The Tennessee Titans are on the clock with it looking like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take Jameis Winston wit the first pick. The Titans have less than 24 hours to decided what they will do with their coveted second pick. Tennessee is fortunate to have many options that I will cover below.
Trade
We all remember 2012, when the St. Louis Rams traded away their second pick to the Washington Redskins, who traded up to draft Robert Griffin III. This year is a much similar situation, with Winston considered the more pro ready quarterback and Marcus Mariota being the Heisman winning dual-threat quarterback. I’m not saying that Winston is the next Andrew Luck, by any stretch of the imagination, or that Mariota will turn out like RGIII. Washington gave the Rams three first round picks and a second round pick in the trade. The Browns have already offered the Titans their two first round picks (12th and 19th) for the second pick. In my opinion that is not enough for Tennessee to accept. I would take nothing less than three first round picks. The Titans aren’t desperate to trade this pick away, so why waste it on just two picks when you can take the best player in the draft, Leonard Williams?
Draft Leonard Williams
Williams is a dominant defensive lineman and the best player in this draft. He can line up anywhere on the defensive line, while displaying unbelievable strength. He has also started to master a spin move that is lethal in his pass rush game. There is not many chances to get a player of Williams caliber and like the saying goes defense wins championships and offense sells tickets. If the Titans want to get back to there winning ways they will take a defensive player and worry about a quarterback next year.
Draft Marcus Mariota
Mariota is a very gifted quarterback, but I continue to look at the state of the NFL and realize it’s still a pro-style league. Russell Wilson is the only quarterback that has had continued success as a dual-threat quarterback and the only one to win a Super Bowl. Wilson also has Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, the Titans have nothing even close to Lynch. I think Mariota was a great college quarterback, but I think he lacks as a pocket passer and makes poor decisions under pressure. If you need evidence just watch the Ohio State game. Mariota could turn out to be a great quarterback, but I think it will be a few years down the road. The Titans would have to reshape their offense to fit around Mariota style, something that could take multiple years to achieve. We already saw how they protected Locker the past few seasons. Tennessee’s offensive line also allowed their quarterbacks to be sacked 50 times last season, so I think they should address that issue before they draft a franchise quarterback.
Draft Amari Cooper
Will the Titans shock the world and make the draft get really interesting by drafting Amari Cooper, who’s considered the best receiver in the draft. Some people compare Cooper to future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, which is an impressive comparison. The Titans could draft their franchise quarterback next year and give him a great target to learn with by drafting Cooper. I would be really surprised if the Tians decided to go this route, but anything is possible.
Draft Dante Fowler Jr.
Fowler went from a mid-first round pick to a top-5 pick after the combine and for good reason. He’s a great pass rusher much like Williams, but with a more athletic build and quicker. Fowler would be a safe pick for the Titans, but a highly unlikely pick. Jaguars fans will be holding their breath when the Titans pick, as it has almost been a foregone conclusion that Fowler is going to end up in Jacksonville.
Prediction
Tennessee isn’t expected to do much better this season and should receive a high draft pick again. With three pro-style quarterback projected to go in the top-15 next season it would be smart for the Titans to be patient and wait. I think the Titans will be smart and take Williams, who’s without a doubt the best player in the draft.
