Finally, after what seems like forever, it is draft week, and information continues to flow on what teams are going to do when the first round rolls around on April 23rd in Pittsburgh.
Now it's time to look ahead at what the Tennessee Titans might do. The Titans have filled some needs, but still have some holes to address. While there is a lot of chatter, nothing is certain, making this a great time for the final Titans Wire mock draft.
We used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator for this exercise and left all settings on their default values. We had no trades; we controlled only the Titans, and we projected a full seven rounds.
Entering the draft, I had two players in mind, Bailey and Jeremiyah Love, and fortunately, to my surprise, Bailey was available. Even though the Titans added to their edge unit in free agency, a young and explosive edge to mix with Jeffery Simmons in Robert Saleh’s defense is a must.
Bailey is extremely hard for linemen to stay in front of. He moves like a slashing two guard, blending explosiveness and fluidity to slip, bend, and flow around blocks from multiple angles. His leverage and lower-body flexion create game-over scenarios once he reaches pocket depth, even with a minor lead. He can be stalled when a blocker latches his hands in deep, but Bailey’s elusiveness and suddenness make clean clamps a relative rarity. He’s instinctive with natural mid-rush counters, but he must continue developing hand usage and crafting rush plans for when protection shifts his way. Teams can run at Bailey due to his lack of anchor and take-on presence, but his work-around quickness will also lead to tackles for loss. His draft grade is slightly tempered by a lack of desired size/length, but the explosiveness and athletic talent is truly elite. His sack production should carry over to the NFL as an odd-front rush linebacker with Pro Bowl upside.
There is no doubt that Pregnon has the talent to succeed in the NFL, but it is hard to pin down, given his stops at three different universities during his college career. At 6-foot-5, 318 pounds, Pregnon has the size and athleticism teams look for, and he could be a Day 2 selection that competes for a starting role early in his career.
Ultra-durable and experienced, Pregnon has the prototypical frame of a downhill blocker. He’ll get beat to first contact but usually reclaims the rep using well-placed hands, a broad base and upper-body power to displace and finish with authority. Range and foot quickness are average as a move blocker, and lead to block leakage against slants. In pass pro, he leverages his length well and is quick to detect twists/blitz development. Long pass slides and forward lunges invite counters from skilled, sub-package rushers, but protection isn’t a major concern. He’ll be an older rookie who projects as a good plug-and-play starter and immediate run-blocking upgrade.
After bolstering the interior of the offensive line to help protect Cam Ward, it was time to find a weapon, and Lance fit that need. A tall receiver that can win on the outside, he can add a different skill set and profile to what is already on the roster.
Fifth-year senior with two seasons of explosive production as a boundary target. Lance lacks release quickness/short-area agility as a route-runner but possesses outstanding ball skills and positional instincts that allow him to create catch space. He has run-by speed on the FCS level, but won’t be able to rely on pure gas to beat NFL coverage. He will have to spend more time polishing up his route work. Lance needs a more intentional route tree on the next level, but he’s smart, has good ball skills, and should compete for a role as a backup.
Elliot may not be the most athletic linebacker in this class, but he is a true thumper with a chance to develop. He should be able to come in and serve as a situational piece and a core special-teams player.
Big, productive inside linebacker lacking the athletic traits to make enough plays on the next level. Elliott has earned praise for his exceptional work ethic and football character. His instincts and reaction time are average, though. He can be heavy-handed when taking on blocks, and his execution is inconsistent. His pursuit speed to the sideline is too heavy-footed in pass coverage and in open-field tackling. His pathway will need to be as a physical thumper who can star on special teams.
The Titans continue to attack the interior of their offensive line with an experienced center, who made a Top 30 visit during the pre-draft process. Versatile, with the ability to play both guard and center, he could come in and compete early on.
Durable fifth-year senior who has made 47 consecutive starts. Burton is built to play center but could offer swing potential at guard. He has adequate play strength and good quickness for a zone-blocking scheme. He gets beaten to first contact by length and will struggle to put up a sustained fight against two-gappers at the point. He can slow a bull rush, but needs to do a better job of protecting his edges and operating with consistent posture. Burton’s best fit will be with a zone-heavy running game as a late draft pick or undrafted free agent signee.
The Titans may have added to their cornerback room during the offseason, but they can never have enough talent in their secondary. Demmings has the size and skill set to develop behind the depth the team brought in during the offseason.
Demmings is capable of mixing into a variety of coverages but is at his best starting from a press look. He has the hips/feet to match route breaks and the speed to stay with routes as they unfold. His recognition and instincts are average from off coverages, and he can be a step slow to drive on throws in front of him. While Demmings lacks ideal play strength and is not a firm tackler, his ball skills and man-cover consistency could land him a roster spot as a future CB4 with gunner potential.
Once again, I went with the best player available, and Caldwell fell into that spot. A tall, developmental receiver with intriguing traits, his stock has been on the rise after an outstanding combine, and he likely won't be here on draft weekend.
Caldwell is a developmental prospect with promising traits and a need to improve fundamentals. He’s a long-strider with the ability to create separation vertically, but his route-running is underdeveloped, and he needs tutoring on how best to set up routes. Caldwell’s contested-catch rate is disappointing for a player with his size and ability. Coaching should help create more advantages in that area, but he might need to ratchet up his competitiveness on 50/50 balls, as well. His production at Cincinnati won’t excite, but his NFL Scouting Combine performance shows there could be more upside to unlock, which makes him worthy of a middle-round pick as a backup “Z” receiver.
After filling multiple needs, I grabbed Reid-Adams, who was the top player on the board. An experienced offensive lineman, he can come in, develop into a depth piece, and add competition.
Sixth-year senior guard with NFL size and length. Reed-Adams is an adequate athlete in small spaces. However, he loses effectiveness when forced to venture beyond home base. As a downhill blocker, he uses size to compensate for his lack of leverage, but he’s missing the contact balance and body control to sustain with consistency. He lacks command in pass protection but maintains a feel for the rusher’s movement. He usually finds his anchor against a bull rush, but his inconsistency as a processor leads to mistakes against gaming fronts. Reed-Adams has a chance to earn a spot as a backup.
Last season, general manager Mike Borgonzi talked about never having enough defensive backs, and I followed that blueprint to complete this exercise. Spears-Jennings has good size for the position and has flashed some potential.