Last year, the Tennessee Titans thought they were fortunate to have seen quarterback Will Levis fall to them in the second round.
Now, they're looking to build around him as the team's franchise quarterback.
In an offseason where the Titans will look at moving on from Derrick Henry and are lacking playmakers around Levis, adding talent on offense has to be priority, specifically through the draft.
The Titans hold the no. 7 pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but could obtain some additional capital if they opted to trade back just a bit. In this mock, that's exactly what they do.
The Titans trade back in this 2024 NFL mock draft, but somehow end up with tremendous value
The Titans move back just three spots in the first round of this mock draft, but also net a third-round pick in return. This is significant because of the trade with Arizona last year, which saw Tennessee give up a 2024 third rounder. Now, with the 10th overall pick, Tennessee finds some incredible value.
The Titans have tried to find a true, number one wide receiver over the last couple of years. Whether it was by drafting Treylon Burks in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft or signing DeAndre Hopkins last year, they've made attempts.
Now, they make a third attempt which should wind up panning out, selecting Washington's Rome Odunze at pick no. 10. With Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers off the board by now, Odunze is the clear-cut no. 3 wide receiver in this class, but he is highly capable of becoming the Titans' no. 1 target. There is no way he should have been available past the eighth pick, but the Titans will gladly take him.
Over the last two seasons, Odunze has led the Huskies in receiving with a total of 167 receptions for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns. He's also added a pair of rushing touchdowns along the way.
The 6-foot-3 Odunze is a big target, but he's also a smooth route runner. He has all the tools to become a top wideout in this league, whether it's breakaway speed, the ability to gain yardage after the catch or overall body control. Odunze has the knack for making acrobatic catches on the regular, and his dominance in college, as a whole, should translate well to the pros.
Offensive line is definitely a spot where the Titans want to add talent this offseason, and quite frankly, they could choose any position up front. In the second round, they find the best player available being West Virginia's Zach Frazier.
This guy is your prototypical, nasty center who loves to finish blocks with tenacity. He's an athlete with immense strength and that comes from top to bottom. Whether it's his base or upper body, Frazier is a rock. In high school, he was a state wrestling champion for four-straight years and, get this, he only lost two matches his entire career.
The Titans have leaned on the run game in recent years with Henry, and that's a mentality they'll want to continue now with Tyjae Spears and whomever else might join the back field. Frazier is going to help lead that effort. He's very good in pass protection, too, but watching him go through his process in the run game is beautiful. He's a machine, getting to his blocks at the second level with ease and fluidity.
In the third round, the Titans start attacking one of their biggest weaknesses: the secondary. Cornerback is a nagging position of need, and Louisville corner Jarvis Brownlee Jr. comes in as a guy who could potentially start from Day 1.
The 5-foot-11 Brownlee is an outside corner who stays in his receiver's business consistently. He's an in-your-face type of defender who is going to be more annoying for opposing wideouts than anything. He's good at sticking with receivers through all kinds of routes and does his best to throw them off.
Within that same mentality comes Brownlee's proficiency in run support. He will never be accused of shying away from a tackle. The guy is a physical player who takes too much pride in that aspect of his game to be considered a liability.
Last season, the Titans were one of the worst pass defenses in football during a good stretch of the season. They ended the year 18th against the pass, but the secondary is definitely a spot this team needs to get better at, and Brownlee is a start.
Next, the Titans find one of the biggest value picks they could have possibly found in the fourth round. At one point, Kalen King was Joey Porter Jr.'s running mate and had a monster 2022 season. Without Porter on the other side in 2023, King came back to earth just a bit. However, he still looks like a potential starter in the NFL.
Between Brownlee and King, the Titans have a potential starting duo right here, or at least guys who will firmly compete for the jobs this summer. King is also like Brownlee in that he is a very physical player who doesn't easily give receivers much space to work with. He took a page out of Porter's book and plays with the same tenacity. For a team that needs physical playmakers in the secondary, King only adds to that desire.
The Titans have far too many needs to be able to address them all in early rounds, so the offensive tackle position kind of fell to the wayside a bit. However, North Dakota State's Jalen Sundell could have the makings of a future starter in the NFL.
Sundell comes in having played several games at both center and tackle, believe it or not. His footwork is one of his better traits, and he's able to move very well for a guy his size. He'll be position-versatile, but most recently played tackle last season.
For the second pick in a row, the Titans go offensive tackle. This time, it's a Big Ten prospect in Michigan's LaDarius Henderson. As an All-Big Ten selection last year, Henderson is phenomenal value here in the sixth round. He, like Sundell, is versatile. He can play both tackle and guard, having tallied over 1,100 snaps at those positions over his tenure.
Henderson has a powerful upper body and is a mauler with that phone booth type of strength. He's quick off the line and moves well laterally, too.
With their final pick in the draft, the Titans look to pair UCLA's Carson Steele with Tyjae Spears in the new era of this Tennessee back field. Steele is a bigger back at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds and can provide the Titans with a change-of-pace from the quicker, more electric Spears.
In an offseason where they're losing Henry, Steele comes in as a potential short yardage replacement and someone who can offer a different skill set than Spears. Last year as a Bruin, Steele ran for 847 yards and six scores, averaging 5.1 yards per carry.