Despite months of conjecture about which quarterback the Tennessee Titans might love, they ended up taking the best offensive lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft in Peter Skoronski.
Fans haven't been thrilled about spending such a high draft pick on an offensive lineman who will probably have to kick inside to guard, but they were going to have to add a lineman in this draft and there wasn't a star at a premium position left on the board at 11.
All things considered, it was a very good pick and one that goes with what Ran Carthon has told Titans fans all offseason long, and that is that this team is being built exactly how Mike Vrabel wants.
Now that they have their "blue" player, they can focus on their other goal of the offseason which was to get faster. A smart way to do that would be to use the 41st pick in the draft on a wide receiver instead of spending it on a backup quarterback like Will Levis.
Based on the consensus draft board, there are 10 wide receivers left in the top 100 players. Well, technically Kayshon Boutte from LSU made the cut but I don't see him as a fit in Tennessee.
Throughout the draft process, the consensus has always been that there were no blue-chip receivers in this class, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the only player in the tier below that. Ultimately that just means that there isn't a huge gap between WR2 and WR12 in this class, so I think Tennessee Titans fans should be happy if they end up with any of these players on Day 2.
Day 2 WRs that Tennessee Titans fans should be hoping for
1. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
With improved protection, the Tennessee Titans should be able to start taking more deep shots. At his worst, Hyatt is a slot receiver with great hands and the speed to stress defenses vertically. At his best, Hyatt can transition to the outside and be Will Fuller with better hands and fewer injuries.
2. Josh Downs, UNC
One of the strangest evaluations in the draft, Downs is tiny at 5'9 and he only ran a 4.48 so he doesn't look like much on paper. However, when you watch him in college, ACC defenders can't cover him at all and while he is going to be limited to the slot at the next level he is a weapon that can create space for himself in any situation.
3. Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Personally, Tillman is my favorite potential fit for the Titans. In 2021 Tennessee was trying to find their footing on offense, and despite having Velus Jones Jr. (a 2nd round pick to the Chicago Bears) and Jalin Hyatt (a 2nd round pick after today), it was Cedric Tillman that they leaned on. He is a boundary receiver that towers over the rest of this class at 6'3, 215 lb. and if he hadn't had an ankle injury early in the season he would have been a first-round pick.
4. Tyler Scott, Cincinnati
Speed, speed, and more speed, that is what seems to be available on Day 2 for the Tennessee Titans. Scott was a big play threat for Mike Vrabel's best friend Luke Fickell and even though he has some underwhelming games, there are enough flashes in his game to make you see the talented player that he could become.
5. Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
The easiest way to talk about Mingo is to just say that he reminds everyone of an A.J. Brown that never had a breakout. Stylistically and physically he can do everything that Tennessee Titans fans remember Brown doing, but they have to bet on him finally breaking out once he is in the NFL which isn't how it usually works.
6. Jayden Reed, Michigan State
A guy who can play inside or outside, Reed is someone that you keep expecting to find limitations with but you can't find any glaring flaws. He was injured and he isn't the biggest receiver, but he tracks the ball well and he knows when to be aggressive at the catch point and when to let it fall over his shoulder.
7. Tank Dell, Houston
Another tiny (5'8) receiver that wins with incredible burst and by making people miss in space. While I don't see how he would fit in an offense that I expect to try to get bigger and not smaller with Mike Vrabel in charge, his ability in space and on special teams might help his case.
8. Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
Mims led Oklahoma in receiving every year he was there, including a 1,000 yard season after Lincoln RIley left and took his offense with him. He is another player who can probably line up inside or outside, but in college he was able to win with speed on the outside which should make him appealing to the Tennessee Titans.
9. Trey Palmer, Nebraska
An LSU transfer who made the most of his opportunity in one year at Nebraska, Palmer is a H/W/S freak who is going to either boom or bust based on his ability to win vertically and play on special teams.
10. Rashee Rice, SMU
Cedric Tillman and Rashee Rice are the two receivers that fit what I believe Vrabel and Carthon are looking for at the receiver position. Both players are big receivers with real speed, but the difference is that Tillman wins more with body positioning and power whereas Rice wins by getting yards after the catch.