The Titans and the NFL Draft
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”, no I’m not referring to the Christmas Classic you hear Andy Williams belt out in stores and malls in December. The NFL, being the gargantuan in the sports world that it is, makes itself relevant nearly year round. Now that the Super Bowl, Combine and most Pro Days have passed, the greatest display of their influence and power is just a few weeks away and that is the NFL Draft. The NFL doesn’t play a game, it doesn’t have a scrimmage a practice…nothing. It is a weekend full of talking heads mentioning 40 yard dash times, vertical leap lengths, how fast they handled a 3 cone drill, etc. The Draft is held in Philadelphia this year April 27-29. On that Thursday night April 27th in the “City of Brotherly Love”, young College football player’s dreams will come true. They will wait in the green room and wait for Commissioner Roger Goodell to call their name from the podium and will walk towards the lights and cameras, be handed a new ball cap with the logos of their new team and bear hug the commissioner. The talking heads will say it was a smart move or who’s still on their “Big Board” and it just happens to be something that many people can’t take their eyes off of, including me. This three day event draws ratings that MLB and the NBA would love to have on a regular basis.
With that being said, the Titans will have many eyes on what they do as an organization and not just from a local level. GM Jon Robinson made his presence known a year ago with a handful of trades and acquisitions that vaulted them to a 9-7 record in 2016. Robinson traded the number one overall pick just two weeks before the draft to the Los Angeles Rams for a boatload of draft picks in 2016 and this year’s draft. One of those Rams picks ended up being the number five overall selection. The Titans own that pick and their own pick at number eighteen. Will Jon Robinson keep them and bring a couple of playmakers? Will he trade one or both of them to get more picks in a draft that conveniently rich in positions of need for the Titans.
An example, is the crop of Tight Ends available this year. Most of them are 6’6” around 250lbs and can run like a deer. This is one of the biggest needs the Titans have. Anthony Fasano re-signs with the Miami Dolphins, Craig Stevens is still retired and not coming back. Both Stevens and Fasano were the Titans best blockers on a team that is now heavily reliant on the run game. The Titans recently re-signed Tight End Phillip Supernaw to a multiyear deal, but Supernaw has been primarily used on Special teams. Also, let’s not forget that as good as Delanie Walker is, he will be 33 years old when the season gets underway.
We all know the Achilles heel of the 2016 Titan was the pass defense and in particular the Secondary. This draft happens to be loaded with Cornerbacks and Safeties. Some say this draft is 4 rounds deep in talented young DB’s. Titans GM Jon Robinson already has addressed some of the personnel concerns in the Secondary with the additions of Strong Safety Johnathan Cyprien, and Cornerback Logan Ryan in free agency. Cyprien is supposed to be really good against the run with 127 tackles at that position last season in Jacksonville. Ryan, is a high caliber free agent Cornerback from the World Champion New England Patriots, fresh off of a win over the Falcons in Super Bowl 51.
Wide Receiver is an area that needs bolstering for the Titans as we approach the 2017 season. An aging Harry Douglas, a solid Rishard Matthews (who’s coming off of a career year in 2016) and a young Tajae Sharpe who was a 5th round pick who will be a great young receiver, but hit the rookie wall. That brings us to the WR’s who are in this year’s draft class. For most, that appears to be a three man race between John Ross the speedy receiver from Washington who broke Chris Johnson’s 40 yard dash time with a blistering 4.22 in the 40.
WR Corey Davis from Western Michigan who recorded 97 catches for 1500 yards and 19 touchdowns in a smaller College conference. Then, there is Mike Williams, who is a large 6’3” 217lb Wide Receiver from Clemson. The same Mike Williams who beat Alabama on a last second touchdown toss from QB DeShawn Watson in the National Championship game.
The one thing I’ve learned about Jon Robinson, you never know what he might do by the time the 2017 will have come and gone.
Remember when he traded the #1 overall pick to the L.A. Rams?
Remember when he traded back up seven spots with Cleveland to draft Jack Conklin?
How about when he drafted Derrick Henry with the 45th overall pick…AFTER trading for DeMarco Murray?
These moves have proved to be good ones so far and the eyes of the football world will be watching to see what Jon Robinson does.
Next time, I’ll have a rundown of what draft picks the Titans have and outline our Titans Radio coverage for the week of the draft that is coming up very soon.
Rhett Bryan Executive Producer Titans Radio
