Jon Robinson kills it in the unofficial 8th round of the draft for Tennessee Titans.
The draft is obviously 7 rounds with just over 250 players draft every year. However, after that the rush starts to go out and recruit/sign as many UDFAs as you can, which is just another Jon Robinson killed this year for the Tennessee Titans.
I sent out this tweet as the draft was winding down, showing just how Robinson had systematically addressed all the Tennessee Titans needs since the start of the offseason:
The #Titans biggest needs this offseason were:
— Ran GMC(arthon) (@jlomas72) April 28, 2018
1. EDGE (Landry)
2. LB (Evans, Compton)
3. IOL (Kline+)
4. CB3 (Butler)
5. S3 (Cruikshank)
6. QB2 (Gabbert/Falk)
7. WR5 (Campanaro)
Jon Robinson killed this offseason.
If I had to continue off of that, the remaining needs would probably be:
1. EDGE4
2. RB3
3. WR6
If these are the biggest needs your team has after the draft, then that is a STACKED roster you have. However, even those needs dissipated as Robinson attacked UDFA.
You can find a full list of the Titans UDFAs here thanks to Matias, but these are the three that I want to focus on:
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EDGE4: Sharif Finch
Right now the Titans have Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan on the EDGEs, with Harold Landry set to be the future EDGE1 in just a few years. As great as that trio is, who is going to play next to Landry long term?
A handful of guys on the roster could probably make a case. Josh Carraway and Aaron Wallace have the speed to do it, but they haven’t really ever played defense in the NFL yet. Carraway due to roster spots being full and Wallace due to injury.
The other name is Kevin Dodd. Look, maybe Mike Vrabel and Dean Pees are the best coaches ever and can get something out of Dodd. If so then I would be more than happy to see him take that spot over. However as it looks now I don’t see that happening.
So, you want a young developmental guy who can rush the passer opposite Landry. That guy may just be Sharif Finch EDGE, Temple.
He finished the year with 8.5 sacks and 15.5 TFLs EVEN THOUGH he didn’t play defense the way that probably suited him best. Like Josh Sweat, there were a lot of snaps where he had to line up inside the OT instead of pinning his ears back from the outside.
Harold Landry was an outstanding athlete and so is Finch. Look at the two side by side:
Harold Landry: 6’2, 252 lb. 4.64 40-time, 1.59 10-split, 9’11 BJ, 4.19 SS, 6.88 3-cone
Sharif Finch: 6’4, 251 lb. 4.65 40-time, 1.65 10-split, 9’09 BJ, 4.45 SS, 7.00 3-cone
Landry has better burst and C.O.D which make a huge difference, but for their sizes Finch looks like an above average athlete himself. The issue is he is more of a linear pass rusher, less flexibility and burst around the edge.
While Landry is a refined player with finesse as well as athleticism, in time Finch may be able to develop into a good depth player at EDGE.
RB3: Akrum Wadley
In the last two years Wadley at Iowa, Wadley showed that he was exactly the kind of player the Big 10 has produced at running back for years. Sure he may not be Zeke or Leveon Bell, but he has all the makings of a good, versatile back that isn’t afraid to run inside.
Wadley has all the makings of a solid backup RB who can come in and run the offense at a pretty solid level if the offensive line is getting a decent push.
He is patient, quick through the hole, plays with good pad level and he has been productive against some tough defenses. If he can keep fumbles in check, and the Titans don’t ask him to run outside then Tennessee should have a great 1-2-3 punch at RB.
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WR6: Deontay Burnett
Michael Campanaro probably isn’t the long term WR that the Titans are looking for. He isn’t going to make a lot of plays for you on offense, and unless they want to reduce Adoree Jackson’s touches on special teams, Campanaro probably won’t be active most weeks.
So when I say WR6, you could almost say that Campanaro fills that role if someone else steps up and shows that they can be productive on offense.
Burnett isn’t big, and we don’t really know what his athleticism numbers look like after a hamstring injury caused him to miss those tests. However, as a rotational player in 2015 and 2016 for USC, he was really solid, but it was his one year as a starter in 2017 that make him a player that I think sticks on the roster.
With over 1,100 yards and 9 TDs, Burnett proved to be someone worth watching in this draft process.
At the college level, Burnett in a sentence was a solid, intermediate target who made spectacular grabs and always seemed to be there when Sam Darnold needed him. Could his hands be more consistent? Sure, and he probably isn’t someone you want to target deep down the field, but if you use him correctly he is an NFL talent.