After a 3-14 season, the Titans are at a crossroads. New Head Coach Robert Saleh is bringing his “All Gas, No Brake” philosophy to Nashville. While Saleh runs a base 4-3, it’s far from traditional. His “Wide-9” system is built on explosiveness, violence, and positionless versatility. He doesn’t just want specialists; he wants “gap destroyers” who can ruin a play from multiple angles.
Titans DNA: The 2026 Blueprint
Looking ahead to the 2026 rebuild, I’m pairing new prospects with the “1-of-1” archetypes that already exist within
this franchise’s soul.
1. The “Modern Doom”: Arvell Reese (LB/EDGE, Ohio State)
The 1-of-1 Clone: Robert “Dr. Doom” Brazile
- The Blueprint: Before the Lawrence Taylors and Micah Parsons of the league, there was Robert “Dr. Doom” Brazile. He was the original pioneer of the “standing” pass rusher. In an era of dirt and grit, Brazile was a 6’4″ blur who could drop into coverage or scream off the edge. He redefined what a 3-4 linebacker was, but in a 4-3, he played with the violence of a defensive end—the exact “hybrid” Saleh covets.
- The Clone: Arvell Reese (6’4″, 243 lbs) is the 2026 evolution of that DNA. In 2025, Reese was a Swiss Army knife for the Buckeyes, earning Consensus All-American honors while splitting time between off-ball linebacker and a “stand-up” edge role.
- The Saleh Fit: In Robert Saleh’s 4-3 Wide-9 system, Reese fits the “LEO” or “Hybrid Edge” role perfectly. This position is built for a player with the frame of an end but the athleticism of a linebacker. The Titans would likely deploy him as a primary pass rusher to maximize his explosiveness, while keeping his linebacker versatility as a secret weapon to disguise blitzes and cover the flat. Like Dr. Doom, Reese is a defensive system by himself.
2. The “Mayor 2.0”: Bud Clark (S, TCU)
The 1-of-1 Clone: Kevin Byard
- The Blueprint: Kevin Byard wasn’t the fastest safety on the field, but he was always the smartest. “The Mayor” had a PhD in play recognition and an uncanny ability to bait quarterbacks into the wrong decision.
- The Clone: Bud Clark is the cerebral ballhawk this secondary has lacked since Byard’s departure. With 15 career interceptions at TCU, Clark plays with that same “centerfielder” instinct. His 89.8 PFF grade in 2025 was a testament to his elite leverage and anticipation.
- The Saleh Fit: Saleh’s system relies on a high-IQ “closer” in the back. Because the front four is so aggressive in the Wide-9, you need a safety who can play “over the top” and eliminate the big play. Clark is that safety valve, allowing the front seven to stay “All Gas” without fear of the deep ball. I believe he is the PERFECT pairing to build this secondary alongside 2025 third-round pick Kevin Winston Jr.
3. The “Phone Booth” Mauler: Beau Stephens (IOL, Iowa)
The 1-of-1 Clone: Benji Olson
- The Blueprint: Benji Olson wasn’t just a guard; he was an institution. Nicknamed “The Roadgrader” and “The Big Swede,” Olson was 320 lbs of immovable muscle. He was a master of the “Phone Booth”, the tight area at the line of scrimmage, where he used a wrestling background to latch onto defensive tackles and drive them five yards into the turf. From 1999 to 2004, he started 85 consecutive games, providing the foundation for an era.
- The Clone: Beau Stephens (6’5″, 315 lbs) is the first player I’ve seen with the exact toughness that mirrors Olson’s game. Like Benji, Stephens is a physical finisher. In 2025, he led the nation with a 92.5 PFF pass-blocking grade, allowing zero sacks all season. But it’s his work in the run game that screams Olson; he doesn’t just seal off defenders, he uses elite leg drive to pancake them.
- The Saleh Fit: While Stephens has the movement skills to pull in the zone-blocking concepts Robert Saleh and OC Brian Daboll will use, he wins with the same “iron man” reliability that Benji brought for 140 starts. However, the real magic happens when you pair him with Peter Skoronski. Skor is the technical artist on the left; Stephens is the physical enforcer on the right. Drafting Stephens allows the Titans to flank Cam Ward with two high-IQ, high-effort guards who refuse to be moved. It’s the closest we’ve come to having that “Olson/Matthews” level of interior stability in twenty years.
Final Verdict
The Titans have always been at their best when they have a “Blue Collar” identity: Smart in the secondary, violent in the trenches, and led by a versatile predator who can hunt from anywhere on the field.
Arvell Reese, Bud Clark, and Beau Stephens don’t just fill holes on a depth chart; they bring back the specific brand of football that made Nashville a nightmare for the rest of the league. If Robert Saleh wants to build a winner, he doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. He just needs to restore the DNA that already belongs to us.
