NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Talking about drafting the best player available sounds good. Trying to snap a skid of four straight losing seasons requires players that fit a team's needs.
The Tennessee Titans tried their best to do just that for new coach Robert Saleh.
“Obviously you want to take the best player, but you’re trying to marry up value with need," general manager Mike Borgonzi said Saturday night. "But I do think we did fill some needs.”
The Titans
made Carnell Tate of Ohio State the first wide receiver drafted at No. 4 overall, giving offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and quarterback Cam Ward another playmaker. Veteran Calvin Ridley is coming off a season-ending injury and will turn 32 late in the year.
They traded up twice, adding defenders to a unit revamped heavily in free agency around All-Pro tackle Jeffery Simmons. The Titans took lineman Keldric Faulk of Auburn at No. 31 and then moved up into the second for Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. at No. 60.
The Titans wrapped up the draft Saturday with five selections, including a pair of offensive linemen who will have a chance to compete for playing time immediately in Fernando Carmona of Arkansas and Indiana center Pat Coogan (No. 194).
They took Penn State running back Nick Singleton (No. 165) in the fifth round, Baylor defensive lineman Jackie Marshall (No. 184) in the sixth and converted tight end Jaren Kanak of Oklahoma (No. 225) in the seventh.
The Titans signed Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency. But their top two receivers in catches, yards and touchdowns last season both were rookies in Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. Tate will compete to start for a team that had six rookies start five or more games last season.
The Titans' free agency haul added John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas along with ends Jacob Martin, Earnest Brown IV and Malik Herring. They also traded tackle T’Vondre Sweat to the Jets for end Jermaine Johnson II.
Saleh , who will be calling the defense this season, plans to use eight to nine linemen in games so that nobody plays more than 60% of snaps in keeping them fresh. Faulk brings some versatility that will help him bounce around as needed.
“We see him outside on early downs and kick him inside on pass downs,” Saleh said. “And we think he’s got an elite trait to rush the passer on the inside, and combination between him, Jeffery, John Franklin-Myers I mean, that’s a pretty lethal combination between the three of them.”
Drafts usually results in mentions of which pro a player resembles most. With Saleh's background, Arik Armstead and four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner both surfaced in connection with Faulk and Hill.
Borgonzi called Hill “the prototype linebacker” in this defense. Warner's name came up when the GM was asked if the Titans would use Hill's pass-rushing skills. Hill had 17 sacks in three seasons at Texas, and Borgonzi said Saleh has schemes using linebackers such as Warner to blitz.
Hill said he's excited to play for Saleh knowing his resume.
“I know what he did with other linebackers,” Hill said mentioning Bobby Wagner, Warner and Dre Greenlaw.
The Titans need two new starters after releasing veteran center Cushenberry in February and with right guard Kevin Zeitler a free agent. They used their first pick Saturday on Carmona, who likely gets his first chance at right guard.
Coogan started his career at Notre Dame and was part of national champion Indiana's offensive line honored as the Rose Bowl offensive MVP award in the rout of Alabama. He met with the Titans to start this week, and he's now reunited with Tate, someone he used to ride with to morning practices at Marist High in Chicago.
He planned to Face Time with Tate after talking with reporters.
“I am happy to be his teammate again,” Coogan said. “He is an unbelievable football player.”
Being drafted by an NFL team shines the light on any missteps a player has made in his life. Carmona was asked about the 2024 Liberty Bowl game when a video showing him stepping on the ankle of a Texas Tech defensive back. Carmona apologized a day after the video went viral and said Saturday he crossed the line.
“It’s something that I’m extremely embarrassed about, and it will never happen again,” Carmona said.
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