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One by one, each member of Tennessee's rookie class – 19 players in all – toured the team's training facility in MetroCenter, met with their respective position coaches, underwent physicals and took care of other administrative requirements as they were officially introduced to the NFL.
All of the rookies, including 11 draft picks, will join together on Friday for a two-day orientation that will include installing plays in the classroom and practicing together for the first time as professional football players in the afternoon.
"Stepping into the facility, it's everything that you hoped for," said fourth-round pick Gerald McRath, a linebacker out of Southern Miss. "Up until today, it really didn't hit me that I was in the NFL, not until I just saw my locker and the jersey with my name on the back of it. You're sitting there like 'Man, you know what? You're almost there.' It's a step closer to actually playing on the field. It's almost like a dream."
As rookies lined up to get their photos taken for the team's 2009 web site and publications, they were already looking forward to their first action on the field Friday afternoon.
"Oh yeah, definitely," said wide receiver Kenny Britt, the team's first-round pick (30th overall) out of Rutgers. "I've been drinking water all day getting ready for minicamp, just stretching a lot and taking it all in as it comes."
Britt, who arrived with Rutgers teammate Jason McCourty, said he's looking forward to getting on the field in front of his new coaches and seeing how an NFL practice is run.
"I'm real excited right now. I'm just ready to go out there and do what I do best," Britt said. "It's what I've been doing for years now. I'm looking forward to going out there with my new teammates and establishing a connection with them."
McCourty, who was involved in many one-on-one practice matchups with Britt throughout their college careers, felt right at home.
"Whenever you get into a new situation and you can bring somebody you know along, that always makes it a little easier," he said. "It's been very exciting today, just going from plane to plane with so much anticipation while you're traveling. You know you're embarking on a new journey."
MAKING HIS MARK: Defensive tackle SenDerrick Marks, the team's second-round pick out of Auburn, has heard about the success Titans players have enjoyed working under Titans defensive line coach Jim Washburn.
"I like the fact that I'm in a position to be coached by one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL. All of the guys who play under him turn out well," Marks said. "If you put in what he's looking for, they turn out to be pretty good players, if not great players. I'm just looking forward to working with him, learning all that he has to teach me and moving forward."
And his goals for this weekend?
"I just want to go out and show what I can do, showcase my talent. Hopefully I can go out, stay injury free and just show them why they picked me in the second round and as their first defensive tackle."
KIND OF SURREAL: Like most of the rookies, the reality of finally being in the NFL was slowly sinking in for Jared Cook. The massive 6-foot-5, 246-pound tight end called the experience "surreal" as he viewed the practice facility and met some of the new coaches and staff.
"It still hasn't hit me yet, but it's very exciting," the third-round pick out of South Carolina said. "It will probably sink in more tomorrow. I just want to get to know the offense and get my head in the playbook as fast as I can."
Cook said he's eager to prove why the Titans thought highly enough of him to send a second-round pick to New England in 2010 to acquire his services. "It feels great and I'm glad that they did that, but I've got a lot to prove around here," he said.
THE MORT REPORT: Throwing passes this weekend will be free agent quarterback Alex Mortensen, the son of ESPN commentator Chris Mortensen. After spending the majority of his college career as a reserve quarterback at Arkansas and Samford, Mortensen said Thursday he was excited and humbled to have the opportunity to play for Titans coach Jeff Fisher.
"The thing I'm looking forward to the most is just getting on the field," he said. "Everything is behind you and now you just get to go play football and that's what I'm really looking forward to."
The 6-foot-1, 222-pound Mortensen said his goal is to "grow as a player" over the next two days. "Hopefully you can show the people that are evaluating you what you've got and make a good impression in that regard. I want to get to know my teammates and the guys I'll be working with over the next couple of days."
