on 65 targets.
The primary reason for the improvement? Davis points to the ability to play faster, which he hopes continues in his third season.
"Last year I was able to catch the rhythm, and was able to go out there and be confident, play fast," Davis said, via Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official website. "Hopefully this year it slows down a lot more. I just have to keep working.
"I am excited to get back to it, back in the groove of things. ... I feel healthy, I feel good going into the season, and just have to keep it that way."
Davis' rapport with Marcus Mariota is also in a good place, an obvious essential factor in any receiver-quarterback relationship.
"Me and Marcus, our chemistry is growing every day, and it's continuing to grow," Davis said. "Our job is to get open and catch the ball. ... Our chemistry is looking good and continuing to grow."
The Titans took steps during the offseason to provide Davis much-needed help in the receiving corps and passing attack, which averaged just 185.9 yards per game and ranked 29th in the league in 2018.
Tennessee signed wide receiver Adam Humphries, a highly dependable slot receiver, during free agency and used a second-round pick on wide receiver A.J. Brown in the 2019 NFL Draft. And the passing game receives a further boost with the return of tight end Delanie Walker, who suffered a season-ending broken ankle in the 2018 season opener.
With the signs pointing to a better receiving corps, Davis should have plenty of opportunities to make a bigger impact.
"Obviously I just want to get better at every aspect of the game -- playing faster, (staying) healthy so I can go out there and help the team out," Davis said. "I want to get better at hands, routes, quickness, releases -- there's a lot of things I am working on this offseason and I'll continue to work at it.
"I am feeling good going into the season, healthy, and that's the main thing."
