Welcome to the weekly Tennessee Titans draft roundup for the 2018 NFL Draft. Over the course of the next several weeks, I’ll be releasing this column once a week with my very professional journalism opinions. You’ll find everything from rumors to wild speculation to actual analysis (sometimes). Titan up!
*Josh Sweat is rising like crazy in the Titans circles. Part of me wonders how much of it is genuine interest, and how much of it is us just running out of people to talk about. Shit – we can only write so many articles on Harold Landry and Sam Hubbard, amirite?!?! But, I had to stop and do my homework on Sweat – initially projected as 3rd-4th round pick, he admittedly wasn’t on my radar at #25. He has athletic ability, but he’s not a guy who’s going to wow you with his strength and size. The Titans should be able to select someone much more talented. But, I honestly wouldn’t complain if they landed someone like Hubbard in the first round and Sweat in the third. The Titans could use multiple pass rushers out of this draft.
*It’s the usual suspects for the most part on Jim Wyatt’s latest tour of the mocks – Landry, Rashaan Evans, Leighton Vander Esch, etc. etc.. But, one name did catch my eye that we haven’t talked about yet. NFL Network’s Maurice Jones-Drew mocked Stanford DT Harrison Phillips to the Titans. It’s an interesting call – one that I, personally, don’t think they’d make. But, Phillips does look like a guy who could come in and help maintain one of the best run defenses in the league. The Titans are looking for help in the pass rush any way they can get it. But, that’s not Phillips’ specialty – he’s the type of DT that collapses the pocket on opposing quarterbacks. Just don’t see that as a need for the Titans.
*Cameron Wolfe reported earlier this week that both former Texas LB Malik Jefferson and former Wake Forest S Jessie Bates had pre-draft visits with the Titans. Jefferson looks like the prototypical NFL linebacker – built, fast, and can tackle. Some say his instincts are terrible, and it seems that’s what’s pushed him out of first round consideration. I don’t see Bates as a fit with the Titans – he’s more Kevin Byard than John Cyprien and the Titans don’t need Kevin Byard because they already have…well….Kevin Byard.
*Josh Norris reported that the Titans held a visit for former Vols DB Rashaan Gaulden. They could use another potential starter in the secondary, and a guy like Gaulden could come as a tremendous value in one of the later rounds.
*What the fuck is this bullshit?
That’s:
25. Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State
57. Austin Corbett, C/G, Nevada
89. Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado StateFull three-round ‘Grade: A’ mock: https://t.co/zNaLkMoQzM https://t.co/GmDaje1CUV
— Mel Kiper Jr. (@MelKiperESPN) April 11, 2018
Again, I don’t know what it is about this offseason, but Mel Kiper, Jr. is still reminding Titans fans that he done lost his damn mind.
*John Laird wrote a hell of a piece on Rashaan Evans for Titan Sized. We’ve all been so focused on the pass rush, that I don’t think we’re paying enough attention to how good Evans is and what a tremendous fit he’d be with the Titans.
*I am not in the camp that wants Dez Bryant in Nashville.
*As it stands, the Titans will have six picks in this year’s draft:
1st round – 25th overall
2nd round – 57th overall
3rd round – 89th overall
4th round – 125th overall
5th round – 162nd overall
6th round – 199th overall
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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