The Tennessee Titans have been aggressive in moving up for defensive players in the 2026 NFL Draft, as they followed trades up for first-round pass rusher Keldric Faulk and second-round linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. After an 81-pick sequence without Tennessee making a selection, they may have stumbled into a Day 1 starter in Arkansas guard Fernando Carmona.
The Titans added Carmona with the No. 142 overall pick in the Draft. The moves up for Faulk and Hill deprived Tennessee of the chance to get depth on the offensive line until this point, but they still found solid value in Carmona.
Carmona is not a perfect prospect; that's why he's available after all. However, with Tennessee not committing a huge chunk of change to the interior offensive line in the offseason and with Kevin Zeitler still unsigned, Carmona might be able to be a Week 1 starter at the right guard position.
Fernando Carmona could start for Titans as a rookie
Austin Schlottmann seems to be the favorite to start at center. With Peter Skoronski locked in at left guard, Carmona's college position, he might be able to switch over to right guard and find himself in a very advantageous position. Tennessee does not have a locked-in starter at that spot.
Cordell Volson should not be guaranteed much of anything due to his up-and-down career, and 2025 fifth-rounder Jackson Slater may need to prove that he can beat out Carmona in open competition. Given how little he played last season, Carmona may go into that particular bout as the favorite.
A top protector for both standout quarterback Taylen Green and running back Mike Washington Jr. with the Razorbacks, Carmona flexed extreme raw power that helped him become a terrific run defender. Even with spotty technique, his heavy hands helped him survive in pass protection.
On top of being a rigid athlete, Carmona has some technical issues that can lead to those with an array of pass rush moves continuing to get home with ease. The Titans are placing a ton of faith in Brian Daboll and his coaching staff to be able to work out the rough spots.
Carmona is more game-ready than most Day 3 linemen, and the Titans might be able to take advantage of that after focusing so heavily on their defense with the first few picks they had in the Draft after Carnell Tate. Landing a starter here would be a nice bit of business for Mike Borgonzi.
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