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Specific Qualities the Titans Want in Draftees by Position

By ZACH LYONS, STACKING THE INBOX

The last two drafts, I have taken my love for historical data and trends from contracts and applied them to the draft. Specifically, what does a team look for in a prospect at a certain position group. A team may say they want one thing: “Fast players” for example but draft guys who are much slower than their peers.

Two years ago, I started with looking at strictly the physical and athletic measurables of what Jon Robinson had traditionally drafted. Treylon Burks was the guy most likely to be drafted by the Titans and it turns out, that was 100% correct.

Oct 22, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive back Kris Abrams-Draine (14) breaks up a pass intended for Vanderbilt Commodores wide receiver Will Sheppard (14) during the first half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Missouri CB Kris Abrams-Draine/ © Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Last year, I expanded into bringing in traditional wide receiver stats that have predicted success at the next level and factored in the data of Ran Carthon’s various stops as a personnel guy and what the Titans has done under Mike Vrabel. While the Titans didn’t draft a wide receiver in the first six rounds based on how their board fell, the formula I used, would’ve had Colton Dowell as the seventh-most likely to be a Titan if he had been on my radar before the draft. Unfortunately, I wasn’t even aware of Dowell as a draft prospect, but if I had I would’ve written about him.

While it isn’t a perfect predictor as I either don’t know of all the prospects and/or have all of the data, it does shed light on what the Titans typically value in their prospects in three key areas:

  1. Physical Traits
  2. Athletic Traits
  3. On-The-Field Traits

This year, I have evolved this even further. Thanks to learning more about programming languages, data analysis and football in general, I have been able to apply my refined methodology to other positions of need for the Titans, not just wide receivers. So far, I have been able to collect data for WR, OT, OG, LB, CB and RB. We won’t get too heavily into some of these positions because the Titans' needs have shifted. I will also be adding S, DL and EDGE soon.

Next Thursday, PaulKuharsky.com paid subscribers will follow along the journey to find the most likely draft prospects and what they bring to the team. They’ll also get access to a data tool that they can play along with as well. So, if you want access to all of this information you have to subscribe to PK.com and StackingTheInbox.com, because there will be site-exclusive information for each!

Now, I am going to give a brief rundown of how the aforementioned position groups are scored and what data is being used. I am also going to give you examples of how to use/interpret this data for the various positions. This will require some common sense and nuance on your part, but I have faith you all can handle that.

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How Titans' Free Agency Gains May Impact Their Draft Strategy

How Titans' Free Agency Gains May Impact Their Draft Strategy

By MIKE HERNDON, COLUMNIST

As of this writing, the Titans have reportedly agreed to terms with eight new free-agent additions and re-signing five other players who were with the team last year. Those 13 signings:

  • QB Mason Rudolph – one year, $2.87 million
  • RB Tony Pollard – three years, $21.75 million
  • RB Julius Chestnut - ERFA tender one year, $985,000
  • WR Calvin Ridley – four years, $92 million
  • WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine – one year, $2 million
  • C Lloyd Cushenberry – four years, $50 million
  • OG Saahdiq Charles - one year, $2.5 million
  • DL Sebastian Joseph-Day – TBD
  • ILB Kenneth Murray – two years, $15.5 million
  • ILB Jack Gibbens – ERFA tender one year, $985,000
  • CB Chidobe Awuzie – three years, $36 million
  • K Nick Folk – one year, $3.76 million
  • LS Morgan Cox – one year, $1.38 million
Calvin Ridley
Calvin Ridley/ Courtesy Jacksonville Jaguars

I wrote at length about the additions of Pollard, Cushenberry, Awuzie, Murray, and Charles last week – if you missed it, check it out here – but I do want to briefly touch on the Ridley and Rudolph signings that have happened since that piece before I dive into an overall discussion of the state of the roster and how it may impact the Titans strategy in the draft.

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Lots of Time, But Titans' Defense Incredibly Thin Right Now

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Over a week into free agency, even after reportedly adding defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day, the Titans are surprisingly thin on defense.

The team lost three starters on defense in Denico Autry, Azeez Al-Shaair and Sean Murphy-Bunting, effectively replacing them with Sebastian Joseph-Day, Kenneth Murray and Chidobe Awuzie.

