Predicting possible trades for both Titans first round picks.
In the draft, there are always a few moves that no one expects to happen. I believe that there is one constant in this draft that will happen: the Tennessee Titans will trade both picks. Personally, I think it is tough to imagine them not making any sort of move up or down the draft.
There is and will continue to be tons of rumors circling about players and how they are moving up and down draft boards. Other rumors that swirl are about which teams are willing to make trades. This is mostly a smoke screen, getting teams to get nervous about a player or team, which results in over drafting or trading up just to ensure that teams get “their guy.”
There are a few quarterback needy teams that I think are willing to trade up, such as the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals. These teams are the teams within the top half of the draft that I can foresee moving up to get the quarterback of their future. This is an optimal range for the Titans and they still can get a top tier player.
The biggest issues are whether these teams willing to deal and whether they have fallen in love with a player. If this holds true and there are teams willing to deal due to them having fallen in love with a player, I see one team really that is almost too obvious. This team would be the Browns making the trade up from 12 to 5 to grab a quarterback. There have been a lot of rumors that the Browns love Mitchell Trubisky and they are willing to make the trade.
Cleveland has not made up its mind at No. 1, per source. Split opinions. Some like Myles Garrett, some like Mitchell Trubisky. We will see.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 12, 2017
I think this makes the most sense; the Browns have a ton of draft picks and are in desperate need of a quarterback. Using Pro Football Talk’s draft trading chart, the 5th selection is rated to hold a 1,700 point value. The Browns would have to give up the 12th, 52nd and the 108th selection which is valued at 1,658 points. I believe this a very fair deal and one that I could only see the Titans accepting.
Moving back seven spots and still being able to obtain a top prospect makes it only the most logical move. If this occurs, the Titans should stick to the strategy of selecting based on luxury, aka the best available player. There will be a few prospects that should still be on the board, like O.J. Howard, Mike Williams, John Ross, Corey Davis, Haason Reddick, Reuben Foster, Gareon Conley, and Marlon Humphrey. All of these players have been on the Titans’ radar throughout the draft process.
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When the clock strikes zero, I believe the selection for the Titans at pick number 12 will be O.J. Howard, the tight end out of Alabama. Some may be shocked and other might be happy, but I think this is a very safe pick. Howard has the measurables and fits the style of offense the Titans play. He would be a great additional piece to an offense that also needs a second tight end. I think his ability to block and catch makes him a valuable asset within the offense.
As the commissioner states “the Titans are on the clock” at 18, Jon Robinson will be in the works to make a deal. The second trade will be with teams that are either in need of an offensive lineman or think they are one piece away. Teams that could be trade partners are the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans.
There are two scenarios that play can play out. The first is the Saints. They need a play maker and Drew Brees is aging fast. A splash player like John Ross or cornerback is still on the board, I think the Saints make this trade. Using the Pro football talk draft trade chart, the Titans’ 18th selection is valued at 900 points, the Saints would have to trade the 32nd, 76th & 103rd picks which would total 888 points, which I believe would be comparable.
If the Titans do make this trade, I think the Titans will still have a ton of options at 32, such as Chidobe Awuzie, Marlon Humphrey, or Adoree’ Jackson. My gut tells me that they would select Tre’Davious White from LSU. Within my latest post, I talked about White and all the other options that might be available. White fits the mold of what the Titans want and do. Due to this, he is the 32nd selection.
The other possible trade scenario that could happen is the Seahawks trading the 26th pick to the Titans. The Seahawks are in need of offensive linemen and should be willing to make the trade up. They will want to jump over the New York Giants, Texans, and Broncos, all teams with offensive linemen needs. Using the same draft trade chart, the Seahawks would give the Titans the 26th , 90th and 210th picks for the 18th selection. Again, the 18th pick is valued at 900 points and the three picks combined would add up to 847 points. Similar to the scenario above, there will be plenty of options. I am still set on the Titans going with White.
Furthermore, with the 12th & 26th or 32nd picks, the Titans take a tight end and a cornerback. These two selections cover needs and both prospects fit the Titans mold. Both players played four years of college football and were leaders on their respective teams. As a result, both are probably valued highly on the Titans big board. These players are and should be plug and play prospects. With these trades, the Titans have the ability to move up and down the draft board.