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 Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun.
I like the depth the Titans have in their stable of edge rushers. Harold Landry, The Bend God, looks like a stud in the making. If they can get the good Vic Beasley, they’re going to get a hell of a pair of bookend pass rushers. And, re-signing Kamalei Correa keeps one of their most consistent effort guys in-house. But, Correa doesn’t possess elite level pass rush talent in the NFL, and what if Beasley doesn’t pan out on his one-year deal? The Titans could stand to fortify that stable. And, hell – what’s one more pass rusher hurt anyway?
Enter Zack Baun, a prospect that could realistically be on the board when the Titans are up at #29.
Two words come to mind immediately – ‘diverse’ and ‘athletic.’ Baun has an incredible first step, flashes some elite level bend, and has that coveted scheme diversity that makes him a candidate to line up anywhere. The dude is a hybrid. He uses his hands well, and dips into coverage fluidly when called upon to do so.
The big knock on him is his “smaller” stature, and the fact that he didn’t really bull rush a whole hell of a lot at Wisconsin. But, he’s proven to be a sure open-field tackler that can play with leverage. Maybe that bull rush ability develops if he puts on a few pounds – or maybe the team that takes him just doesn’t put him in situations in which he’s asked to bull rush.
His repertoire is exactly what the Titans need in a young edge rusher. He brings that sort of explosiveness they need opposite Landry. If he plays up to the “next great Wisconsin linebacker” moniker that some have given him, then he could be a perfect fit in this Titans defense. Baun would be a highly logical choice at #29.
Further Reading: Zack Baun’s overlooked path to Wisconsin stardom says everything about his NFL potential
2020 TITANS FIRST ROUND OPTIONS
C.J. Henderson
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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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