The Tennessee Titans have gotten good reviews from their draft class from national media, but maybe none are higher on that class than Jim Reineking from NFL.com.
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This is a quote from the power rankings on the Tennessee Titans:
“Through trades — most notably that big one with the Los Angeles Rams for the No. 1 overall pick — the Titans were able to secure four of the first 45 picks in the draft. Each of the players selected with those picks rated in the top 50 of Brandt’s Hot 100. Just look at those four selections, too, and you’ll see the makings of “exotic smashmouth.” Three of those picks will help bolster the Titans’ presence at the line of scrimmage, while 6-foot-3, 247-pound bruiser back Derrick Henry aims to fortify the Titans’ ground game behind Marcus Mariota. ”
FanSided
A quick word on doubters
I think people get so wrapped up in analyzing the individual picks and what they would have done, rather than to look at the class as a whole.
Some people think that the Tennessee Titans should have either waited to take a right tackle later, or wait at 15 to see if one fell, but my question is why? Stop looking at the individual value of every pick (if you have a problem with that) and look at what the Tennessee Titans got in this draft.
They got:
-A starting right tackle who looked great despite the fact that he had to face the hardest schedule of college pass rushers.
-A raw DE/OLB who still managed 12.5 sacks last year and who is a perfect fit for what Dick LeBeau has historically thrived with.
-A versatile nose tackle that will be physically imposing on all three downs.
-The biggest running back in the draft who is probably the best in between the tackle style runners in the last two or three years.
-A ballhawking free safety with 19 career INTs who looks like an incredible worker with talent.
-Not to mention a nice, precise, accomplished receiver and a mauling left guard.
That is a heck of a draft haul.
What they did with this draft.
The Tennessee Titans may have some more holes on the roster, but what they built in this draft was a team with an identity. They are going to run the ball, plain and simple. A year ago, this team’s best running back was probably Antonio Andrews who led the Titans with just 520 rushing yards.
To put that in perspective, DeMarco Murray the Tennessee Titans new starting has never had a season with less than 650 yards, and that was a season where he only played 10 games!
However, that is all a distant memory now as the Titans have adopted the identity of a running team with two talented running backs, and maybe the best play action quarterback in the NFL in Marcus Mariota.
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People seem to have this misconception that because the Tennessee Titans are now a running team, that Mariota will be less involved, but that is crazy. Of course he will be involved he is the quarterback and no team in the NFL runs it more than 55% of the time and I don’t think the Titans will even touch the 50% mark this year.
Marcus Mariota thrives when defenses are out of position, he can either make them pay with his accuracy or with his ability to tuck it and run. Either way, he makes them pay. However, if you can’t get a running game going, you can’t really get a defense out of position. If that is the case, then you tell me how to best help your young quarterback?
So, all in all it is great that people think this is a good class because it is. You have a team stacked at where you need it to be stacked, and if you have holes at certain positions so be it as long as those holes aren’t interfering with the identity of your team and their ability to win.