By MIKE HERNDON, columnist
The Titans will enter day two of the draft with just one selection, pick No. 38, the sixth pick of the second round and there are still some very high-level players available. The Titans could see a player who many viewed as a potential top-20 pick fall into their laps or they could consider trading back to try and add draft capital after not doing so on night one.
If they trade back, there are a few teams that make some sense as partners, including the Bengals, who could send picks 49 and 97 for pick 38, a deal that works out pretty close to even on the Jimmy Johnson trade chart. Cincinnati could target Johnny Newton, who it was frequently connected to in the predraft process if he lingers on the board at 38. [Unlocked]
Another partner could be the Rams, who would be able to send 52 and 83 to Tennessee at a near-even swap from a value standpoint. Some of the defensive backs, like McKinstry and DeJean could be targets there.
Pittsburgh, who could send 51 and 84 makes some sense as well.
However, the Titans could also decide that one of the players left on the board is simply too valuable to pass up at 38. Below are some of my favorites if they do make that choice:
WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Concerns surrounding Mitchell’s diabetes and maturity must have been legitimate because this is a first-round player on tape all day. At 6-2 and 205 pounds, Mitchell blazed a 4.34 40 at the combine while also producing exceptional vertical and broad jump marks.
His ability to sink his hips and get in and out of breaks at that size is special, as are his ball skills. When Texas needed a big play in 2023, they more frequently looked for Mitchell over his counterpart Xavier Worthy, who went to Kansas City with the 28th pick in the draft.
Unless the maturity concerns are far worse than what we know, this would be an absolute steal of a pick at 38 if he doesn’t come off the board before then (though I think Buffalo at 33 is an extremely likely landing spot for him with the first pick of day two).
EDGE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan
I wrote about Kneeland as a part of the “My Guys” piece I did last week, which you can check out here. He’s a 6-3 267-pound glass-eating edge who would be a nice mirror image of Latham on the defensive side of the ball.
His game is all about power and hustle, making him a nice complement to the Titans' current edge group with Harold Landry and Arden Key. Many thought there was a chance Kneeland would sneak into the first round, so I don’t expect him to last long on Friday night.
DL Johnny Newton, Illinois
Newton was viewed as a potential top-15 pick by many analysts, but I guess that concerns over a Jones fracture in his foot have caused him to tumble out of the first round. That injury could be enough to remove him from some boards altogether, but if the Titans have a draftable medical grade on him, he’s a first-round talent as a slightly undersized gap-shooting 3-technique (13 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons).
He’d pair well with Jeffery Simmons and add some additional punch to the Titans' pass rush.
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
The Titans had McKinstry in for a 30 visit, so there is some level of interest there. While corner is not an urgent need, they do need depth behind the starting trio of L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, and Roger McCreary, and at some point, McKinstry is just too good a player to pass up.
McKinstry is known to be an exceptionally smart player, earning a starting job as a true freshman in Alabama’s notoriously complex pattern match defense. Both LSU receivers listed him as the toughest cornerback that they faced in 2023 over first-round teammate Terrion Arnold according to Dane Brugler in The Beast. He was remarkably consistent over his three years as a starter and offers some punt return ability as well. He's one of my favorite players left in the draft.
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DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
Another guy who was at one point expected to be a first-rounder, DeJean has some positional ambiguity connected to him. Some view him as a corner, some see him as a safety. I think he’s athletic enough (4.44 at his pro day with a 38 ½-inch vertical) to stick at corner if a team wants him to.
Like McKinstry, DeJean offers punt return value as well. Whether the Titans view him as a safety or a corner, he could be an option if he remains on the board at 38.
WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
Brian Callahan talked about needing a slot receiver “to emerge” earlier this offseason, which indicated to me that he doesn’t think they have a good option currently on the roster. McConkey might be the best slot receiver in the draft with elite route craft and quickness while also offering good size (6-0, 186) and speed (4.39).
There are injury and durability concerns here, but McConkey produced big plays regularly over the last couple of years at Georgia.
ILB Junior Colson, Michigan
Call it a hunch, but I’d put a few stars around this one. The Titans had Colson in during the predraft process and have a glaring need at Mike linebacker next to Kenneth Murray. Colson is one of the few true Mike linebackers in what is a weak class of off-ball backers overall.
He won’t be available at 106, so if the Titans covet Colson, they will need to pounce here (or after a small trade back). The 6-2, 238-pounder is a graduate of Ravenwood High School just outside of Nashville.
DL T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
Perception of Sweat’s value has dropped since his recent DWI arrest, but whether that perception is reality or not will come into focus on Friday night. Like Colson and McKinstry, the Titans had him in for a visit and clearly have need at his position.
Sweat is mislabeled as a two-down run stuffer. He is disruptive and quick for a player of his size. There are maturity concerns here as well which may tank his stock, but from a pure talent and film standpoint, Sweat would be in play at 38 if teams are comfortable enough with his personality.
OT Patrick Paul, Houston
The Titans already landed their top tackle, but could they grab another one? I think it’s unlikely, but some viewed Paul as a potential first-round pick thanks to his 36-inch arms and strong pass blocking traits.
OT Roger Rosengarten, Washington
Similar situation here. Rosengarten was a trendy darkhorse first-round pick late in the process as he seemed to gain more recognition from the media over the past week. He’s a little undersized, but highly athletic and could be a nice pickup for a team needing a tackle at the top of round two.
DL Maason Smith, LSU
This might seem like a reach, but I could see Smith being the target after a small trade back. He’s a former five-star recruit who looks like he was built in the same lab that produced Chris Jones (35-inch arms and a seven-foot wingspan at 6-5 306).
The production wasn’t there in 2023, but he was also coming off a 2022 ACL injury. The traits and talent are evident enough that some team will take a swing at him on Friday night.
Top Five Available at Remaining Positions of Need
WR – Adonai Mitchell, Ladd McConkey, Troy Franklin, Roman Wilson, Keon Coleman
TE – Ben Sinnott, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Theo Johnson, Cade Stover, Jaheim Bell
OT – Patrick Paul, Kingsley Suamataia, Roger Rosengarten, Blake Fisher, Brandon Coleman
IOL – Jackson Powers-Johnson, Zach Frazier, Christian Haynes, Cooper Beebe, Dominick Puni
DL – Johnny Newton, Braden Fiske, Kris Jenkins, Maason Smith, Ruke Orhorhoro
EDGE – Marshawn Kneeland, Chris Braswell, Adisa Isaac, Austin Booker, Bralen Trice
ILB – Junior Colson, Payton Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper, Cedric Gray, Trevin Wallace
CB – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Cooper DeJean, Ennis Rakestraw, T.J. Tampa, Renardo Green
S – Tyler Nubin, Jaden Hicks, Javon Bullard, Cole Bishop, Kamren Kinchens
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