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Mike Herndon’s Mock Draft, With Seven Rounds for Titans

By MIKE HERNDON, columnist

We have finally made it! It’s draft week, and if you’re reading this it likely means we’re less than 48 hours away from the annual tradition of Roger Goodell getting booed and then putting the first team on the clock.

Here, we’ll attempt to predict what will happen shortly thereafter with my projected picks for all 32 teams as well as my picks for the Titans in all seven rounds with analysis. For the later round picks, I used Wide Left Football’s consensus big board and held myself to taking players ranked

Nov. 11, 2023; Columbus, Oh., USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) scores the first touchdown of the game during the first half of Saturday's NCAA Division I football game against the Michigan State Spartans.
Marvin Harrison/ © Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

within the appropriate range for that pick and considered players ranked more than 10 spots higher than the pick spot as “off the board” at that point.

This is meant to be predictive and not a “what I would do” mock draft, though I’ll offer my analysis for each pick, and what I might do instead as we go. We’ll knock out the full first round before we jump to just Titans picks after.

  1. CHI – QB Caleb Williams, USC

No mystery here, Williams has been the projected top pick in this class for over a year and the Bears already cleared the landing strip for him when they traded away Justin Fields earlier this offseason. Will Chicago’s tortured quarterback history continue or is Williams the chosen one who puts the air back in the Windy City?

  1. WAS – QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

This is where the mystery begins and I think Daniels is the guy for Washington. The tea leaves have been pointing this way for a while and I guess that Adam Peters and Dan Quinn opt for the Heisman winner over Drake Maye.

  1. NE – QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

The Patriots have a lot of directions they could go. The most obvious path is to simply take the quarterback that they desperately need. However, there have also been suggestions that could grab Marvin Harrison Jr. or trade back if someone puts a big deal on the table. But I think they’re going to take a QB. With next year’s class of passers looking poor, QB3 in 2024 is likely a better option than even the best quarterback in next year’s class. I think the Patriots take one, and I think it's a mild surprise with them going McCarthy over Maye.

  1. ARI – WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

It seems many assume the Cardinals will look to trade back simply because that’s what they did last year, but reports suggest that they are intent on making sure they leave the draft with one of the top three wide receivers. Moving down – unless it’s a swap with the Giants at six – would likely require them to be able to move back up to do that. I guess that they play it safe and roll with Harrison, who many consider to be the best overall player in the draft.

  1. MIN – QB Drake Maye, North Carolina – via TRADE with LAC

It’s no secret that the Vikings want to move up for a quarterback. Their trade with Houston to acquire the 23rd overall pick in the draft laid that plan out for all to see. They’ll almost certainly be offering picks 11 and 23 in a package to every team at the top of the draft until they get a “yes.” Here, they get their yes from the Chargers as LA stockpiles draft capital to help build a new core in Jim Harbaugh’s image.

 
 
 
 
 
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  1. NYG – WR Malik Nabers, LSU

I could see the Giants being in the market for a quarterback, but here they at least finally land a receiver for poor Daniel Jones. Did you know that Darius Slayton – yes, Darius Slayton – has led the Giants in receiving for four of Jones’ five years with the franchise? Daniel Jones doesn’t look like the answer to me, but it’s also not like he’s gotten much to work with either. Adding a talent like Nabers will give the G-Men a defined answer on Jones if they haven’t made up their minds already.

  1. TEN – OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame

I still think that a trade back here is the best-case scenario for the Titans. Ideally, a small move back – say maybe to 10 or 11 – would keep them within range to get one of the top two tackles in the class. However, this scenario doesn’t offer a ton of reasons for a team to trade up. The best argument is probably that either the Bears or Jets covet Odunze and get itchy enough to pull the trigger on sending their third-round pick (neither team has a second) and maybe a sweetener of some sort in exchange for No. 7. But the guess here is that neither is motivated enough to make that deal.

Instead, the Titans opt to just take the top tackle in the class for most analysts. No prospect is “bust proof,” but Alt feels about as close as you can get to that description. He’s got the size, athleticism, IQ, balance, and technique to be a franchise left tackle for years to come. That said, he’s not perfect. He waist bends more than you’d like and his 6-8 5/8 height actually may be a negative instead of a positive as winning the leverage battles in the trenches will be that much harder for him.

The Titans have shown interest in Alt, bringing him in for a “30 visit” during the pre-draft process.

