Tennessee Titans, A Decade In Review : A Closer Look At The First Round Picks
By Josh Gunnels
Sep 23, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan (91) exits the field at the end of regulation play against the Detroit Lions at LP Field. The Titans beat the Lions 44-41 in overtime. Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
The 2010 draft had a lot of top end talent followed by a pretty large void of impact players. The Titans saw Jason Pierre-Paul go right before their eyes and were left to take Derrick Morgan at DE. Morgan started off great, but then blew out his ACL after only 4 starts. His recovery has been slow but consistent as is his return to form. It’s hard to compare a player that’s had such an injury, but the next 6 defensive ends in the draft were Jared Odrick, Jerry Hughes, Koa Misi, Sergio Kindle, Jason Worilds, and Jermaine Cunningham. Not exactly world beaters.
Given the context of who went before and after the Titans, it looks like they did the right thing. If Morgan can return to the form he flashed in his first four games in the coming season, he can validate this pick.
Jermaine Gresham and Demaryius Thomas were both taken shortly after Morgan, but that’s about it as far as missed out talent by the Titans. They also had Britt and Cook at those spots and DE was a much more pressing need.
Once again injury has robbed the Titans of what could have been with a top pick. Once again in context, they did the right thing.
Grade: B