The Tennessee Titans appear to be pretty settled at tight end heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. They drafted Gunnar Helm in the fourth round last year and plan to have him fill the void left behind by free-agent departure Chig Okonkwo. Helm flashed enough potential to warrant investing in his development.
The Titans also signed Daniel Bellinger to a sizable three-year, $24 million contract in free agency. Bellinger reunites with new Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and will have a prominent
early-down role. The team also has David Martin-Robinson and Kylen Granson under contract. Both Martin-Robinson and Granson are roster-worthy players.
Despite that, Mike Borgonzi has shown some interest in tight end prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. The following three in particular have been connected to the Titans throughout the pre-draft process. All details provided.
Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Eli Stowers was a former college quarterback who transitioned to tight end and put together two really productive campaigns at Vanderbilt. He’s a pure athlete who ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and also leaped record-setting results with a 45.5-inch vertical and 135-inch broad jump. Stowers is essentially a big wide receiver with zero blocking abilities. The Titans hosted him on a pre-draft visit at their facility, though it didn’t count towards their “Top 30” designation, since Vanderbilt qualifies as local.
Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
Sources confirmed Stanford tight end Sam Roush, a Nashville native, attended the Titans’ local day workout over the weekend. He was the best prospect in attendance. Roush has overwhelming size at the position (6-6, 267, 10-inch hands) and utilizes his frame effectively as an in-line blocker. He’s pro-ready in that area, and also has untapped potential as a pass catcher due to his athleticism after leaping 94th-percentile vertical (38.5 inches) and broad jumps (126 inches) at the NFL Combine. Draft big, athletic tight ends who can block!
Justin Joly, TE, NC State
The Titans also hosted Justin Joly on a pre-draft visit. The former UConn transfer is a compact, undersized pass catcher. Joly was productive in 2025, registering 49 receptions for 489 yards and seven touchdowns en route to First-Team All-ACC honors. The Brewster, New York native has good length (32.25-inch hands) and massive hands (10.5 inches) that show up when running routes through his ability to extend and finish plays with toughness.