Not only is Alt the consensus best player in the draft at the Titans' biggest need, but Notre Dame’s offensive line coach, Joe Rudolph, played for Titans offensive line coach Bill Callahan during all four years of his college playing career at Wisconsin. Callahan would later give Rudolph his first full-time coaching opportunity as a part of Callahan’s Nebraska staff in 2007. Those guys go way back and that connection could provide the Titans with extra insight and/or confidence in their evaluation of Alt.

I wouldn’t hate seeing the Titans go with Rome Odunze or Brock Bowers here, but Alt makes a ton of sense if they end up in this position and a trade-back isn’t feasible.

  1. ATL – EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama

Dallas Turner has been the popular pick here for months and I’m sticking with that here. He’s longer and more athletic than his former teammate and last year’s No. 3 overall pick, Will Anderson Jr.

  1. CHI – WR Rome Odunze, Washington

Yes, the Bears have D.J. Moore and added Keenan Allen this offseason, but Allen turns 32 years old this week and struggles to stay healthy at this point in his career. Pass rush is probably their biggest need, but the opportunity to grab Odunze as a long-term weapon to pair with Caleb Williams is just too good to pass up here.

  1. NYJ – TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

Robert Salah and Joe Douglas are out of time and need to make things stick in 2024. Bowers gives Aaron Rodgers another premium target as they try to put together a run at the AFC East.

  1. LAC – OT JC Latham, Alabama via TRADE with MIN

There may be no better coach-player ethos fit than Latham with Jim Harbaugh. LA has a glaring need at right tackle and Latham would plug right in and instantly upgrade that spot and the physicality of this team as a whole in a big way.

  1. DEN – QB Bo Nix, Oregon

It wouldn’t shock me if Denver made a move into the top 10 for a quarterback, but it’ll be hard for them to top Minnesota’s offer. With that option off the table, I think they might still go quarterback as it’s hard for me to envision Sean Payton wasting a year with Zach Wilson. I think Nix is underrated and could be a good fit for Payton’s style of offense.

  1. LV – QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington

Again, it’s no secret that the Raiders want a quarterback. If Jayden Daniels somehow fell to No. 3, I could see them moving heaven and earth to move up for him, but since I don’t think that happens, I have them sitting tight and taking Penix, a player who has been linked widely to them for months. The question for a team like the Raiders becomes whether it’s better to wait a year at quarterback and try to target Carson Beck or Quinn Ewers or to just jump at the chance to take Penix now. I think Penix is probably a better prospect than either of those two quarterbacks and you don’t have to worry about trying to trade up potentially in next year’s class to get him.

  1. NO – OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State

Trevor Penning has proven to be a bust at left tackle so far and now stalwart right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is dealing with a degenerative knee issue that puts his future in doubt. The Saints have been connected to Taliese Fuaga here as well, but I think Fashanu is the better player and would allow them to move Penning to right tackle as at least a temporary fill-in for Ramczyk.

  1. IND – CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

The Colts are reportedly interested in moving up for either one of the top three wide receivers or Brock Bowers, but with all of those options off the table, I think going with the top corner makes a lot of sense. Indy tried to trade for L’Jarius Sneed earlier this offseason, so instead they fill that need with the top corner on the board in Mitchell.

  1. SEA – EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State

Seattle has been linked to the quarterbacks as a potential darkhorse candidate to grab one, specifically Penix, to groom as a Geno Smith replacement. However, with Penix off the board, I’m going with Verse, one of the most physical defenders in the draft. He’s a great fit for Mike Macdonald’s defense and helps address Seattle’s pass rush issues, which feel like a stretch all the way back to Michael Bennett’s departure after the 2017 season.

  1. JAC – DL Byron Murphy, Texas

The Jaguars could go wide receiver here after losing Calvin Ridley in free agency, but from a value standpoint, it’s hard to pass up Murphy at this point in the draft. The top defensive tackle in the class would make an immediate impact next to free agent addition Arik Armstead, giving Jacksonville one of the most formidable pass rushes in football.

  1. CIN – OT Troy Fautanu, Washington

The Bengals are in a pretty good spot where they can nab a player of value at a premium position. They could use a defensive tackle, though I think this is a little too high for Johnny Newton coming off of the Jones fracture in his foot. They could also go receiver to try and get ahead of Tee Higgins’ likely departure next offseason, but I’m going to go with Fautanu here. The value is too good to pass up and he could play a season at guard for them before sliding out to tackle to replace Trent Brown, who they signed to a one-year contract earlier this offseason.

