Titans 2024 7-Round NFL Mock Draft: Tennessee trades up to land first-round target
By Ryan Heckman
The Titans desperately needed to add some talent to the secondary going into the offseason. Free agency saw them add a talented cornerback in Chidobe Awuzie, who was coming off a bit of a down year, although the Cincinnati defense didn't do him many favors. The Titans could use another cornerback, though, to start opposite of Awuzie and thus allowing Roger McCreary to stay in the nickel position.
That's why Missouri's Ennis Rakestraw Jr. makes a ton of sense here. The Tiger product comes in as your prototypical outside corner prospect, standing 5-foot-11, weighing in at 183 pounds. Rakestraw plays the position much bigger than he is, too, using a physical demeanor to his advantage.
He's difficult to match up against in press man and uses his body well to stay with receivers in and out of their breaks. Body control is the name of the game for Rakestraw. Beyond playing physical football, he is in control. That's the best thing you can say about his game. He's rarely caught out of position and plays the game wisely.
Injury concerns can be a valid question, missing 2021 with a torn ACL and a couple games last year with a groin issue. But, if he's healthy, you're looking at a borderline-first rounder in Rakestraw.