The Tennessee Titans made a surprising playoff appearance in 2017. The Titans even managed to win a playoff game before being blown out by the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots. Tennessee has overhauled their roster this offseason bringing in former Patriots Malcolm Butler and Dion Lewis in an effort to upgrade. The Titans biggest turnover actually came through their coaching ranks as Mike Vrabel is the new head coach along with changes at both coordinator spots. Having said that, what can we expect from the Tennessee Titans during the 2018 NFL Draft?
Holding the 25th pick in the draft, it’s impossible to know which side of the ball the Titans will target. My guess is after taking a wide receiver 5th overall in the draft, I would guess that Mike Vrabel might pound the table for a defensive difference maker. There’s no question that the Titans need an edge rusher. Both Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan are both getting up there in age. Morgan will be 30 next year while Orakpo will be 32 by the time the season starts. Former second-round pick Kevin Dodd has not lived up to expectations so targeting a young pass rusher makes a lot of sense.
Harold Landry could be a target if he’s available. Landry opted not to declare for the 2017 NFL Draft and actually probably hurt his stock by not doing so. Landry notched 16.5 sacks as a Junior and plummeted down to just 5 this past year for Boston College. I watched him match up against Mike McGlinchey during the year and really struggled to get anything going. Landry has a quick get off and is a real speed threat off the edge. I think you’re looking at a situation where Landry compares to Vic Beasley at the NFL level.
Titans Draft Picks:
- 1st round (25th)
- 2nd round (57th)
- 3rd round (89th)
- 4th round (121st)
- 5th round (153rd)
- 6th round (185th)
In the second round, the middle linebacker spot could be something the Titans look into. Avery Williamson is off to New York via free agency, and Tennessee needs a leader to man that defense. The days of Keith Bullock roaming the field for this defense are gone and the Titans need to recreate him somehow. Jayon Brown could be that guy in the future who already really excels in pass coverage. There’s no question that the Titans need to upgrade over Wesley Woodyard and Nate Palmer.
Keep an eye on Josey Jewell from Iowa. He might be available in round 3 but let’s slide him in here. Malik Jefferson, Darius Leonard, and Shaun Dion Hamilton are other potential options but Jewell is the real deal. Jewell is a tackling machine, just go watch his opening game against Wyoming, he was all over the field. Jewell recorded 136 tackles in college this past year and 124 tackles the year before. Jewell isn’t an elite twitchy athlete per say but he is a playmaker.
In the third round, I wouldn’t be surprised if they target another weapon for Marcus Mariota. Jon Robinson has thrown the kitchen sink at trying to find a receiver but hasn’t come away with a whole lot. Taywan Taylor, Tajae Sharpe, and Corey Davis while young, aren’t moving the needle. In a weak quarterback draft class, Anthony Miller might become the diamond in the rough just sitting in their backyard. Miller was an excellent slot receiver for Memphis and practically beat UCLA by himself this year. Miller has solid hands and can be a reliable target in the middle of the field for Mariota. Miller hauled in 92 receptions for 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017.
