The Tennessee Titans might be onto something with the emergence of Will Levis, but it will take a well-thought-out and perfectly executed 2024 NFL draft for them to realize their potential truly.
Levis has all the tools to be a dynamic NFL quarterback, perfectly fitting the mold of the modern-day quarterback. He’s mobile, can extend plays, and boasts a cannon for an arm.
He also now has a brand new weapon to target, with the Titans going out and splashing on free-agent receiver Calvin Ridley. The now-former Jaguar returned to football in 2023 to the tune of 1,016 receiving yards and eight touchdowns and will now partner with Deandre Hopkins to form one of the most trusted WR duos in the league.
The Titans spent heavily on Ridley and added offensive linemen Lloyd Cushenberry to take over as the team’s starting center and Tony Pollard to pair with Tyjae Spears in the backfield.
Both linebacker Kenneth Murray and corner Chidobe Awuzie came in on defense, rounding out a busy free agency period for the new-look Titans.
While the new arrivals resemble one of the most impressive casts of free agents around the league, they still have work to do in the draft. The offensive line has to be priority number one, with Ryan Tannehill and Will Levis taking a combined 60 sacks in 2023, which would be suitable for the third-highest total in the league. That has to change.
I would then expect to see Tennessee continue to add value at linebacker, as well as various other spots defensively.
Pick No. 7: Joe Alt (OT, Notre Dame)
You don’t get much more comfortable with an offensive line selection than with Joe Alt. He is six foot nine, 320 pounds, and a franchise left tackle the day he steps into training camp.
Tennessee desperately needs to revamp the offensive line, with the tackle spots proving to be some of the weakest in football last season.
Joe Alt solves that problem immediately, at least for Will Levis’s blindside. He becomes one of the three most important players on the offense on day one and has all the makings of a ten-year starter at the next level.
Alt won the starting left tackle job at Notre Dame within five weeks of his first year and allowed just one sack combined in the previous two seasons. His combination of size and athleticism is so scarce that we may see teams clambering to try and get him in the top ten.
Fortunately, it’s not easy for anybody to leapfrog the Titans for an offensive lineman, especially with four picks ahead of them expected to be quarterbacks.
Titans fans should get used to the name; he will be around long.
Pick No. 38: Edgerrin Cooper (LB, Texas A&M)
While the 2024 class of linebackers might not be the strongest, Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper is the best of them. A consensus All-American in 2023, Cooper possesses all the qualities of a starting mike linebacker at the NFL level.
He’s six foot three and 230 pounds while showcasing sideline-to-sideline speed as a field general in the middle of the field. He’s highly aware of run defense, with great instincts and a nose for the football. There’s almost no doubt that he could be a 100+ tackle guy as a rookie, especially competing for a starting spot with the newly acquired Kenneth Murray and 2022 undrafted signing Jack Gibbens.
Cooper ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, an exceptional time for a player of his size and position, contributing to his overall athleticism grade through the roof. He’s more than capable of covering tight ends and running backs and dropping into zone coverage, and he will hunt the ball carrier down with vengeance and authority.
For Tennessee, having a future captain like Cooper in the middle of their reshaped defense makes a lot of sense, and he would be of tremendous value for the Titans should they choose to go in this direction early in the second round.
Pick No. 106: Johnny Wilson (WR, Florida State)
Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports.
Tennessee must uncover what they will do with Treylon Burks in the long term and figure out how (if at all) he fits into Brian Callahan’s plans. Regardless of the answer to that question, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the offensive-minded coach grab at least one wide receiver in a loaded 2024 draft.
Johnny Wilson offers a unique blend of size and speed and is likely the draft’s greatest catch radius. He’s a contested catch extraordinaire who could be a nice addition alongside Hopkins and Ridley, rotating into the lineup when called upon as a potential target.
Wilson is stiff and struggles to separate, meaning he will likely be a role player at the next level unless he can develop those elements of his game. Regardless, he makes for excellent value in the 3rd or 4th round of the upcoming 2024 draft.
Pick No. 146: Keith Randolph Jr. (DT, Illinois)
Photo courtesy of Illinois Athletics.
The Titans could use additional depth in their three-man defensive front, and six foot three, 298-pound Keith Randolph Jr. fits that mold perfectly.
Randolph Jr. serves primarily as a premium run defender who would see the field in rotation early in his NFL career. He’s extremely strong and well-disciplined in his assignment and knows how to disengage his blocker to get to the ball carrier.
Without any real pass rush ability, mainly leaving him to attempt to bull rush his blockers, Randolph Jr. will have to try to develop at the NFL level while playing a role on largely run downs.
He adds efficient depth and a lot of versatility across that three-man front and certainly makes for good value with the 146th pick here.
Pick No. 182: Zion Tupuola-Fetui (EDGE, Washington)
Six foot three- and 244-pound Tupuola-Fetui is a great scheme fit for the Titans, transitioning best as a 3-4 edge rusher with the potential to develop into an every-down player.
He’s got the size and speed to play as a coverage outside linebacker if called upon, as well as the length and awareness to play in run pursuit or provide additional pressure.
Tupuola-Fetui is not the most polished of pass rushers and needs more fluidity. He’s a good depth piece who could take on a role in late rotation while having the size to potentially develop into a more consistent player further down the line.
Pick No. 242: Jawhar Jordan (RB, Louisville)
Tennessee will have a new-look run game in 2024, driven by new arrival Tony Pollard and second-year pro Tyjae Spears. I’d expect to see the two split reps somewhere between 70-30 and 60-40, but that doesn’t mean Tennessee won’t dip into the available pool late in the draft.
For a late-round pick, Jawhar Jordan is about as high potential as it gets. He’s been in college for five seasons, and it took until the 5th and final year to break out and post 1,000 rushing yards, but he still showed some potential to contribute at the NFL level.
Jordan’s 2023 season earned him a shot, and while he’s undersized, there may be a role for him in the league.
Pick No. 252: Ja’Quan Sheppard (CB, Maryland)
Why not add a little position versatility late in the draft, with Ja’Quan Sheppard out of Maryland?
He has experience as both an outside corner and free safety. He’s competitive and plays with a chip on his shoulder while also possessing elite-level size for a player of his position.
That said, Sheppard’s athleticism is lacking, and that could limit his growth at the NFL level. Regardless, he’s a great individual to test out with a late-round pick, who could fill multiple alignments if called upon.
