Tennessee Titans: National Media Mock Draft Picks, Vol. 2
The 2018 NFL Draft is fast approaching, and national media members have a guess on who the Tennessee Titans will take at No. 25 overall.
The 2018 NFL Draft is nearly a month away, and free agency is changing the way mock drafts are shaping up. Free agency allows teams to fill needs with proven veterans or high-profile stars, which in turn allows teams to attack specific areas in the draft or just take the best player available. The Tennessee Titans are still sorting out their roster, so not much has changed in mock drafts for them.
We tried to find mock draft picks that differ from the norm, but Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry are the picks at No. 25 in nearly every other mock. Let’s see what the latest round of mocks has in store for the Titans.
Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated
The Pick: Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama
We’ve seen this pick plenty of times before, and we’ll continue to see it consistently in mock drafts; especially after the Titans let starting ILB Avery Williamson walk in free agency. Evans would slide right into Williamson’s role and even play more than him because of his coverage ability.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
The Pick: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
Like the Evans selection above, Vander Esch to the Titans will be a frequent sight in mock drafts up until the first day of the actual draft. The Titans have a rather glaring hole at inside linebacker right now, and Vander Esch is a prototypical off-ball linebacker with ideal size and athleticism.
Joel Klatt, FOX Sports
The Pick: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
Tennessee Titans
Arguably the worst pick ever made in a mock draft, Klatt has shown the world that 1) the national media is clueless when it comes to the Titans, and 2) FOX Sports was right to pivot to video. Giving the Titans a third tackle when they have and All-Pro right tackle and Pro Bowl left tackle is one of the most narrow-sighted things I’ve ever seen. Is Klatt thinking one of these players could kick inside to guard? The smallest of all three of these tackles would be Jack Conklin, who measures 6-6, 326. Legitimately asinine pick, but thankfully Klatt is not the Titans’ GM.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com
The Pick: Lorenzo Carter, EDGE, Georgia
While most mock drafts still have Harold Landry going to the Titans at 25, that seems like a pipe dream at this point. Landry had a very good Combine and he’s unlikely to last into the mid-to-late 20s on draft day. Carter is a more realistic option, but one with just as tantalizing potential. About a month ago, I outlined Carter as a player to watch at the Combine, and he proceeded to tear it up. Carter blazed a 4.50 forty, jumped 36 inches vertically and recorded a 136 inch broad jump; all of that at a whopping 6-5, 250 pounds.
Jason McIntyre, The Big Lead
The Pick: Da’Ron Payne, DL, Alabama
McIntyre strays from the norm of picking an inside or outside linebacker for the Titans and gives them a beefy defensive lineman. He makes a good point when he says: “The 4th stingiest run defense (88 ypg) lost two DTs and an ILB in free agency.” If the Titans miss out on Ndamukong Suh in free agency, defensive line might be an underrated position the Titans may need to fill. With Sly Williams and Karl Klug gone, the depth has taken a bit of a hit. Payne can particularly impact games like Williams was supposed to, at a more reasonable price and with less wear on his tires.