Happy Monday – NFL Draft Week is HERE! This Thursday (April 27, 2017) night, the NFL Draft will emanate from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Tennessee Titans are in a unique position – they don’t have any real dire needs. The roster is pretty solid across the board. Sure, they need a cornerback, inside linebacker, offensive playmaker, and pass rush depth at some point in the draft. But, there’s no glaring need that ties the Titans first round pick to any particular position.
For several seasons, the team went into the draft with one or two major needs. And, it felt like every year, the Titans ignored it. Every year, fans clamored for a cornerback and Ruston Webster would draft a project offensive lineman. Or, Jake Locker.
After one draft and two free agency periods under general manager Jon Robinson, we now know it’s about finding the right player at the best value. Robinson has put together a solid roster, one that doesn’t have any major holes. That means that for the first time in a long time, the Titans should not be handcuffed into picking any one position in the first round. The door is open for the team to surprise us.
10 Outside-the-box First Round Options for the Titans
10. David Njoku, TE, Miami (FL) – The Titans do need to start thinking about life after Delanie Walker. Many seem to think O.J. Howard could be in play at #5, but if the Titans look elsewhere, Njoku could get a look later on in the first round.
9. Adoree Jackson, CB/KR, USC – A lot of people are talking about a lot of different cornerbacks going to the Titans. You don’t see Jackson’s name pop up too much, and I’m not too sure why. He’s proven to be a skilled cover guy and comes with the added bonus of returning kicks and/or punts.
8. T.J. Watt, DE/OLB, Wisconsin – The Titans will need to add some pass rush depth at some point in the NFL draft. Let’s say they end up trading down into the 20s in the first round, or quite simply, the well is dry at #18. Watt seems like a good fit in the Titans’ 3-4 defense.
7. Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt – Inside linebacker is a need heading into this draft. What if the Titans want premium talent, but don’t want to spend a top-10 pick on Reuben Foster? Cunningham should be there at #18, and there’s always the possibility that the Titans trade down into the 20s.
6. Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan – Peppers is a versatile player. The Titans have a need at safety, but more importantly, they need impact players. Regardless of where he lines up, Peppers is an impact player. Dick LeBeau could find numerous ways to make offenses pay with a toy like Peppers to play with.
5. Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado – Awuzie’s name is starting to creep up into the first round in a lot of mock drafts. Specifically, rumors are starting to swirl that the Titans love the kid. He may be a bit of a reach at #18, but if the rumors are true, we shouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being the pick.
4. Haason Reddick, OLB, Temple – Reddick is a hybrid type of player who has been soaring up draft boards in recent months. I’ve seen his name linked to the Titans in a couple of mock drafts earlier on in the season. I don’t know that he’s the type of guy this regime covets, but if they want to bolster the pass rush, he’s talented enough to warrant taking a look at.
3. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee – Defensive end isn’t the biggest need of the Titans, but as the saying goes, you can never have too many pass rushers. If there’s not a cornerback worth taking at #18 and Barnett slides, the Titans would be hard-pressed to pass him up.
2. Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama – There’s a good chance that Foster slides in the first round. He could end up in the lower 20s or he could go top-10. If this pick were to happen, it would likely have to be at #5. Still, inside linebacker is one of the two biggest needs on defense, so why not take a potential all-time great in Foster?
1. Forrest Lamp, Guard, Western Kentucky – The offensive line was the greatest strength of the Titans offense last season. But, if you think rolling into the future with a rotation of Quinton Spain, Ben Jones, and Josh Kline at guard is going to secure the position for the next 10 years, you are mistaken. So, if all of the major impact players are off the board, why not grab the best guard in the draft, secure the position for the future, and make one of the two greatest offensive lines in football even better?
Ultimately, a lot of people want to tie the Titans down to either a cornerback or a wide receiver. In the building, I doubt the Titans are looking at this draft in that light. They have numerous options – some of which may surprise us come draft day.
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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