The Tennessee Titans are entering the 2025 NFL Draft with holes on their defense. Reinforcements are clearly needed at EDGE, inside linebacker, and safety. Better depth is also needed on the defensive line. ESPN NFL draft analyst Matt Miller clearly had that in mind when conducting his latest two-round mock draft.
With the No. 1 overall selection, Miller has the Titans selecting Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State.
After visiting the Shrine and Senior Bowls, here’s my first Two Round mock draft for the 2025 class. https://t.co/Urs17FETO4
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 3, 2025
"Titans president Chad Brinker said the team will not pass on a generational talent with the No. 1 pick," Miller wrote. "Carter is the closest thing to that. After showing situational pass-rush ability in his first two seasons, Penn State made him a full-time edge rusher in 2024. Carter turned in a dominant performance with 12 sacks, 61 hurries and an FBS-best edge pressure percentage of 19.6%. If that sounds like Micah Parsons ... well, it should. Like Parsons, Carter is a player you can build a defense around. And while Tennessee has needs at quarterback and right tackle, this might be a case where it's better to draft the best player on the board versus reaching for need."
Carter would no doubt address Tennessee's anemic pass rush. New general manager Mike Borgonzi and president of football operations Chad Brinker must weigh all options, including drafting a quarterback, as Miller pointed out. But there's an excellent chance Carter will be the best overall prospect on Tennessee's board.
Things get weirder in the second round. Despite still nursing needs at right tackle, quarterback, and wide receiver, the Titans decide to take a non-premium position. Miller has Tennessee drafting Carson Schwesinger, linebacker, UCLA.
"Titans fans might wonder why a quarterback hasn't been selected yet, but new general manager Mike Borgonzi won't want to tie his tenure to a QB that he isn't 100 percent sold on,"Miller continued." "Instead, the Titans might draft a high-impact linebacker who can immediately step into the lineup. A former walk-on, Schwesinger had 136 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions this past season."
The Titans possess a need at inside linebacker, but it's secondary. The holes at right tackle, wide receiver, and even safety are arguably more pressing. Despite that, Schwesinger is an intriguing prospect who the general public is still familiarizing themselves with. If Borgonzi and Brinker are going to slowly rebuild the roster, drafting Schwesinger becomes an increasingly realistic possibility.
Miller's two-round mock-draft scenario is both intriguing and peculiar. Offensive-minded head coach Brian Callahan would probably prefer Tennessee to use at least one of their two top 100 selections on an offensive player. In this scenario, Tennessee exits the second round without a quarterback or right tackle.