The Tennessee Titans caught a lot of flak for drafting T'Vondre Sweat at No. 38 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he has proven doubters wrong at every turn.
Anyone who watched Sweat bully offensive linemen for a year knows he possesses the traits required to continue developing into a special player.
Sweat was at the facility during last week's OTA practices, but wasn't on the field during the session open to the media. On Tuesday, the media got to see Sweat for the first time, and that sighting sparked a lot of conversation about the second-year tackle and the trajectory of his career.
Titans want T'Vondre Sweat to rush the passer in 2025
Before practice, Brian Callahan praised Sweat's ability to move at his size and pointed out that he could be a better pass rusher if he improves the details and his consistency. This isn't a new line of thinking either. Part of the evaluation on Sweat coming out of Texas was that he was a better pass rusher than the box score indicated, and that he would make an impact in that phase in the NFL.
That wasn't the case during his rookie season, and while it would be great if Sweat were an elite pass rusher and run stuffer, it should be noted that he doesn't need to be an elite pass rusher to be considered a good pick.
On several occasions, PFF has highlighted how good Sweat has been, including grading him as the top interior defender in the 2024 NFL Draft class over Braden Fiske, who had a much flashier production.
If Sweat just continues to be what he was in 2024, that is still enough to warrant making him a fixture of this defense alongside Jeffery Simmons.
With Dre'Mont Jones and Sebastian Joseph-Day, the Titans have the players to take Sweat off the field on passing downs, allowing him to focus on fully committing himself to dominating on early downs.
Doubt Sweat at your own risk. There's a legitimate chance he becomes an above-average pass rusher as a sophomore in 2025. However, if Sweat continues to be an immovable force in the middle of the defense who dominates opposing offensive linemen, that is still a great result for the Titans.