Peter Skoronski has to focus on making the difficult transition from tackle to guard during his first year in the NFL. He feels more ready for year 2.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Peter Skoronski transitioned from tackle to guard in the NFL, facing challenges with footwork and strength.
- Skoronski started 14 games as a rookie guard, excelling in pass blocking but looking to improve run blocking.
- Skoronski aims to support new teammate JC Latham, sharing lessons learned and helping him grow on and off the field.
Making the transition from college football to the NFL is no easy task for any player, but it can be doubly hard for a player who is also making a position change. That was the case for Tennessee Titans’ guard Peter Skoronski who played tackle while at Northwestern. According to the Tennessee Titans website, Skoronski recently told reporters.
“My comfort level is night and day, comparing last year to this year. A lot more comfortable in the position. I played (14) games at guard, so definitely night and day. Having a year in the league, for sure, (helps). But also having a year at guard and just having that overall comfort level where I’m not so nervous, I’m not a rookie anymore. This time last year, I felt like I was all over the place. I didn’t even know how to play guard, or get into a guard stance.”
Some pundits may act like the transition from left tackle to right tackle or from tackle to guard might not be all that difficult. Players, though, will tell you there is a significant learning process especially when it comes to footwork, handwork and playing strength.
Playing as a tackle at Northwestern in 2022, Skoronski was named a unanimous All-American and also won the Rimington-Pace Award as the country’s top offensive lineman. An issue with hand and arm size, though, made many teams look at Skoronski as a guard. The Titans took him 11th overall during the 2023 draft.
Skoronski ended up starting 14 games for the Titans over the course of his rookie year. Unsurprisingly for a player who had previously been playing tackle, his pass blocking was ahead of his run-blocking. He should be able to improve on his run blocking by getting stronger and playing another year in the system.
The Titans again built around their offensive line during the offseason, particularly in the 2024 Draft. With the seventh overall selection, the Titans took tackle JC Latham out of Alabama. Skoronski plans on using what he learned in the last year to help his new teammate, saying:
I feel like now I have a little more perspective having gone through a year, so helping him any way I can in terms of whether that be on the field or off the field. He has been great so far. I think he is just ready to get out there and play ball. He is eager to learn, really eager to play. Making mistakes like everyone, but everyone does, and I sure as hell made a ton of mistakes. Just helping him learn and get better.
Another challenge this year will be that the Titans are going to have an entirely new offense. After being built around Derrick Henry and the running game for so long, the Titans are now expected to be a passing team. Second-year QB Will Levis has new weapons on offense and a revamped offensive line.
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