The Titans used the draft to double down on some positions they addressed in free agency such as guard and wide receiver, proving the emphasis they put on getting better in the trenches and adding more play makers to the fold. The Titans likely found at least three quality starters in this draft.
.Here’s our full breakdown of every pick from the Titans’ 2019 draft class:
Jeffery Simmons | DL | Mississippi State
The Titans went into the draft needing to add a play maker that could take some attention away from Jurrell Casey. Opposing offensive lines have been able to double team Casey for far too long. That won’t be the case going forward.
A top-10 talent in this class, Simmons would have never been around at 19th overall if not for a torn ACL in early February. The possibility that Simmons could miss his entire rookie season clearly didn’t bother the Titans. They’re playing the long term game with this selection.
Simmons is a massive talent and projects as a long-term starter when he gets back on the field. He’s strong, quick, long and flashes excellent movement skills. His first step and bull rush lead to a lot of big plays on tape.
A.J. Brown | WR | Ole Miss
This is a crucial year for quarterback Marcus Mariota who’s entering the final year of his contract. The Titans wanted to surround him with more weapons outside. It started with a big free agency signing in the form of Adam Humphries. The Titans decided to double down in the second round with the selection of Brown.
Tennessee was able to see Brown fall to them in the bottom half of the second round, which was later than what most pundits had projected.
Brown is an extremely refined route runner. He was Ole Miss’ most productive receiver despite being part of a trio of NFL prospects that the Rebels had at the position. His ability to play fast could make him a Day 1 starter on the outside.
Nate Davis | OL | Charlotte
The Titans went with small school sleeper Nate Davis in the third round. Tennessee had some issues on the interior of their offensive line last season. Their prize free agency signing came in the form of Rodger Saffold who will start at LG. Davis will compete for the starting job at RG.
Davis is an incredibly powerful prospect who moves well for his size. He’s light on his feet and projects well for the scheme new OC Arthur Smith wants to run. There are some things to fix with his stance, and Davis has to prove he can handle the speed of the NFL as he’s coming from a smaller program. Whether it’s immediate or not, Davis projects as an NFL starter.
Amani Hooker | S | Iowa
Despite being pretty deep in the secondary, the Titans actually traded up in order to select Hooker. Put on the tape and it’s evident to see why the Titans thought the value of Hooker was too good to pass up.
It was a bit of a shock that Hooker was still available on Day 3. His athleticism, versatility, high football IQ and ball skills lead to a ton of big plays for the Hawkeyes.
Hooker may be hard pressed to find play time as a rookie with Kevin Byard, Kenny Vaccaro and Dane Cruikshank in the fold, but Hooker projects as a versatile starter. This selection will pay dividends in the future.
D’Andre Walker | EDGE | Georgia
Another player that was available later than most expected, Walker represents a value selection at a position of need for the Titans. Tennessee re-tooled their outside linebacker core this summer after the departures of long term starters Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo. They signed veteran Cam Wake to replace the leadership and experience they lost in the retired Orakpo, but Walker could find himself on the field as early as this season.
A productive player for the Bulldogs in 2018, Walker will likely battle for reps outside with Kamalei Correa and last year’s impressive UDFA Sharif Finch.
Walker needs to develop secondary moves and his pre-snap plan needs more polish, but he has all the tools to become a quality pass rusher in this league. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he can turn into a valuable piece under the tutelage of head coach Mike Vrabel and a veteran like Cam Wake.
David Long | LB | West Virginia
General manager Jon Robinson found a productive linebacker in the form of Long on Day 3. Long was named as a 2018 first team All-Big 12 selection and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year after he lead the conference in tackles for loss.
Long might not be a three-down player in his first season as a pro, but he has the toughness, athleticism and versatility to eventually become an ideal sub-package linebacker. He also has a chance to become a special-teams ace right off the bat for Tennessee.
Long will need to continue to develop as a pro, but he won’t be asked to do too much as a rookie as he’ll play behind veteran Wesley Woodyard, last year’s first round pick Rashaan Evans and star-in-the-making Jayon Brown.
