2015 NFL Draft: Wide Receiver Depth for Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans have many needs remaining on their roster after the 1st round of the 2015 NFL Draft, and one of the positions the Titans are weakest is wide receiver. Not only do the Titans lack a lot of talent at the position, but they are devoid of quality depth as well.
Dorial Green-Beckham would likely be at the top of this list
As it stands, the Tennessee Titans currently have only 8 receivers on their roster, and only 4 of those have seen significant playing time in the NFL. The Titans addressed the position in free agency by signing Harry Douglas, Jacoby Ford, and Hakeem Nicks, but none of those receivers are the electric type of receiver the Titans need to spread the field.
So how do the Titans improve their receiving corps? Luckily for them, the 2015 crop of receivers in the draft is one of the deepest pools of receivers in recent memory. And several talented receivers made it past the 1st round and are still on the board for the Titans’ first pick of the 2nd round.
Here are four notable receivers the Tennessee Titans could take with the 33rd overall pick to begin the 2nd round:
1. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State
At 6-foot-2 and with a 4.44 40-yard dash time, Strong is an upper-tier athlete who could possibly start immediately for the Titans because of their need at receiver. He’s a great redzone target, and he has the quickness to escape the initial coverage. He caught 82 passes for 1,165 yards and 10 scores in 2014 for Arizona State, and his size and burst should make him an extremely attractive target for the Titans.
2. Devin Smith, Ohio State
Despite winning the 2014 National Championship, the Ohio State Buckeyes have yet to have a player drafted in the 2015 NFL Draft. Devin Smith would likely be the first player to go for the Buckeyes, and the Titans could be the team that snatches him. Smith possesses great speed and proved to be a deep threat for the Buckeyes in 2014 with 12 touchdown receptions and an average of 27.7 yards per catch. Smith would open up the field for the Titans if they take him in the 2nd round.
3. Sammie Coates, Auburn
Although he’s a raw talent, Sammie Coates is athletic and has potential as an NFL receiver. Coates wasn’t able to show all his strengths in college because of the type of run-heavy offense Auburn ran, but he still flashed enough talent and looked good enough at the Combine to appeal to NFL teams in the 2nd round. He’ll have to learn route running and clean up his game to succeed in the NFL, but he has potential to be a solid and very productive NFL reciever.
4. Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma/Missouri
Dorial Green-Beckham would likely be at the top of this list or would’ve been selected in the 1st round already if not for personality and legal concerns. His off the field issues have been noted, and that’s why he’s dropped as far as he has already and could drop even more. But his talent as a receiver makes him a very enticing pick for the Titans to begin the 2nd round. He’s 6-foot-5 and runs a 4.49 40-yard dash. Those numbers add up to a fantastic receiver talent that could definitely play day one for the Titans, but his legal issues may dissuade them from taking him with the 33rd overall pick.
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