Well that certainly was an exciting draft Titans fans. With two picks in the first round and multiple positions to address, Tennessee fans were abuzz with excitement as the draft was about to begin. Leading up to the draft many fans speculated about whether or not the Titans would stay in the number five spot or trade down to try and get back a second rounder they lost when they traded up last year to get Jack Conklin. The team was fortunate enough to still be reaping the benefits of the Jared Goff trade from last season however, as they now had the number five pick in the draft since Los Angeles underperformed last season. Which is the equivalent of reaching into your pocket and finding $20 you didn’t know you had. The Titans were able to cover all of their bases and shore up some team weak spots during the draft, while adding depth in a few other key positions. Here are each of the Titans picks in order, and how they seem to fit in the teams plans moving forward.
Round 1, Pick 5: Corey Davis WR Western Michigan
Corey Davis was one of the best receivers in this draft class. While coming out of a smaller school , Davis was able to set the record as college footballs’ all-time leader in receiving yards, as well as hauling in 52 touchdowns over four years. A big bodied receiver standing at 6’3 he offers the Titans the kind of size on the outside that they lacked last year. Mariota will now be able to throw a lot more jump balls in the end zone to targets not named Delanie Walker without fear as Davis has a knack for winning jump balls over corners. While some considered it a reach especially considering his ankle injury, it was a position of need to help Mariota grow into his third season as he recovers from surgery. It should be easier for him throwing to all of his new weapons this year.
Round 1, Pick 18: Adoree’ Jackson CB USC
After securing their choice of receiver earlier in the round with Davis the Titans turned their attention to filling their other largest need in corner. Despite an early run on secondary players there were still plenty of options for the Titans as they prepared to make their selection at 18. Adoree’ Jackson is an electric player capable of making a big play on any snap. While his size is a concern, going up against the wide open offenses of the PAC 12 will have him prepared to take on receivers with a size advantage. Plus going up against Corey Davis in practice every week will certainly be a boost as he prepares for the season. Jackson brings big play potential in the return game as well with speed and quickness to spare. Don’t be surprised to potentially see him on the field on offense to see if he can break one either.
Round 3, Pick 72: Taywan Taylor WR Western Kentucky
The Titans obviously saw something they liked in Taylor as they gave up quite a few picks to move up and get their man. Taylor gives the Titans another player in college footballs’ top 15 in all-time receiving yards. Standing 5’11 Taylor gives the team a faster down field contrast to Davis’s possession based receiving. Taylor also gets the chance to learn from a comparable player in Harry Douglas early in his career.
Round 3, Pick 100: Jonnu Smith TE Florida International
Jonnu Smith is tougher than a $2 steak. While playing at FIU this season he had boiling water dumped on him after an argument with his girlfriend. He was originally supposed to miss three games after this, but instead was only out for one. Standing at 6’3 and with the ability to both catch passes and block he fits perfectly into the Titans offensive system. He also gets the chance to learn from one of the best players at his position in Delanie Walker. Great route runner who has already bought into the teams’ philosophy of running to setup the pass. It should be interesting to see him fill the role previously held by Anthony Fasano, and also how he plays in two tight end sets.
Later Round Picks:
To finish out the draft the Titans set about adding depth at key positions. With the loss of Chance Warmack and the arrival of Dennis Kelly, the Titans saw the value in having depth along the offensive line. They added two players they believe can help fill those depth and emergency roles in Brad Seaton and Corey Levin. Another area of need for the Titans was linebacker help both inside and out. The Titans added depth at outside linebacker with Josh Carraway as they continue to monitor the health of Kevin Dodd. Also adding depth on the inside at linebacker with the addition of Jayon Brown. Finally, at pick #241 in the 7th round the Titans selected Khalfani Muhammad. It’ll be interesting to see how the Titans intend to use him as the number of carries behind Demarco Murray and Derrick Henry seems to be very limited. More than likely, his role is with special teams as Muhammad finished his career at Cal second on the school’s all-time in kick returns and kick return yardage.
Overall the team was able to go out and get exactly the help it needed over the course of the draft addressing key areas early, and adding depth in the later rounds. Trader Jon Robinson kept his nickname alive in trading with his old team in New England to move up and select a player he coveted. It should be interesting to see how this new batch of rookies fits into the teams schemes, and whether or not they’ll be able
