And the best player the Tennessee Titans could select in the 2019 NFL Draft is…
And then there was one. After weeks of names, we are finally at the best case scenario for the Tennessee Titans.
With my favorite EDGEs, WRs, offensive linemen, and even some BPAs sprinkled in it is time to talk about the one player in this draft that I would be comfortable giving up a lot to get.
If there is an opportunity, I would easily trade this year’s second and then some or even potentially a 2020 first because he would be that much of an improvement for the Tennessee Titans.
Before we get to the final player on my list, one final reminder on what the rules were:
-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 best option for the Tennessee Titans in the 1st round?
Ed Oliver DL/EDGE, Houston
If not for the transcendent talent that is Quinnen Williams, Ed Oliver would be the best interior defensive lineman in this draft.
Let me take it a step further, this draft boasts two defensive linemen who are better than any other DLs since 2015 and even then I am giving Leonard Williams the benefit of hindsight.
I think there is no wrong way to use Ed Oliver as long as you are letting him rush the passer. When you look at his stats you may be deceived because he only has 14.5 career sacks. But that all goes into how he was used in college.
At Houston, he was used as a 0-tech (a nose tackle) and it is no hyperbole to say that he drew more double-teams and triple-teams than single blocks. Even as the biggest threat on the defensive line, he managed to wreak havoc.
Credit Marcus Mosher with another great stat comparison here:
Ed Oliver and Quinnen Williams are both elite, elite prospects. pic.twitter.com/RKWO2510ZI
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 28, 2019
Donald was the king of production and athleticism, but right behind him is Ed Oliver who looks to be nearly every bit the freak that the human wrecking ball is.
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There isn’t a downside to Ed Oliver. He was able to produce at a high level at the college level despite being used incorrectly. On top of that he has the athleticism to line up literally anywhere on the line from 0-tech to 9-tech, though you should probably use him at 3-tech.
The reason that Oliver is such a special player to Tennessee specifically is that he would solve two problems for them. He could play 1st and 2nd down at EDGE and then kick inside to give the interior pass rush a boost on 3rd downs.
That allows them to get away with Austin Johnson and Daquan Jones on early downs and then allowing Cam Wake to get onto the field on third downs. You could potentially get a high quality DL and EDGE for dirt cheap and turn the Titans defense into a nightmare for every other team in the NFL.
Looking forward, you can see Oliver as Casey’s replacement for when that day comes but in the meantime he will save the Titans tens of millions of dollars in cap space over the next two years thanks to his versatility and his ability to impact every play whether it is a run or a pass.