Tennessee Titans: Protecting Marcus Mariota is Priority 1

Even if the Tennessee Titans pick up some help on the offensive line during the NFL Free Agency period, the top need going forward has to be protecting Marcus Mariota in 2016. The Titans first pick in the 2015 draft was sacked 38 times for 268 yards in his first season in the NFL, and that needs to stop.

With the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Titans control their destiny in this draft, and although it is a precarious position to be in, they would love to make it their last for years to come.

With so many holes to fill on this team, a best-cased scenario for general manager Jon Robinson would be to trade down and get a boat-load of future picks from teams needing a franchise quarterback.

Unfortunately, there are only two legitimate quarterbacks in this draft, and both are not day-one starters like Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston were last year.

Cal quarterback Jared Goff appears to be the most polished and ready to play in the NFL and along with Carson Wentz from North Dakota State are the only two  who appear to be close to taking opening day snaps.

The Cleveland Browns must draft a quarterback and the Dallas Cowboys need to draft the heir apparent to Tony Romo leaving only the San Francisco 49ers as the only team in the first ten picks who may or may not draft a quarterback.

The other teams who desperately need a quarterback are probably too far back in the draft to move up to the first pick.

The Los Angeles Rams pick 15th and are in range, but the Texans picking at 22 are more than likely too far down the food chain to make a deal with the Titans.

I don’t see a trade coming in this draft that will net the Titans that hand full of picks they need.

With a mandate from Amy Adams Strunk that the top priority for this offseason is protecting Marcus Mariota, the Titans need to just go ahead and call Larmey Tunsil’s name with hopes he is a plug and play left tackle.

It’s a coin toss whether the tackle out of Ole Miss or Joey Bosa, DL/EDGE out of Ohio State is the best player in the draft, but the Titans need help on the offensive line and Tunsil is the obvious pick Jon Robinson and Mike Mularkey  need to make.

Larmey Tunsil at 6’5″ and weighing in at 318 pounds wowed the folks at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday during the 2016 NFL Combine and is exactly what the Tennessee Titans need as a day-one starter to protect Marcus Mariota.

Next: Tennessee Titans: The Race for Number 1 has begun

The 2016 Draft is loaded with defensive talent, and Robinson should be able to pick up some nice pieces in the later rounds for Dick LeBeau‘s defense.

Joey Bosa has played in a 4-3 scheme for Urban Meyer at OSU and has the talent to move to EDGE, but Tunsil fills a huge need in Music City.

With the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select Larmey Tunsil, Offensive Tackle, Ole Miss!