On Thursday night, the Tennessee Titans will finally be on the clock after months of speculation about what the team will do in the 2020 NFL Draft.
But don’t get your hopes up too high about the team actually making a pick in the first round. There is a good chance Tennessee decides to trade down out of that pick, which would leave us waiting another day to see the team make its first selection.
Having a perfect draft borders on impossible because there are so many variables that go into it. However, if we were to draw up the perfect draft for the Titans, what would that entail?
Let’s take a look.
Trade down from No. 29
The Titans have seven picks going into the 2020 NFL Draft, but three of them are in the seventh round. Tennessee doesn’t have a pick in the fourth or sixth round due to the trades for Ryan Tannehill and Reggie Gilbert, respectively.
If the opportunity presents itself, Robinson should absolutely trade out of the No. 29 spot in order to acquire more picks.
After all, you can get the same caliber of player early in the second round as you can get late in the first, and Robinson could recoup the mid-round pick he’s missing in the process in order to acquire better talent.
Prioritize CB and DL
Two of the biggest needs the Titans have to address right now are at cornerback and along the defensive line.
It doesn’t look like Logan Ryan will return, which means Tennessee has a hole at slot cornerback if the plan isn’t to move Amani Hooker there.
Thankfully, this draft class is deep at cornerback, so the Titans could draft one that can play the slot in 2020, and then move to the outside in 2021, allowing the team to move on from Malcolm Butler and his huge salary.
The trade of Jurrell Casey has left a hole along the defensive front, and with DaQuan Jones becoming a free agent in 2021, the Titans need to find a defensive lineman who can fill a hole now, and in the future.
Of course, the Titans might sign Jadeveon Clowney, which would help alleviate the need for an end since he can play there in sub-packages. But that might only end up being a one-year deal, if it gets done at all, and doesn’t solve the issue of Jones’ potential departure next offseason.
You might be asking: what about right tackle?
Contrary to popular belief, that isn’t currently as big of a need as the other two positions listed here.
Dennis Kelly is locked in for a reasonable price for the next three years and chances are he wouldn’t be unseated by a rookie in 2020, anyway. If Kelly plays as well as he did in 2018, he’ll be a steal for that price.
Use a 7th-round pick on a kicker
The Titans’ field goal unit was the worst in the league in 2019, so bringing competition to camp for Greg Joseph, who attempted just one field goal in his short time with the team, is a must.
The Titans should spend a seventh-round pick on a kicker because it’s basically a given that any other position won’t return value in the last round.
Guys like Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship or Georgia Southern’s Tyler Bass would be solid options for the Titans to explore.
Take advantage of deep WR class if possible
There might be no deeper position in this class than at wide receiver, which is something the Titans need to take advantage of.
No, the Titans don’t have an immediate need at the position for 2020, but they might have a big need in 2021 if the team doesn’t pickup Corey Davis’ fifth-year option. I suspect they won’t.
Since receiver classes like this one don’t come around very often, now is the time to start looking for his potential replacement.
If the Titans can get a wide receiver in the first three rounds and then trade Davis and get a draft pick for him before he possibly leaves for nothing after this coming season, that wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.
Even if the Titans keep Davis and draft a wide receiver, the offense will have an incredibly deep and versatile wide receiver corps. that will put Ryan Tannehill in the best possible position to succeed in 2020.
Would I prioritize a wideout over a defensive lineman or cornerback?
No, but I would prioritize it over an offensive lineman or running back if the Titans can’t find a player they like at either cornerback or defensive tackle/end in the first two rounds.
Draft a 3-down back
Not only do the Titans need a running back who can spell Henry and contribute on passing downs in 2020, they need one who can potentially take over for the Alabama product altogether down the line.
While the Titans would like to keep Henry for the long haul and will continue working on a long-term deal after placing the franchise tag on him, there is no guarantee anything will get done.
As a result, Tennessee needs to target a back that can do it all, or at least has the potential to do it all. That means getting a guy who is a solid runner, pass-catcher, and has the size to be durable enough to be a starter.
Don’t draft a QB
The Titans have bigger fish to fry than adding a quarterback to compete for the backup spot with Logan Woodside. Besides, a win-now team like Tennessee would be better off addressing that need by signing a veteran through free agency.
Chances are the Titans aren’t going to use a mid-round pick on one, which means we’re looking at a seventh-round signal-caller. If that’s the case, the Titans should save the pick and just sign an undrafted one instead.
The difference between a quarterback drafted in the seventh-round and one signed after the draft is nil. Either way, the quarterback probably isn’t making it past the practice squad.
I’d rather the Titans spend their seventh-round picks on a kicker and other positions that need depth.
