As is the case with most things in life, certain events create winners and losers, and Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft was no different when it comes to the Tennessee Titans.
Based on the picks general manager Jon Robinson made, here are some players who are winners, losers, or a little bit of both, after Day 2 of the draft.
Winner: Jon Robinson
Few general managers in the NFL had a better Day 2 than Robinson, and several expert reviews echo that sentiment.
He had a first-round talent in Kristian Fulton fall into his lap at the end of the second round, and then followed that up by selecting Darrynton Evans, who is a perfect complement to Derrick Henry.
Robinson is known for getting some steals on Day 2 of drafts, and 2020 might be no different for him.
Winner/Loser: Kristian Fulton
Fulton gets a little bit of both sides for his draft slide.
On one hand, Fulton fell much further than many expected, as he was projected to be a first-round pick by a lot of experts. On the other hand, he didn’t fall any further than that and lands with a team that gives him an opportunity to contribute immediately.
“It was extremely tough, the wait,” Fulton said during a late-night conference call, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “But I had keep reminding myself that the right team, the perfect fit, will come to me. I didn’t want to go to a team that wasn’t 100 percent confident in me.”
We’ll see if Fulton’s unexpected slide will have him playing with a chip on his shoulder over the course of his NFL career. Chances are, it will.
Winner: Darrynton Evans
At one point, Evans was projected to be a Day 3 pick in the draft, but thanks to a strong NFL Combine a few months back, he was able to improve his stock.
Evans ended up as a late third-round pick to the Titans and will now be the backup to running back Derrick Henry. He’ll also contribute in the return game, where he was electric in college.
The fit with the Titans is a good one, as it allows Evans to showcase all of his skills. And, if things go south with Henry in contract talks, perhaps Evans finds himself as a starting back sooner rather than later.
Loser: Amani Hooker (?)
I’m not sure if the plan was ever for Hooker to be Logan Ryan’s heir-apparent in the slot, but it was a notion that certainly made sense. After all, Hooker was an elite slot corner in college with Iowa.
If that was the original plan when he was drafted, Hooker comes out as a loser because of the Fulton pick.
One of the first things the Titans asked the LSU corner when meeting with him was if he can play in the slot, so clearly there is a hope he can fill the void there in 2020.
Of course, we’ll never know if Hooker was supposed to be the plan, but if he wasn’t, this is a moot point.
Loser: Malcolm Butler
While Fulton could potentially play in the slot this season, he really projects as more of an outside corner with lockdown potential down the road.
If the ultimate plan is to play him on the outside and he develops the way the Titans hope, Malcolm Butler and his huge contract become expendable after this season.
Butler is set to make a whopping $14.2 million in 2021, so Fulton could potentially save the Titans a ton of money in the future. Butler’s dead cap hit would be a reasonable $4 million if the Titans decide to cut him next year.
Winner/Loser: Derrick Henry
The Titans got their backup for Henry, and while the Alabama product no doubt enjoys being the workhorse back, Evans could help take some of the load off to reduce the overall wear-and-tear on Henry’s body.
On the flip side, the Titans now have a running back on the roster who could potentially be a three-down player, and if he plays well enough the team might consider letting Henry walk in 2021 if the two sides don’t agree to a long-term deal prior to July 15th.
I still expect that deal to get done and for Henry to be in the two-tone blue for the long haul, though.
Winner: Jadeveon Clowney pursuit
The Titans failed to take a potential impact EDGE or defensive end in the first three rounds, which only helps to further the notion that the team might be bringing Clowney to Nashville in 2020.
On top of that, the Seattle Seahawks, the team once thought to be the favorite for Clowney, might have drafted his replacement in Tennessee EDGE/DE Darrell Taylor, who was the team’s second-round pick (No. 48 overall).
It remains to be seen when Clowney’s decision will come, but for now things are looking really good for the Titans to land him.