  1. LAR – WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU

Receiver isn’t the Rams' biggest need, but I think that Thomas brings a different skill set to the table compared to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and it’s hard for me to see Sean McVay passing up that kind of talent after going without a first-round pick for his entire tenure in LA.

  1. PIT – OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

The Steelers could go receiver here as well after trading away Diontae Johnson this offseason, but the better value here is Fuaga, who could pair with 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones to give Pittsburgh a nice set of bookend tackles for the future.

  1. MIA – OL Graham Barton, Duke

I was tempted to put Xavier Worthy here for obvious reasons, and I thought about Johnny Newton as a potential Christian Wilkins replacement but ultimately opted for Barton, who has positional flexibility and could help sure up a Dolphins' offensive line that lost Connor Williams and Robert Hunt this offseason.

  1. PHI – CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

There is some chatter about the Eagles taking a tackle here to get ahead of Lane Johnson’s potential decline as he enters his age-34 season. Amarius Mims would be a great fit as a high-ceiling project for Jeff Stoutland in a spot where he doesn’t have to get on the field immediately. However, I’m going to go cornerback here after Philly’s secondary got repeatedly torched in 2023. Both starting corners, Darius Slay (33) and James Bradberry (30) are on the wrong side of 30 and it’s beyond time to invest in young talent here for Howie Roseman.

  1. LAC – WR Xavier Worthy, Texas via TRADE with MIN

With the second first-round pick acquired via their trade back from No. 5, the Chargers grab Worthy. Worthy was once committed to Jim Harbaugh at Michigan before a last-minute change of heart when Steve Sarkisian was hired at Texas. Maybe there are still some hard feelings there that will make this reunion impossible, but the Chargers desperately need wide receiver help after moving on from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason and we know that Harbaugh liked Worthy coming out of high school. If they can put their bygones aside, this would be a great match with Justin Herbert’s big arm.

  1. DAL – Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

Another team that needs offensive line help. While I prefer Mims, I’m giving Guyton to the Cowboys because there seems to have been more interest there during the predraft process. Guyton allows Tyler Smith to slide back into his more natural position at left guard.

 
 
 
 
 
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  1. GB – OT Amarius Mims, Georgia

That said, I do think Mims goes somewhere in this range. The Packers are another team heavily rumored to be in the tackle market. With David Bakhtiari moving on and Rasheed Walker not proving himself as a clear answer moving forward, Mims provides some major upside for Green Bay at the tackle position.

  1. TB – CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

Tampa Bay is thin at corner after the departure of Carlton Davis, but can quickly plug that gap with an instant starter in McKinstry, who boasts some of the best coverage instincts in the class.

  1. ARI – EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA

Dream scenario here for Monti Ossenfort and the Cardinals as my favorite edge rusher in the class falls in their laps at 27. Latu’s neck injury that nearly forced him to medically retire from football is a concern, but there is zero question about his ability to rush the passer. His production and arsenal of pass-rush moves are best in class at the position.

  1. BUF – WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

This is another fit that seems to make a ton of sense. After trading away Stefon Diggs and losing Gabriel Davis in free agency, Buffalo needs someone besides Curtis Samuel for Josh Allen to throw to. Mitchell is wildly talented but may need to be harnessed a bit.

  1. DET – EDGE Darius Robinson, Missouri

The Lions are a team without many glaring holes on either side of the ball. I could see wide receiver being an option here, but Ladd McConkey doesn’t fit super well with their other pieces, so I’m going to the other side of the ball and giving defensive line coach Terrell Williams a Denico Autry clone in Robinson.

  1. BAL – EDGE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan

The Ravens would probably love to land a mauling offensive lineman but there isn’t really a good fit here at pick 30, so I have them going to the opposite side of the ball and grabbing Kneeland, who is a glass-eating power edge rusher who fits the Ravens ethos to a T.

  1. SF – OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona

Morgan has some limitations with his lack of length, but he’s an absolute star when it comes to zone blocking and that makes him a great fit in San Francisco to me.

  1. KC – OT Patrick Paul, Houston

The Chiefs need help at tackle and grab a high upside option here at the end of the first in Paul. Opinions of him are all over the board, but there is pretty good buzz now that he’s likely to end up sneaking into the back of the first round.

