We’ve all heard it countless times…Tom Brady was drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. But, the truth is, sometimes the late round picks can define the success of your franchise as well as any other pick. Though the Titans have yet to have a draft steal the caliber of Brady, they’ve still had their fair share of late-round gems.
Honorable Mentions
In the seventh round of the 2004 draft, the Titans selected Eugene Amano who would go on to become a solid starter at center for one of the greatest TItans offensive lines in team history. In 2008, the Titans drafted cornerback Cary Williams in the seventh round. He never became an elite corner, but had several serviceable years as a Titan, Raven (where he won a Super Bowl), and Eagle. Time will tell whether LeShaun Sims belongs on this list or not, but given his quality of play at the end of 2016, drafting him in the fifth round could prove to be a steal.
10. Bo Scaife, Round 6, 2005 – It took Scaife a season or two to catch on, but once he did, he was one of the most reliable weapons for Vince Young. The former Texas Longhorn was a sure-handed, sure-blocking tight end for the Titans for six seasons.
9. Avery Williamson, Round 5, 2014 – Williamson has been one of the best players on the Titans defense since he was drafted three years ago. Known for his run-stuffing ability, the Titans have parlayed a fifth round selection into one of the centerpieces of their defense.
8. Peter Sirmon, Round 4, 2000 – A career Titan, Sirmon came to Nashville by way of the University of Oregon. He remains one of the all-time great Titans linebackers. After retiring from the field in 2006, Sirmon has worked his way through the coaching ranks. He is the current defensive coordinator at Louisville.
7. Stephen Tulloch, Round 4, 2006 – Tulloch was one of the unheralded heroes of the Titans defense during his tenure in Nashville. Even after he left Tennessee, he’s had a lengthy, productive career – atypical of a fourth round draft pick.
6. Karl Klug, Round 5, 2011 – Klug has been an underrated defensive lineman since being drafted in 2011. He’s a scrappy, tough, and hard-nosed player who is known for his high motor. Especially within the last couple of seasons, he’s become one of the key cogs in the Titans defensive machine.
5. Derrick Mason, Round 4, 1997 – Mason is widely considered the greatest receiver in Titans history. To think that he was drafted in round four is pretty astounding. Mason finished his career with 943 receptions for 12,061 yards and 66 touchdowns.
4. David Stewart, Round 4, 2005 – For the better part of a decade, Stewart was one of the Titans franchise tackles. He bookended one of the greatest offensive lines in Titans history and was a steal coming off the boards in the fourth round.
3. Jurrell Casey, Round 3, 2011 – If Casey was drafted any later, he’d probably be number one on this list. For the last several years, Casey has been one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL and consistently underrated. If we could re-do the 2011 draft, Casey would undoubtedly be a first rounder.
2. Jason McCourty, Round 6, 2009 – You don’t usually get the type of longevity that McCourty had in Tennessee too often. He was just released a week or so, but prior to that, he played the entirety of his eight year career in Nashville. On top of that, he was more than serviceable. At times, he was quietly one of the ten best cornerbacks in the NFL. At the very least, he was often underrated.
1. Cortland Finnegan, Round 7, 2006 – Finnegan was feisty, aggressive, and physical. At times, he was downright nasty. He may be remembered most for talking trash and getting into a literal fist fight with Andre Johnson on the field during a game. But, for a number of seasons, he was among the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He was a key cog on the 2008 defense – the last time the Titans made the playoffs and the defense was one of the league’s best units. The fact that he wasn’t drafted until the seventh round is still astounding.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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