Tennessee Titans: Jadeveon Clowney changes Titans draft grades

Why Jadeveon Clowney has turned into the make or break piece of the Tennessee Titans offseason.

Jadeveon Clowney Day has come and gone and for some reason we are still without a definitive answer on where the free agent EDGE is going.

This isn’t like Justin Houston getting cut last year and teams no having plenty of time to check him out, but something completely unique. For over a year Clowney has seemed poised to hit the market, the only question was would that be because he left the Houston Texans or another team?

Well the Seattle Seahawks gave away Clowney’s number today, which feels like a pretty solid indication that they are out of the race for Clowney.

Now, I am sure that we are going to hear in an hour or two that “This doesn’t have anything to do with Jadeveon Clowney” but in reality, we all know that a quote like that would most likely come from an agent of Clowney himself rather than the organization.

We can keep speculating and waiting for the next domino to fall, but at this point it seems like if the Titans don’t end up with Clowney on the roster it is only because they didn’t want to sign him at whatever price he is asking.

Let’s fast forward to the future and imagine that this is May 10th and we are looking back on this offseason as a whole with Jadeveon Clowney on the roster.

Round 1: Isaiah Wilson OT, Georgia

The Titans felt they needed a pure right tackle and they didn’t believe that any of the running backs in this class were special enough to spend a first round pick on.

With only four cornerbacks taken before the Titans picked, it is fair to guess that they still had 1st/2nd round grades on five corners: Kristian Fulton, Jeff Gladney, Jaylon Johnson, Noah Igbinoghene, and Trevon Diggs.

On the other hand, we can assume that Ezra Cleveland was ruled out for the Titans because he didn’t play right tackle in college and because he played against weaker competition, and he was the only other tackle selected in the top-64 picks.

So looking at this draft with perfect hindsight, there is a good chance that the Titans came into the first three rounds with four needs in their mind: EDGE, OT, CB, and RB.

If they believe EDGE was already filled with Clowney and there was better depth at CB and RB than OT, then shoot your shot I guess even if I still don’t think Wilson is an OT worth a first round pick.

Grade: D -> B

Round 2: Kristian Fulton CB, LSU

This would have been great regardless of what happens with Jadeveon Clowney because you can never have enough players on your roster that can hinder the other team’s QB or help your QB. Those positions are the “premium positions”

There are four premium positions that merit big investments: QB, OT, CB, and EDGE. If the Titans land Clowney then they can look back at this draft class and this is what they came away with:

Free agency: Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE (premium position)

Free agency: Vic Beasley, EDGE (premium position)

Round 1: Isaiah Wilson, OT (premium position)

Round 2: Kristian Fulton, CB (premium position)

Round 4: Ryan Tannehill, QB (premium position)

That is a great way to allocate your assets and history does say that if you need an OT or CB that you need to draft them in the first two rounds:

Just from round 2 to round 3, you drop from a 64% hit rate on DBs to a 39% so locking up EDGE, CB and OT before 3rd round picks was imperative for the Titans.

Grade change: A  -> A+

Round 3: Darrynton Evans RB, App. State

Again, this is a pick that would have scored highly even without Jadeveon Clowney.

However the one benefit is that if you want to ignore the fit and just focus on the position and the pick, this does make you feel better about a minimal increase in the chance for a positive result.

The addition of a premium position player makes it a lot easier to stomach spending a top-100 pick on a running back in a league where drafting a RB in the 3rd is almost as likely to land you a starter as a pick in the 5th round. (See next slide)

Once you factor in the fit and the need, this pick was a no-brainer. In Evans, the Titans get an expert in running outside zone plays who also gives you a potential game-breaker in the return game.

Like all players from smaller schools, the dream should be that they get the opportunity to be easied into a featured role during their rookie year and Evans is going to get exactly that as Derrick Henry is set to be the bell cow this season in the Titans backfield.

Grade change: A- -> A

Round 5: Larrell Murchison DL, NCST

What you should take from this slide is that every team should draft DTs in round 5 almost exclusively. Let me show you why:

You are just as likely to land a long-term starter in the 5th round as you are in the 2nd round and somehow even MORE likely to land a long term starter in the 5th than in the 3rd round.

Dane Brugler has Murchison as a steal in the 5th round and his upside and motor should make Tennessee Titans fans really exciting. The addition of Clowney does more to help that too.

Now instead of being given too many snaps early, Murchison will likely be on the bench more as Jadeveon Clowney would get a good amount of snaps as a 5-tech in the Titans 3DL looks as well as being a nickel DT on pass-rushing downs.

This could allow him and Isaiah Mack to get ~15 snaps per game all along the line as rotational DLs in the Titans 4-2/4-3 looks.

His best trait right now is effort and winning after initial contact, those are traits that generate the Karl Klugs of the NFL that constantly annoy opposing offensive linemen and making plays when you least expect it.

Grade change->B+ -> A-

Round 7

Round 7: Cole McDonald QB, Hawaii

Round 7: Traded for Kansas City’s 6th round pick in 2020

Round 7: Chris Jackson DB, Marshall

The Tennessee Titans went athletic and fun with the last two picks of the draft and Clowney won’t do anything to impact these selections except maybe make it even better when the Titans traded a 7th for a future 6th.

Cole McDonald is a very fun player that has the athleticism to make wow plays all over the field, but he is going to make some head-scratching plays that you just hope to eliminate with time.

As for Chris Jackson, I will honestly say that I had no idea who that was when the Titans selected him.

However, after a few google searches and listening to other people discuss him, it looks like he is a classic Titans Day 3 pick. Hard-nosed, incredibly productive (45 PBUs and 7 INTs), versatile, and will likely compete for a roster spot with special teams ability and upside.

The big question is whether he is a cornerback or a safety, but honestly, I don’t think it matters too much because his versatility and special teams skills will probably determine where he ends up ranking on the Titans depth chart next season.

All in all, a great way to use Day 3 picks.

Grade change: B+ -> B+