Remaining Titans Picks

I remain convinced that the Titans must find a way to trade back with one of their top two picks to acquire more draft capital. While you certainly get more bang for your buck moving back from No. 7, you also risk missing out on a true blue-chip player and there might not be a roster in the league more starved for a blue-chipper than Tennessee’s. Carthon told the media on Tuesday that there were a couple of players that they wouldn’t move off of if they’re on the board.

My interpretation of that is that they’re talking specifically about pick No. 7 there since it’s hard to imagine that they have that kind of clarity about pick No. 38 just yet.

In this mock draft, the Titans didn’t move back in the first round, opting instead to take the safest answer to the question of “how do we keep left tackle from completely crippling this offense for a third straight year?” in Joe Alt. Instead, I’m going to project that they move back from 38, swapping that spot for picks 49 and 97 from Cincinnati.

Round 2, Pick 49 (via CIN) - WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida

Wide receiver remains a pressing need for the Titans despite the addition of Calvin Ridley this offseason. When asked about the slot position earlier this offseason, Brian Callahan said that they “still need someone to emerge at the slot position” before mentioning Kyle Philips, Mason Kinsey, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as potential options on the current roster. Notably absent from that list is Treylon Burks, who many have been projecting as a potential “big slot” alternative, but it seems like Callahan doesn’t view the 2022 first-round pick in that light as of today.

Given the Bengals' heavy usage of 11-personnel during Callahan’s time in Cincinnati as offensive coordinator – Cincy ranked no lower than third in the NFL in 11-personnel usage in each of his five seasons there – it stands to reason that the slot position will be considered a full-time starting role within this offense moving forward.

Additionally, while the one-two punch of Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins is nice, we’re also still talking about two players who are 29 and 31 years old, respectively. Hopkins is also, of course, heading into the final year of his contract, so nothing is guaranteed for him in 2025 and beyond.

Pearsall projects as a player who could step into that slot role immediately. At 6-1 and 189 pounds, he’s got decent enough size, but his superpower is his separation ability. Pearsall tested extremely well at the combine, showing off 4.41 speed and acing the agility drills with a class-best 6.64-second three-cone and a 4.05-second short shuttle that ranked third among this year’s wide receivers behind Luke McCaffrey and Rome Odunze.

What I like most about Pearsall is his ability to create separation. According to Sumer Sports modeling data, only Texas burner Xavier Worthy created more separation on average than Pearsall’s 3.25 yards.

To me, that’s a huge deal as the Titans were absolutely atrocious at creating separation for their quarterback last season.

Credit: @throwthedamball

Calvin Ridley’s addition certainly moves the needle there, but tacking on Pearsall as well would turn a weakness into a strength and give Will Levis a young receiver to grow with over the next few years.

Roman Wilson from Michigan is another similar option here and the Titans did have Wilson in for a 30 visit during the predraft process. If they went with a different position, I could see defensive line, edge rusher, or inside linebacker as the primary targets unless a special player falls out of the first round that they simply can’t pass on.

Round 3, Pick 97 via CIN – LB Cedric Gray, North Carolina

Gray is a player who has grown on me a lot over the last month. His production was never in question as he is the only player in the class to put up back-to-back-to-back 100-tackle seasons over the last three years.

The former Tar Hell is very instinctive and was one of six linebackers described as a surefire “green dot” guy in Bob McGinn’s poll of scouts for GoLongTD.com, which feels like a borderline necessity for a player to pair with Kenneth Murray, who is much better suited as a see-ball-hit-ball Will linebacker.

At 6-1 and 234 pounds, Gray tested above average, but not exceptional athletically at the combine, running 4.64 and jumping 35 ½ inches in the vertical. However, that’s certainly good enough at a position where elite measurables aren’t necessarily a requirement.

His coverage skills are strong enough for him to be a true three-down backer, which is exactly what the Titans should be looking for in this role.

If the Titans didn’t go Pearsall in the second, this would be a good range for Central Florida’s Javon Baker or Virginia’s Malik Washington at wide receiver. It could also be a spot where a high-upside tight end like Kansas State’s Ben Sinnott or Penn State’s Theo Johnson could be in play.

