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How Recent Draft Trends Could Shape the Tennessee Titans’ Draft

By Nick Lombardi

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 27: Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell speaks during the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 27, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /
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Draft Strategy

First Pick

I’m going to build off of that last observation and say that the Titans should lean towards taking an edge with the 25th pick. Yes, they might not get Landry, or even Sweat, but check your personal big board; how do you feel about your 10th-best edge? Do you want to use a second round pick on him? And what about the 16th-best in the third? Perhaps the answer is yes, but the caliber of player you will get in the first round will be much higher. If Jon Robinson had the top 10 edge players graded equally, then yes, he may feel comfortable waiting until later rounds. But it is highly unlikely that’s the case, so it makes sense to pick your favorite out of that bunch with the first pick instead of crossing your fingers and hoping a player you like falls to 57.

As I mentioned, there is a distinct possibility that a top ILB will be there at 25. I admit that will be hard to pass on. Ultimately, it comes down to what the front office thinks the Titans’ biggest need is. There is an argument to be made that a full-time starter at ILB would be more valuable than an edge player who will essentially be a depth piece his rookie year. But good edge players are also incredibly hard to acquire via free agency, so I feel like the Titans need to be aggressive in this draft to prepare for the impending free agencies of Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo. Not to mention that pass rushing depth is incredibly important to make a Super Bowl run.

Drafting an edge might mean you have to reach on a player, but with pass rushers being one of the most important positions in football (along with QB and LT), it is a reach well worth the risk. And the “reach” you will take on an edge in the second or third round is arguably greater than what you would in the first.

Second and Third Round Picks

If the Titans reach on an edge in the first, then these rounds are the time to get some bang for your buck. The WRs I really like are all in the consensus top five and figure to be gone by pick 57, and the rest feel like a reach at this point in the draft. But what about ILB? One of Darius Leonard, Malik Jefferson, and Josey Jewell figures to be available. And when looking at the ILB prospects, it is a pretty steep drop-off from there (besides maybe Oren Burks). ILB feels like the right call at 57, with the eventual pick pairing up with Jayon Brown (and/or Will Compton) to fill the hole left by Avery Williamson.

Safety, WR, and G/C, however, have some intriguing prospects that still figure to be around at pick 89 in the draft. Austin Corbett (G/C), Kyzir White (S), or DaeSean Hamilton (WR) all seem like more attractive options than someone like Micah Kiser (ILB) at pick 89. The Titans can have their pick of the top player on their big board at that point.

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