The Tennessee Titans just missed the playoffs last season after losing to the Indianapolis Colts in week 17. They are a solid team with a good young nucleus that just needs a little more talent to take the next step.
Who could they add in round one to really take their team from middling playoff contender to constant threat in the AFC?
Clelin Ferrell | EDGE | Clemson
The Titans are in need of another pass rusher on the edge to play alongside talented rookie Harold Landry. With the retirement of Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan not getting any younger, adding a solid player like Ferrell would be a wise investment.
He may not have the elite bend or athleticism as other pass rushers in this class have but he does bring a solid and consistent floor. His hand usage and strength are evident on film as he is a technician while rushing the passer. Pairing him with the twitchy Landry on the edge would be a fun pairing going forward that could cause problems for the rest of the AFC South.
Chris Lindstrom | OL | Boston College
The Titans have a gaping hole on the interior of their offensive line. Quinton Spain is about to hit free agency and he wasn’t particularly great anyway in 2018. The Titans would greatly benefit by adding the four year starting guard out of Boston College.
Lindstrom is not a flashy player but he does so many things well on the interior. He is tone setter in run blocking and an excellent pass blocker on top of that. When he gets his long arms on interior defenders, he typically locks them down. Picking Lindstrom in round one may not be the swing-for-the-fences type pick that fans want, but he’d be a solid player for years.
Jerry Tillery | DL | Notre Dame
Pass rush is the theme for the Titans this offseason. After looking at their need at edge earlier, they could also use more pressure from the interior. Jurrell Casey sustained a major injury to end the season and both Bennie Logan and DaQuan Jones could stand to be upgraded. Adding a potentially dominant player in Tillery would be a huge pick in round one.
Tillery may not be the most consistent defensive lineman but when his abilities make him arguably a top ten talent in this class. His pass rushing ability is deadly from the interior and he is capable of being a disruptive force. He put that skillset on display last season with a monster four sack game against Stanford. There may be some growing pains with Tillery but he is a high end interior talent that the Titans should target round one.
A.J. Brown | WR | Ole Miss
The wide receiver depth chart for the Titans is… not great right now. Outside of Corey Davis, the rest of the receiving group is very inconsistent and not dependable right now. They need to add a player who can create with the ball in his hands and provide a spark underneath while Davis gets open down the field.
AJ Brown could be that guy. He was excellent at the combine and really wowed some scouts with his speed. Putting that times speed together with his playmaking ability and strength on film and you have a round one receiver. He may not be the most polished or best route runner in the class but he knows how to get open and create big plays which would be huge for Marcus Mariota and the Titans’ offense.
