The 2021 NFL Draft takes place April 29-May 1 this year, emanating LIVE from Cleveland, Ohio. As it stands, the Tennessee Titans have one first round draft pick. General manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel currently hold the 22nd 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 Oklahoma State tackle Teven Jenkins.
I’m just throwing this out there now, Titans fans – don’t be surprised if this team goes with a tackle in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. You don’t want to hear it, I know. This team just cut Touchdown Dennis Kelly like it was nothing a year after he did a stand-up job at right tackle. They absolutely wasted their first round pick in 2020 on Isaiah Wilson. In hindsight, it looks pretty clear to me like Kelly might’ve been a goner no matter what because of his cap hit, and Wilson was likely the contingency plan. Makes sense from a business perspective, right? You get one more year out of the reliable vet, and then the guy you draft high takes over. We’ve seen that play out a million times in the NFL. Except, your contingency plan has to actually play for this to work. Not only did Wilson NOT play….but he was a catastrophe. So, while the Titans brought back Ty Sambrailo and signed Kendall Lamm, they’re still searching for their long-term solution at right tackle.
I would consider cornerback and wide receiver…maybe even edge rush help…a higher priority than tackle at this point. But, we’ve seen this regime surprise us before (literally, just last year, hello). And, it was recently reported that the Titans have met with Jenkins “several times.” Charlie Casserly went as far as to say Jenkins is going to be better than Jack Conklin. Whoa now, pal. Let’s settle down. Jenkins projects as a first round prospect, and is one of if not the best right tackle in this entire draft class. So, if this interest is SERIOUS serious, and the Titans want him, then they’re likely going to have to give up their first round pick to get him.
As far as prospects go, I love the way Jenkins plays the game. In one word, he’s a finisher. In his own words (linked below), he’s a tough, physical, nasty motherfucker. I love the way he drives guys out of the play, and puts asses on the ground. A lot of scouts are leery of his shorter arms, and project him at guard because of them. But, the bulk of his season was played at right tackle, and he played it well for Oklahoma State. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I wouldn’t be moving Jenkins inside unless he proves that he can’t work at right tackle. Otherwise, let the guy play his game. I stop short of calling this kid better than Jack Conklin, though. Conklin’s a former All-Pro who helped solidify one of the best offensive lines in football last season. That comparison feels way too lofty. But, for what the Titans are looking for in blocking for Derrick Henry, the type of finisher that Jenkins is is just what they need.
I will mention that “some scouts voiced concerns about football character” is listed among his weaknesses on NFL.com’s draft profile. Titans fans reading that just let out a collective groan. Obviously, that’s worth digging into, and I don’t know how confident we should be in the Titans to knock that out of the park after Wilson a year ago. But, it doesn’t seem like it’s something a lot of the analysts are touting right now, so I don’t know whether these are legitimate concerns or not. I don’t think they should go right tackle at #22, but if they do, they could do a whole hell of a lot worse than Teven Jenkins. Now, let’s turn it over to the dude, Voch Lombardi (subscribe to the Patreon), for some breakdown of Jenkins’ game against Joseph Ossai:
Further reading: Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins: I’m a “tough, physical, nasty mother f—er”
2021 TITANS FIRST ROUND OPTIONS
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. 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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