November 17, 2012; Gainesville FL, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd (73) points against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida Gators defeated the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 23-0. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
As Tennessee Titans enthusiasts, I’m sure you’re aware of the love affair between the fan base and Alabama offensive guard Chance Warmack. Many fans are hoping that Warmack makes it to the No. 10 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. They’d love to add Warmack to an offensive line that already includes Andy Levitre at the other guard position.
But what if Warmack isn’t available at No. 10? What will the Titans do?
For the last week, 29 team websites across the FanSided Network helped put together a complete first-round, 32-pick mock draft. Each team website featured a contributor who had a distinct knowledge of his or her team. That created the opportunity for a mock draft where each pick was presented from people who had a deep understanding of the team they covered.
Serving as general manager of the Tennessee Titans, I found myself facing a draft board that didn’t include Warmack. Some available players were OG Jonathan Cooper, DT Sharrif Floyd, S Kenny Vaccaro and DE Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah. Floyd dropped down the draft board after the Oakland Raiders drafted Star Lotulelei at No. 3.
This mock draft analysis has been posted on National Football Post. For each of the selections, Russ Lande has offered his observation. Here was a snippet from what I offered as the Titans representative and the ensuing feedback from Lande:
Joshua Huffman: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
"With Chance Warmack gone at No. 8, the Titans could still fix their most pressing need by selecting North Carolina offensive guard Jonathan Cooper. But can Tennessee pass on a defensive lineman who is as talented as Sharrif Floyd? Even with two solid starters (Jurrell Casey, Mike Martin) and serviceable depth (Sammie Lee Hill, Karl Klug, Ropati Pitoitua), the Titans could use BPA on the defensive line."
Russ Lande:
"Since losing Albert Haynesworth a few seasons ago, the Tennessee defense has not been the same as they have lacked a dominant interior force along the defensive line. Floyd would give the Titans a quick-off-the-ball defensive tackle who could shoot gaps and blow up plays behind the line of scrimmage. He would immediately upgrade their defensive attack."
To view the complete first-round, 32-pick mock draft and all observations from Russ Lande, visit the National Football Post at this link.