Welcome to the weekly Tennessee Titans draft roundup for the 2022 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!
*The Titans have a meeting with Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning on deck for next week. Pretty much any position along the offensive line is fair game in this year’s draft. They have immediate needs at left guard and right tackle, but could have needs at left tackle and center should they elect to move on from Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones within the next couple of years. I have cooled off quite a bit on Penning since his stellar week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. I like the nastiness and I like the size and power, but he has some technique issues that are going to be exploited at the next level. Not to mention, his feisty demeanor could feasibly turn into penalties. I’d rather look along the interior with Zion Johnson, or another guy they met with recently, Kenyon Green.
*I was surprised to see that the Titans met with tight end Daniel Bellinger. Not that the Titans are doing their due diligence on this tight end class, but I was surprised to see that Bellinger was high enough on their list to warrant meeting with. I know some folks are high on Bellinger, but I’d have him well on down the list of tight ends in this class. This is my blurb from my big board, which you can unlock by subscribing to the SoBros Patreon: “Promising build for a tight end. Has shown some flashes of being a reliable pass catcher, but lacks the explosiveness it takes to be a real threat at the position. A steady guy with a chance to develop into something more.”
*They’re also poking around some edge rushers, having met with Western Kentucky’s DeAngelo Malone. I love the idea of them adding some teeth to their pass rush – one more weapon in the arsenal can’t hurt, right? This just so happens to be an excellent class of edge rushers, too. I’m a fan of Malone – he plays with a ton of power and a ton of heart. He’s been underrated throughout this draft cycle.
*ESPN’s Jordan Reid mocked Bailey Zappe to the Titans in the 4th round and I couldn’t pass harder on that idea. I don’t hate the idea of the Titans taking a quarterback in this draft, but it’s going to have to be with that first round pick or else they’re not going to get a guy who has any shot of being a difference-maker for the franchise. So, if they’re not spending that 26th overall pick on a quarterback, I’m out on one altogether. I’d rather build depth elsewhere on the roster. Zappe has plenty of potential – he was monstrously productive in college, and can throw into NFL windows. I just don’t know that now is the time to invest in a quarterback if he’s not going to be the heir apparent to Ryan Tannehill, and I don’t think there’s anyone beyond the first round that can be that.
*Mark Schofield ranked the top 11 tight ends in this draft class for TouchdownWire – by and large, it’s a good list. He’s lower on Jelani Woods and Cole Turner than I am, but this is a good crop of talent for the Titans to choose from. I’d be ecstatic if they could somehow end up with Trey McBride or Greg Dulcich. Without a 2nd round pick, that’s going to be hard to pull off. That’s why a Woods, Turner, or Jeremy Ruckert are much more likely. Regardless, this is a good year to be in need of a tight end.
*I felt like the Titans could’ve been in the market for defensive back depth to begin with. But, now that Dane Cruikshank has signed with the Chicago Bears, and definitely won’t be coming back to the Titans, it opens up a need in the safety rotation. It’s still not an urgent need, but I could see the Titans going for a safety in the 5th round or so. I like Leon O’Neal Jr. myself, but admittedly haven’t studied this safety class all that deeply.
*As it stands, the Titans currently have seven picks in the 2022 NFL Draft:
- 1st round, 26th overall
- 3rd round, 90th overall
- 4th round, 131st overall
- 4th round, 143rd overall
- 5th round, 169th overall
- 6th round, 204th overall
- 6th round, 219th overall
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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, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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