The Tennessee Titans haven’t played their first regular season game of 2019, but it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the 2020 NFL Draft.
This year, the team has a stable of starting running backs playing on the final year of their contracts.
Derrick Henry and David Fluellen are two veterans who fall under that description.
The 2020 offseason is also the year the Titans gave themselves a way out of running back Dion Lewis’ contract. If Lewis comes up with a goose egg in 2019 and the Titans cut him, the team would save over $10 million and only be left with $1.1 million in dead cap money hit.
With all of these factors, there is a good possibility the Titans will be in the market for a new rusher in the 2020 NFL draft.
Here is a look at some of the names the Titans may have interest in and their projects draft position.
Early Rounds (1 and 2)
- Travis Etienne– The stats sheet alone speaks for Etienne, who rushed for over 1,600 yards last season and posted 24 touchdowns. Etienne will need to add some weight for the NFL, but he is a physical runner with an extra gear — two things sure to get the Titans’ attention.
- D’Andre Swift– In 2018, Swift rushed for 1,049 yards, ten touchdowns, and added 32 receptions for 297 yards, while splitting carries with now Carolina Panthers running back Elijah Holyfield. As a freshman, Swift was able to work his way on to the field while Sony Michel and Nick Chubb were at Georgia. That season, he averaged 7.6 yards per carry, rushed for 618 yards, and scored three touchdowns. Along with a great build, Swift showcases explosiveness, shiftiness, and great top end speed.
- Johnathan Taylor– As a sophomore, Taylor rushed for 2,194 yards and 16 touchdowns. Last season he followed that up by rushing for 1,977 yards and 13 touchdowns. The senior will look to eclipse the 2,000 yard mark again in 2019. Taylor boasts a good combination of power, explosiveness, and speed to go along with his patience and vision.
- Eno Benjamin– Benjamin is a well rounded back who can contribute in both the run and pass game. In 2018, Benjamin carried the ball over 300 times for 1,642 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also added 35 receptions for 263 yards and two more touchdowns.
- JK Dobbins– Dobbins has had back-to-back 1000 yard seasons with the Buckeyes. He is also a threat in the passing game, and last season Dobbins caught 26 passes for 263 yards. Dobbins is considered a “scat back” as he is dangerous in the open field.
Middle Rounds (3-5)
- AJ Dillon– Dillion is the definition of a power back at 245 pounds. Last season, he averaged 4.9 yards per carry, and went for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns. The season before, he rushed for over 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns.
- Kylin Hill– Hill is built well for the NFL and has showcased great vision and explosiveness in the little we’ve seen from him so far. Last season, he averaged 6.3 yards per carry and he looks to take on a bigger workload this season.
- Ke’Shawn Vaughn– Vaughn has a lot of hype built up around him heading into 2019. Head coach Derrick Mason says he believes Vaughn is the best running back in the SEC, and he’s got the stats to make a case for that. Last season, Vaughn averaged 7.9 yards per carry, rushing for over 1,200 yards, and scoring 12 touchdowns.
- Larry Roundtree– Last season, Roundtree had to split carries with Damarea Crockett who is now in the NFL and still rushed for over 1,200 yards. This season, he looks to be the bell cow for Missouri. Roundtree is a power back with good vision who brings a lot of positive aspects the table for an NFL team.
Late round
- Patrick Taylor– Taylor rushed for over 1,100 yards last season, and that was while playing behind both Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard. In 2019, Taylor looks to be the workhorse back for Memphis. Taylor has a good combination of power, explosiveness, and vision. His projected draft stock could certainly rise between now and the end of 2019.
- Johnathan Ward– Ward is a back who could certainly be higher on the list if it wasn’t for injury. He missed the 2018 season with injury, but in 2017 his well-rounded abilities were on display, as he rushed for over 1,000 yards, adding 470 receiving yards on 48 receptions.
