2013 NFL Draft: Tennessee Titans Trade Up, Draft WR Justin Hunter
Nov 3, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Justin Hunter (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Troy Trojans during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
The Tennessee Titans entered Days 2-3 with eight remaining picks in the 2013 NFL Draft. That included two third-round picks, No. 70 and No. 97. For the Titans, this gave them the flexibility to create a package and move into the early stages of the second round. They just needed to find a buyer.
Enter the San Francisco 49ers. Trading up to No. 34, the Titans drafted WR Justin Hunter from the University of Tennessee. Here were the details of that trade:
49ers get the the 40th pick from #Titans this year, 216 this year (7th) and a 2014 third rounder #tntitans
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) April 26, 2013
Titan Sized colleague Shawn Eagle was a fan of using the No. 40 pick on DE Cornellius “Tank” Carradine from Florida State University. Ironically, that’s exactly what the defending NFC Champion 49ers did.
Here’s a quick look at how this trade looks with the picks:
49ers Receive:
No. 40 (Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE, Florida State)
No. 216 (Seventh Round)
2014 Third-Round Pick
Titans Receive:
No. 34 (Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee)
This gives the Titans three wide receivers who were drafted in the Top 34. Kenny Britt (2009) and Kendall Wright (2012) were first-round selections. It casts uncertainties on the futures of Nate Washington and Britt. Britt’s contract expires after the 2013-14 NFL season. Earlier this offseason, Washington was involved in trade rumors. Nothing ever came of those.
Willy Daunic made a good point on Twitter:
Kenny Britt and Justin Hunter tore their ACL's one week apart in the 2011 season. @1025TheGame
— Willy Daunic (@WillyD1025) April 26, 2013
Unless the Titans trade out of the No. 70 pick, they’ll almost certainly shift their attention toward defense. In 2012, the Titans surrendered 471 points. They need help on the defensive line and in the secondary. Furthermore, they need depth at linebacker.
This move will make most Volunteers fans happy. What about everyone else? Will Hunter flourish in Nashville with Dowell Loggains‘ offense? What does this mean for the other receivers?