Titans gave up on this draft pick too soon (and they might regret it)

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: Minnesota Vikings v Los Angeles Rams
NFC Wild Card Playoffs: Minnesota Vikings v Los Angeles Rams | Brooke Sutton/GettyImages

The Tennessee Titans have drafted their fair share of busts in recent years. What a rebuilding team typically can't afford is to give up prematurely on a talented prospect. Unfortunately, that's what occurred in relation to safety Theo Jackson.

Former Titans general manager Jon Robinson selected Jackson with a sixth-round pick in 2022. That draft was overshadowed by the stunning decision to trade A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles amidst a contract dispute. Jackson was drafted on Day Three. Robinson was fired roughly six months later.

The Titans initially did a great job identifying Jackson as a diamond-in-the-rough talent. He was a local product out of Overton who played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers. Unfortunately, the Titans weren't impressed enough by Jackson to keep him on the 53-man roster. He was waived during final cuts and re-signed to the practice squad.

The Minnesota Vikings were smart enough to see that as an opportunity.

Titans gave up on Theo Jackson too soon

The Vikings plucked Jackson off the Titans' practice squad in October. He was added to their active roster following a season-ending injury to safety Lewis Cine. Jackson appeared in 11 games as a rookie, mostly contributing on special teams.

Jackson would continue establishing himself as a special teams mainstay as a sophomore in 2023. He totaled 260 snaps in the third phase as the Vikings' third-most snapped player on special teams. Jackson also played 126 defensive snaps.

As a third-year pro in 2024, Jackson became the Vikings' best special teams player, logging a team-high 340 snaps. Meanwhile the Titans fielded the worst special teams unit in franchise history as they went through the season searching for players who could be net-positives. Jackson would have been a huge asset to the Titans' specialized unit in 2024.

The Titans are in good standing at safety on the roster. Amani Hooker is entering a contract year, rookie third-round pick Kevin Winston Jr. projects as a contributor, and veteran free-agent signing Xavier Woods is a workhorse starter. For what it's worth, Jackson hasn't developed into a helpful player on defense.

Nonetheless, the Vikings recognized Jackson's worth this offseason by signing him to a two-year extension worth more than $12 million. The Titans shrewdly identified Jackson as an underrated prospect in 2022, but they failed to protect him on their roster. They could have utilized his special teams prowess this past season, and moving forward.