Tennessee Titans visit with their ideal Day 2 draft prospect
By Will Lomas
The Tennessee Titans need help at wide receiver and it isn’t a bad idea to add some depth on the offensive line, but that doesn’t mean that they should completely ignore the other positions in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Look, no one is suggesting that the Titans should draft a linebacker (if they are, ignore them) but it isn’t a bad idea to add someone else who can affect the quarterback.
There aren’t many defensive fronts that can compete with the Tennessee Titans whether the national media knows it or not. Jeffery Simmons, Harold Landry, Bud Dupree, and Denico Autry could all be in the Pro Bowl next year and guys like Teair Tart, NaQuan Jones, Rashad Weaver, and Ola Adeniyi are all strong rotational players behind them.
Still, if there is a high upside prospect at a premium position available in the third round it is going to be hard to be excited about the Titans passing him up for a backup guard.
With that in mind, should the Tennessee Titans consider drafting Western Kentucky EDGE DeAngelo Malone in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft?
Is Malone an ideal fit for the Tennessee Titans?
Malone’s name may seem like it is coming out of nowhere, but there are two reasons why he is a real possibility. First, the Titans have visited with him per Tom Pelissero:
Western Kentucky pass rusher DeAngelo Malone is visiting the #Falcons today, source said. Malone – the two-time Conference USA DPOY and Senior Bowl American Player of the Game – already visited the #Titans, #Eagles and #Broncos, with #Colts, #Texans and #49ers visits to come.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 11, 2022
Secondly, over the majority of Jon Robinson’s tenure as GM, the Tennessee Titans have had a very specific type in the third round. The criteria were:
-players outside of the P5 schools
-very productive
-good athletes
-Senior Bowl invitees
Both in 2020 and 2021, the Senior Bowl was different because NFL teams couldn’t go there in full force and be as hands-on with players as they were in the past. However, the Senior Bowl was back to normal this year with an updated interview schedule that allowed every team to visit with every player multiple times if they wanted to.
If Robinson goes back to the formula that landed them Kevin Byard, Nate Davis, and Jonnu Smith, then DeAngelo Malone could be the next man up.
Obviously Western Kentucky isn’t a P5 school, Malone led his team in sacks for four years in a row and finished 34 sacks and 60 TFLs, he had a 9.03 RAS score (which is elite), and he was the American Player of the Game in the Senior Bowl.
If the Titans end up with Treylon Burks in the first round and DeAngelo Malone in the third round, fans should be ecstatic even if that doesn’t fill their need on the interior offensive line or at tight end.
Hitting on premium positions is more important than adding backup/role players, and there is a good chance that they could address both of these issues on Day 3.