Oct 1, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (4) escapes the grasp of Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day (51) but is sacked by linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sebastian Joseph-Day/ © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

That feels like a net loss as Autry’s flexibility allowed him to be an edge player and Al-Shaair was a more instinctive player than Murray has been. Only Awuzie’s resume is better than the guy he’s replacing.

And there are other spots where upgrades remain necessary: Cornerback, inside linebacker and nose tackle. Not to mention serious depth deficiencies, starting with a legitimate third edge, who should really be a second edge ahead of Arden Key.

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NFL Free Agency is Better Than the Draft

Free agencyPeople get carried away with the draft and I understand it. But NFL free agency is better and here is why.

It’s different for every team: Sure there is occasionally a team with a super wealth of draft picks or one who’s traded a bunch away. But generally it’s a level playing field with every team getting its name called about once every round.

Few teams say they want to build through free agency, but many do or have to because they don’t have enough draft capital to fix themselves.

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New Titans' WR Calvin Ridley: 'Y'all Got a Player'

Calvin Ridley was loose, fun and confident as he was introduced by the Titans, giving people every reason to be confident he’ll produce at a level that will live up to his four-year, $92 million deal with $50 million guaranteed.

He missed 11 games of 2021 and all of 2022 in a gambling suspension and credited himself for doing as well as he did in his 2023 return with a new team when he caught 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns.Calvin Ridley

“Y’all got a player,” he said. “…Two seasons out. I gave you 1,000 and eight touchdowns, I didn’t miss a practice, I didn’t miss a game. I didn’t come late to nothing. I respected everybody in the building. I look at it as a win for me personally.”

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New Titans Feel the Energy, Determined To Add To It

Lloyd Cushenberry
  Lloyd Cushenberry

Brian Callahan desires to create a place where people are excited to come to work.

The Titans did a great job giving off that vibe to their first four additions in free agency, who all talked about the energy in their new office as they were introduced to the team’s press corps.

I watched from a spring break vacation with my family, as Tony Pollard, Lloyd Cushenberry, Chidobe Owuzie and Kenneth Murray all hit on it.

“Just being around them this morning, you can just feel it from everybody,” Murray said. “It’s definitely a great, great vibe where everybody is excited to be here. You get that vibe from everybody. Not just the coaches but the staff – the equipment staff, the medical staff.

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How The Titans Free-Agent Signings Fit

By ZACH LYONS, Stacking the Inbox

Free Agency is officially in full swing. Day One is in the books and as you’re reading this on a Thursday, your Tennessee Titans have had three full days to sign players to help the team with its competitive rebuild.

Some of you may still be recovering from the unavoidable loss of Derrick Henry. Others may not even be able to read this article because anger has filled your soul, and you are blinded with rage as the Titans didn’t sign whatever player you think they should have. Either way, you can only control what you can control, and I control what I am going to share with you regarding the players that, for better or for worse, the Titans did sign.

Jan 7, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) scores a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
Calvin Ridley/ © Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

If you want my advice on how to maintain logical and emotional balance during free agency, just keep in mind these three things: 

1.   Football is a business. 
2.   Football is a sport. 
3.   The Sun is Running out of Hydrogen.

That should help you keep things in perspective throughout this article and the rest of the offseason. So, without any further ado, and before the sun dies, we talk about what each player acquired can tell you about the 2024 Tennessee Titans.

Calvin Ridley

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Calvin Ridley Brings Explosiveness to Titans, But is Not Without Concerns

Titans fans have been hurting watching the Texans take two prominent defenders, Denico Autry and Azeez Al-Shaair, from Nashville in free agency.

Tennessee has made a similar move, stinging a division rival by lifting a key piece -- and Calvin Ridley was more important to the Jaguars than Autry or AA-S were to the Titans.

Calvin Ridley
Calvin Ridley beats Kristian Fulton/ Angie Flatt

The Titans hope he will be a key piece of Brian Callahan's offense.

He ran a 4.43 coming out of Alabama and his 21.52 mph in 2023 per NextGen Stats, 15th best in the NFL. Ridley can be terrifically explosive. 

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