The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is finally one week away. The Tennessee Titans own the No. 4 overall selection. Mock drafts and source-based speculation is beginning to run rampant. We’ve officially reached the exhausting portion of the pre-draft process.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza is going No. 1 overall. The overwhelming expectation, though not guaranteed, is that pass rushers David Bailey and Arvell Reese will go in some combination at Nos. 2 and 3 overall. If that projection comes to fruition,
the two best players on the board for the Titans will undoubtedly be Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
Both are considered blue-chip prospects. Both play devalued positions, based on NFL salaries around the league. Styles and Love should appeal to the Titans for different reasons. Mike Borgonzi will probably be tasked with choosing between the two.
Selecting Love would be an investment in franchise quarterback Cam Ward. Love is generally considered in the tier of prospects that Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson were coming out. He’s about as “can’t-miss” as an NFL Draft prospect gets. He’s described to have Hall of Fame character. His pass-catching abilities help offset the fact that he plays running back.
The Titans appointed Robert Saleh as their head coach. The defensive-minded leader has helped spearhead a $300 million spending spree in free agency and offseason trades, the majority of which was spent on players he previously coached such as John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson II, Solomon Thomas, Jordan Elliott, Jacob Martin, Tony Adams, and others.
Saleh’s background strongly indicates he’d prefer Styles. If he’s learned from his previous coaching mistakes, he’ll know building around Ward as the franchise quarterback is a smarter strategy. If Borgonzi’s draft decision comes down to Love versus Styles, it’ll be interesting to see which option they choose.
