Ever since it became clear that the Tennessee Titans were going to draft Cam Ward with the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it has been assumed that the team's first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was going to be spent on an EDGE.
With three of their top four EDGEs (Arden Key, Jihad Ward, and Dre'Mont Jones, who was traded) all set to hit free agency after the 2025 season, it seemed almost too obvious to ignore. The idea was that even if the Titans spent a ton of money on one of the top EDGEs in free agency, they still needed another impact player at the position. That was until the Titans hired Robert Saleh to be the new head coach.
Over the course of his career, Saleh has proven that he can maximize the talent of his defenses, even if they don't have stars at every position. Give him one or two blue-chip players, and he will help elevate everyone else.
Robert Saleh, Senior Bowl could alter Tennessee Titans 2026 NFL Draft plans
Since the Titans possess the No. 4 overall selection in the draft, the consensus has been that they will end up with one of the top three EDGEs, whether that is Arvell Reese, Rueben Bain, or David Bailey. However, the Senior Bowl happened this week, and while none of those EDGEs were in attendance, that position had a very strong week.
Excluding the big three, the depth of this class is showing up in a big way. Guys like T.J. Parker, Derrick Moore, Romello Height, Gabe Jacas, and Zion Young are all standing out positively.
When you throw in top-50 players who didn't make it to the Senior Bowl, like Cashius Howell, Akheem Mesidor, R. Mason Thomas, and Keldric Faulk, you have to wonder whether the Titans will be able to find someone on Day 2 (or Day 3) who can make a similar impact to one of those first-round EDGEs at a much cheaper cost.
If the Titans' front office looks at any of the top three pass rushers and thinks that they can turn into an All-Pro, then this stops being a question. In that situation, the team should grab them and not look back. However, if they think they can get 90% of that production from a prospect later in the draft, it might lead them to look at a different position.
Will new OC Brian Daboll fall in love with one of the talented receivers in this class? Does he think Jeremiyah Love is the next Saquon Barkley? Does Robert Saleh think that Mansoor Delane will be his new Sauce Gardner? All of that remains to be seen, but what is becoming more and more evident is that there are going to be some good EDGEs available in the second and third rounds of the draft, and maybe even beyond that.