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Why drafting Laremy Tunsil isn’t giving up on Taylor Lewan

By Will Lomas

Oct 25, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan (77) celebrates after a first down run during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan (77) celebrates after a first down run during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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There is some conversation today on the Midday 180, about how taking Laremy Tunsil is giving up on the Tennessee Titans current left tackle Taylor Lewan. While it is early in the offseason, this is more of a conversation of philosophy than how good a player is. So with that said here is why I disagree with that idea.

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First of all, Laremy Tunsil is probably the best offensive tackle prospect to come out since Joe Thomas to me. He is a very complete run blocker who is nasty and physical. On the other hand he has elite technique in pass protection and on the one out of 100 times that he gets beat he recovers incredibly well.

He is currently the top rated player on my board and I love Joey Bosa and Jalen Ramsey, so don’t think it is any discrimination against them.

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    • Taking an elite player like Tunsil is by no means giving up on a player you drafted outside of the top 10 in a draft two years ago. It is admitting that you can see the way the league is trending, and that you can adapt.

    In the Super Bowl this year, it wasn’t the left tackle that Von Miller was beating to get his sacks, it was the right tackle. The day is over where you can put your slow, mean guy at right tackle and let him be your “mauler”. Defensive coordinators know that if they attack the right side with speed, you are more likely to win.

    With that in mind, why isn’t Taylor Lewan the perfect right tackle? He has always been exceptionally mobile and he did get some experience at right tackle in practice during his rookie year. Would you rather the Titans have a slow, strong guy deal with a team’s second best pass rusher like Jadeveon Clowney and Bjoern Werner next year, or would you rather have someone you can trust in one-on-one situations?

    No one has talked about the fact that it is also the most “economical” move in the 2016 NFL Draft, barring a trade back which is no certainty by any means. This upgrades your roster at left tackle, gives you a quality starter at right tackle and it allows you to kick Jeremiah Poutasi inside to left guard permanently.

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    That one moves leaves just the center position needing upgrade, and with a deep free agent and draft class at that position, the Titans will have plenty of chances to do that.

    While I don’t necessarily think that drafting Tunsil is the best move for the Titans, it has absolutely nothing to do with what they think of Lewan as a player. There is a clear hole at right tackle right now, if Tunsil is your top rated player why wouldn’t you take him and make some other moves to make this team better?

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