The 2020 NFL Draft takes place April 23-25 this year, emanating LIVE from everywhere ’cause it’s basically going to be one big Zoom meeting. As it stands, the Tennessee Titans have one first round draft pick. General manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel currently hold the 29th overall selection. Over the next few weeks, your boy “Big Natural” Stoney Keeley will be taking a look at some of the prospects who are either rumored to be tied to or who make sense for the Titans. Today, we’re lookin’ at former Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa.
Regardless of where it comes from, the bottom line is that the Titans need to supplement their current pass rush unit and stockpile a little talent around it at some point in this year’s NFL Draft. Depending on how the dominoes fall, they could address that at #29.
Epenesa is built like a brick shithouse – dude is 6’5″ and 275 pounds. He possesses elite length, size and has the type of pure power to run people’s asses over! He’s a big time heart guy, too. You see him in 1:1 battles with tackles, and he just won’t quit even if he’s straight stood up. He’s shown flashes of downright violent hand usage and aggressive immediate engagement. Epenesa can manipulate a tackle with his hands (particularly that inside shoulder), and break your damn arm in half with that club. Overall, Epenesa already possesses a pretty solid DE toolbox.
He’s not particularly quick/twitchy with his pass rush, but you don’t always need that. Epenesa effects games in the same manner as Jadeveon Clowney. That’s not a comparison – I’m just saying that Epenesa doesn’t always get the sack numbers, but he’s out there batting passes down, pushing offensive linemen back and collapsing pockets, eating up double-teams, agitating quarterbacks, and forcing early throws. But, there’s a question of how he’ll fare against the more athletic tackles in the NFL.
Epenesa looks like more of a pure defensive end who’s going to play at the line of scrimmage more often than not (if ever). While the pass rush is useful wherever it comes from, I’m not sure how much he’d be used effectively in this Titans defense that values scheme diversity. The Titans need another quick, shifty, bendy pass rusher to complement Harold Landry and take over across him should Vic Beasley not pan out.
I like Epenesa a lot. He’s just a big nasty effort guy that is going to wreck games if he plays up to that size and potential. I just don’t know that he brings exactly what the Titans need to the pass rush. I still prefer Zack Baun to Epenesa and Yetur Gross-Matos, but do like Epenesa more than Gross-Matos.
I wouldn’t hate the pick – I mean, imagine if they do get Clowney, and you’ve got a defensive line that looks like Epenesa – Jeffery Simmons – Clowney. That’s a unit that is going to straight up fuck people. Talk about an embarrassment of riches if things do pan out that way. But, I’m content with the defensive line as is, and would rather take out an insurance policy at OLB (see: Baun).
Further Reading: Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa surrounded by family as NFL Draft arrives
2020 TITANS FIRST ROUND OPTIONS
Zack Baun
Yetur Gross-Matos
C.J. Henderson
Josh Jones
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, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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