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Tennessee Titans 4th best option in the 2019 NFL Draft: Chris Lindstrom

By Will Lomas

CHESTNUT HILL, MA - OCTOBER 13: Chris Lindstrom #75 of the Boston College Eagles leads the Boston College Eagles out of the tunnel before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Alumni Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
CHESTNUT HILL, MA - OCTOBER 13: Chris Lindstrom #75 of the Boston College Eagles leads the Boston College Eagles out of the tunnel before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Alumni Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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My last wild ranking on this list for the Tennessee Titans.

I can’t state enough how important this season is for the Tennessee Titans organization.

They are on the precipice of a crucial decision on QB Marcus Mariota and to truly evaluate him the need to see him on the field in conditions where they believe a QB should succeed.

Last year they had a mash unit of skill position players as Rishard Matthews quit the team and Delanie Walker was lost for the season after only a few snaps. With the team’s top two receiving threats from the year before gone, it isn’t any wonder why Marcus Mariota struggled to be consistent.

Worse than the receiving talent was the offensive line issues. Former OC Matt LaFleur couldn’t figure out how to use them correctly and instead of playing to their strengths he made life harder for that unit.

It wasn’t just the coaching though. Quinton Spain and Josh Kline both had rough year, and veteran center Ben Jones wasn’t much better. With the first two gone and Jones in a precarious situation, it isn’t any wonder that offensive line has been the focus of more than 25% of the top options for the Titans.

While it is a big need, the Titans have put themselves in a position where they really only need to add help at right guard. Left guard was solidified by outstanding free agent signing Rodger Saffold and healthy competition at center between Ben Jones and Corey Levin should lead to a solid player there.

The Titans could definitely elect to bring in a center and either try him at right guard or move Ben Jones to guard if they felt the value was there. They could also bring in a college tackle and kick him inside if they thought he would be an upgrade.

However, Jon Robinson like easy evaluations and there may be none in this draft class easier than the 4th player on this list for the Tennessee Titans.

First, a quick reminder on what this list really is and who is eligible:

-Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen will be impossible to land barring a trade into the top-3 or 4. They can’t be included in this list.

-This is a list specifically on which of the players available 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.

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Which player is the 4th best option for the Tennessee Titans in the 1st round?

Chris Lindstrom RG, Boston College

The phrase “more than the sum of its parts” rings true when you are talking about Lindstrom and the Tennessee Titans.

In Lindstrom, you get an interior offensive lineman with great athleticism who would be a perfect fit in the Titans zone blocking scheme.

At college he was asked to do just about everything you could want from a guard and he did it all very well. Everything from pass protection to run blocking looked smooth, but there is a reason why he is a top-5 fit with the Titans.

In a vacuum, I have Lindstrom with an early 2nd round grade. I think he is a very good player, but I do take into account positional value and guards just really don’t help teams make a leap that often.

However, for Lindstrom I don’t think that is the case.

Robinson loves guys with a lot of experience doing what his coaches will ask him to do at the next level. That means that for Robinson, a player like Lindstrom is an ideal fit with 36 starts at right guard and the proven athleticism to fit a zone scheme.

The connection goes even farther beyond that. Jon Robinson spent a lot of time evaluating Boston College last year, trading up to select Harold Landry. During Landry’s time with the Titans his effort and coachability have been praised. There is a really good chance that both Mike Vrabel and Jon Robinson thinks that this extends to a lot of players at Boston College. Why you ask?

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Well, first of all Vrabel’s son plays football there and the former Ohio State coach would hardly let his son play for someone he didn’t respect. On top of that, the Titans stole Boston College strength coach Frank Piraino this offseason to take the same job in Nashville.

So whatever is in the water at Boston College the Tennessee Titans are very informed on and very positive about.

If the Titans talk to all of the connections they have at Boston College and they get positive reviews on Lindstrom then there is a great chance that he will be the easiest evaluation that those coaches and scouts will ever have to do.

On film you see the perfect fit for a major need, a physical, mean right guard with versatility (also has 11 starts at right tackle), athleticism, and an ideal frame for an interior lineman in the NFL. Off the field, you will have ultimate transparency and a perfectly painted picture of what Lindstrom will be like from Day 1.

Even if that all grades out to being a high second round pick, it all means the same thing. I would bet a lot of money that at the bottom of the first round, if the Titans miss out on the elite players in this class at EDGE and DL that they would like to trade down and add a pick to select a guaranteed starter at right guard.

If they don’t try to make that move than you can assume that they got some kind of negative feedback that made them pass on him. However if he is signed, expect him to be exactly the kind of player that Jon Robinson says he will be in the post draft press conference.

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