Titans rookie class is pacing the NFL thanks to 3 outstanding picks

The Tennessee Titans struggled to string together quality draft classes towards the end of Jon Robinson's run as general manager. With Ran Carthon now in charge, the early returns on the 2024 class have been extremely positive. This class is certainly different from previous ones, with players like JC Latham, T'Vondre Sweat, and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. all playing like long-term building blocks.

How different? Each week, Pro Football Focus has been posting their grades for the 15 rookies with the best grades of the season. Those three aforementioned Titans rookies have appeared on this list at one point or another.

The most recent addition to this list was Brownlee Jr., who has been fantastic since entering the starting lineup due to an injury to Chido Awuzie.

Brownlee was a training camp standout, but the plan was always to have him wait and develop behind the trio of starting cornerbacks, L'Jarius Sneed and Roger McCreary included. His time on the bench ended in Week 3 when Awuzie was placed on IR.

Since then, Brownlee Jr. has been targeted 12 times, allowing six receptions for 21 yards. That doesn't include a fantastic toe-tapping interception he had in the end-zone against the Indianapolis Colts that was waved off for supposed pass interference.

The fifth-round pick currently has the second-highest overall defensive grade among rookie cornerbacks, and he ranks atop the list in coverage grades.

Unlike past first-round picks, Latham has been among the most dominant rookies at his position. Despite struggling in Week 1, Latham has clawed near the top of the rookie tackle group in pass protection, where he trails just Joe Alt in pass-blocking efficiency.

Then last but not least (by any metric), Sweat continues to stand alone at the top of rookie defensive tackle rankings.

There have been 14 rookie defensive tackles that have played 50+ snaps this season, and Sweat has the highest overall grade, tackling grade, and (funny enough), coverage grade.

The Titans went into the 2024 NFL Draft with less draft capital than most because they traded away their third-round pick when they moved up for starting quarterback Will Levis the year before. Despite that, it looks like they landed long-term starters at multiple premium positions.

In a down season, it's nice to know that the franchise can still put together impressive draft classes like this one. If they do it again in 2025, things could start looking different quickly in Nashville.