Tennessee Titans: Last Minute Mock Draft (With a Trade Down)
By Max Dambach
With the real NFL Draft just days awar, let’s examine a potential Tennessee Titans trade-down scenario in a mock draft.
With the draft in less than 48 hours, Tennessee Titans fans are waiting with bated breath to see who will be the newest players to join a roster on the verge of contention. Over the last two seasons, the Titans’ roster has become a difficult one to crack. On top of that, several players failed to meet their true potential in an outdated scheme that stymied the development of young talents.
Tennessee’s biggest needs coming into the offseason were at ILB, EDGE, and OG, but the Titans managed to re-sign Josh Kline and Quinton Spain while replacing Avery Williamson with another solid run defender in Will Compton. Thus, it would make sense for the Titans to draft their biggest remaining need (EDGE) in the first round and add depth at other lesser needs on Day 2.
Unfortunately, with top-tier pass rushers like Bradley Chubb, Marcus Davenport, and Harold Landry likely to be gone at 25, pass rushers from the next tier like Arden Key, Josh Sweat, and Sam Hubbard feel like a reach at the Titans’ current spot. Thus, the Titans should try to trade down if one of the top pass rushers isn’t there in an effort to pick up some extra picks and still select a pass rusher they would have considered at 25 without it being a reach.
In one possible draft day scenario, the New York Giants select Saquon Barkley at No. 2 to try to keep Eli Manning’s championship window open and are looking to trade up and secure either a falling Lamar Jackson or Mason Rudolph to secure a future at the quarterback position. The Giants trade the 34th pick and the 69th pick for the Titans’ 25th and 162nd pick, as seems fitting in the NFL Draft Value Chart. This trade makes sense for both sides since the Giants get a promising quarterback and heir apparent to Eli Manning with next year’s quarterback class looking weak as of now. The Titans, meanwhile, add a premium third round pick after moving down only seven spots.
After this trade, the Titans hold the 34th, 57th, 69th, 89th, 125th, and 199th picks in the 2018 NFL draft. Let’s examine some potential picks to push this roster further towards contention.