Round 4, Pick 106 – CB Renardo Green, Florida State

The Titans don’t need an immediate starter at cornerback after adding L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie to join Roger McCreary, forming one of the best starting groups in the league. However, Awuzie is 29 years old and Sneed reportedly has a knee issue that caused him to miss a lot of practice time last season even if he would eventually make it on the field for game day, which means that upgrading that fourth corner spot from Tre Avery and Caleb Farley may be more important than it looks on paper.

Green is a beautiful stylistic fit for what the Titans are building under Dennard Wilson on defense. He’s 5-11 and 186 pounds with 4.49 speed and doesn’t really have a standout physical trait, but he’s an intense competitor who thrives in press coverage and is a plus in run defense. That’s the same mold that made Sneed, Awuzie, and McCreary, so Green makes perfect sense for Tennessee.

He also came up the biggest in the toughest matchups.

If they didn’t go Green here, some other options would include a defensive tackle like DeWayne Carter from Duke or this could also be a good spot to grab a safety like Dadrion Taylor-Demerson from Texas Tech. Wake Forest’s Caelen Carson is another corner who fits this mold, would likely be available in this range, and did make a trip to Nashville for a 30 visit as well.

Round 5, Pick 146 – EDGE Jalyx Hunt, Houston Christian

Going off the board from Wide Left, I’d prefer Javon Solomon of Troy here, but the Titans had Hunt in for a 30 visit, which is notable.

Hunt is a fascinating prospect. The 6-3, 252-pound edge rusher was playing safety just two years ago, but made the switch to edge, where his 34 3/8-inch arms give him elite length for the position. He also tested extremely well, adding 80th percentile or better marks in the 40, broad jump, and vertical among edge rushers.

Hunt finished with 13.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss over the past two seasons combined but is likely just scratching the surface of what his physical gifts can bring to the table as a pass rusher.

It’s extremely rare for late-round edge rushers to hit big, but Hunt’s size/speed profile is atypical for a Day Three pick and gives him a chance to be a potential exception to that rule. He projects as a positive contributor on special teams and as a situational pass rusher as he develops and rounds out his overall game.

Other options here could include wide receiver Luke McCaffrey from Rice, safety Kitan Oladapo from Oregon State, and linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio from Washington.

Round 6, Pick 182 – DL Jordan Jefferson, LSU

Jordan Jefferson has been massively underrated in my view. Arguably the strongest defensive lineman in the class, nobody came within the same zip code as his position-best 34 bench press reps at 225 at the combine (the next closest had 29).

He plays with that kind of power as well, consistently showcasing knockback power and a heavy anchor in the run game.

He's not much of a pass rusher, but at this point in the draft you’re looking to fill roles, not necessarily mine for superstars. Jefferson could be a rotational piece on the defensive line immediately and has the potential to develop into a solid nose tackle.

Other options here could include Illinois tight end Tip Reiman, linebacker Jordan Magee from Temple or right tackle Caedan Wallace of Penn State.

Round 7, Pick 242 – TE Brevyn Spann-Ford, Minnesota

The Titans have talked about needing additional tight ends and Spann-Ford would give them a different type. The Golden Gopher is a big body at 6-6 ½ and 260 pounds with 33 3/8-inch arms and plays with a physicality that makes him an intriguing option as a developmental inline Y-type tight end who can handle the dirty work in the run game.

However, Spann-Ford also ran a 4.77 in the 40, so he’s not a total stiff as an athlete either. Inconsistent hands will keep him from becoming a focal point in an offense, but as a piece within the Titans' tight end room, he makes a lot of sense.

Other options here could include wide receiver Bub Means from Pittsburgh or edge rusher Grayson Murphy of UCLA.

Round 7, Pick 252 – OT Frank Crum, Wyoming

Crum is a developmental tackle prospect with a big-time testing profile and the kind of tools that should make him intriguing to a team like the Titans with a strong developmental offensive line coach.

Other options here could include a kicker like Stanford’s Joshua Karty to give Nick Folk competition in camp or Texas Tech guard Cole Spencer, who the Titans have shown interest in after he crushed his athletic testing at the Big 12 pro day in Frisco.

Does this make for a perfect haul? Of course not, but the Titans aren’t going to walk away from this draft with new starters at left tackle, right tackle, defensive tackle, edge rusher, inside linebacker, slot receiver, and safety.

That’s just not reality. It would be great to see them address as many of those spots as possible, but the critical goal, as always, is simply to get as many good players as possible into the building.

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