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Tennessee Titans 16th best option in the 2019 NFL Draft: Rashan Gary

By Will Lomas

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 17: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on while playing the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 31-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 17: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on while playing the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 31-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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The first EDGE on the countdown for the Tennessee Titans.

I go back and forth on this every day it seems, but when I think about what actually helps the Tennessee Titans the most I keep coming back to EDGE.

The reason I go back and forth is because I am actually pretty high on what the Titans have at EDGE now. You have Harold Landry, Cam Wake, Sharif Finch and Kamalei Correa. Are any of them elite talents, probably not though Landry has that kind of upside and did a lot of things really well last year.

But if you go into the season with Landry and Finch taking a step forward, then you have a designated pass rush specialist and a utility player behind them. That is certainly better than anything the Titans have had at EDGE in a long time.

Ultimately I think this group is above average, but I keep coming back to this question: Is this group of pass rushers going to be able to fluster Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson consistently? And to be safe I think going with the Philadelphia Eagles method of team building makes more sense here.

That brings us to the 16th best option that the Tennessee Titans could go with in the 2019 NFL Draft. Quick reminder of the rules of this list:

-Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen will be gone barring a huge 1st round trade that is nearly impossible to imagine. They can’t be included in this list.

-Which of the players available specifically make the Tennessee Titans better.

-Don’t treat this as a big board, some positions won’t be brought up because there is no one talented enough that can come in and be an instant improvement over what the Titans already have.

-While long term help is important, consider what this player does for Tennessee short term and if they will help reduce the hit of free agent departures in the future.

Which player is the 16th best option for the Tennessee Titans in the 1st round?

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Rashan Gary EDGE, Michigan

Gary is often talked about as a top-10 player in this class because of his freak athleticism. He seemingly checks all the boxes, he went from top recruit to freshman starter at a blue-chip program. In his second and third years he was on one of the best defenses in college football.

So why is he so low on this list?

The main reason is that I don’t know what he is at the next level. The consensus is that he is going to play EDGE at the next level because that is what he really wants to do and because he has the athleticism to do it.

Is he a freak athlete? Yep. But he will play at 280+ lb. and probably fits better on the inside as a 3-tech than on the outside as a true EDGE.

That may sound a little hypocritical of me because if you have kept up with my draft thoughts, you know that I think Ed Oliver could play EDGE despite being 280.

Here is the difference, I think Ed Oliver is a special “flexibility” player, meaning that I think he could bend like an EDGE while I think Gary is better suited towards winning with power at the next level.

Oliver weighed 10 lbs. heavier when running his drills and still preformed better than Gary in the 3-cone and short shuttle. Those two drills are key at showing change of direction and bend, which are the two most valuable traits a pass rusher can have.

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Maybe I am overthinking it because both are elite athletes, but the more I look at Gary the more I think he is destined for a Jonathan Allen role in the NFL.

That isn’t a bad thing, but it would mean that he is only a part time EDGE and more of an interior defender.

Ultimately my concerns are more rooted in the fact that his ceiling may not be as high as many think, but I think his floor is higher than most do. I hate to say this because it is destined to haunt me, but how bad can you be if you are a 280 lb. defensive lineman with freak athleticism who was moderately productive at Michigan?

The Tennessee Titans would be getting a versatile defensive piece that could move around and help you with depth at two positions, though he may not truly be outstanding at either.

If I had to boil down his evaluation to one question I would ask you this: Would you trade a 1st round pick for the next Jonathan Allen?

On one hand you get a player who had 8 sacks in his second NFL season and was solid against the run. However, you are probably considering EDGE again somewhere in the first 100 picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. Meanwhile you still have to fix holes on the offensive line and at wide receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft.

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