Darius Leonard

TENNESSEE TITANS 2018 Draft guide

The Titans enter the offseason needing to upgrade at a few key positions but no desperate needs on the roster. The Titans were aggressive in free agency bringing multiple players that are expected to make an impact this season. Those acquisitions will allow them to draft the “Best player available”. They have 6 picks in the draft to finish adding to a very talented roster.

Below I will breakdown what the titan’s needs and the best prospect to fit those needs and what’s the best round to find those needs.

Middle Linebacker

After not resigning Avery Williamson, the Titans have an immediate need in the middle of their defense. Although Wesley Woodyard is coming off his best season as a titan, repeating his success is still in question. Second-year linebacker Jayon Brown has shown flashes last year but is still learning the game. The Titans would prefer to draft a rookie that will be an immediate contributor. There are a few prospects that fit the Titan’s needs in the first two rounds.

Prospects:

Rashaan Evans, if available the Titans should sprint to the podium and turn the card in. Evans has the potential to be an instant impact player on defense. He plays the run with reckless abandonment and athletic enough to rush the passer and cover running backs and tight ends. 1st round pick

Leighton Vander Esch is a boom or bust prospect that has only one year of production. He became a constant play maker last year for the Boise State Broncos. He would be next in line for the Titans if Evans isn’t on the board and he could be a force against run and coverage. 1st round pick

Malik Jefferson is full of potential and athletic talent, but he couldn’t live up to that hype in college. Under the right tutelage in the league, Jefferson can develop into a legit starter. 2nd round pick

Josey Jewell is a tackling machine!! He flies around the field and has a nose for the ball. He could come in and become a two-down linebacker. 4th-5th round pick

Later round sleepers: Oren Burke, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Micah Kiser, Skai Moore, Darius Leonard

Outside Linebacker:

The Titans have 2 capable starters at outside linebacker with Derrick Morgan and Brain Orakpo, but both are getting a little long in the tooth and could use some help rushing the passer. The Titans must add a player that can boost their pass rush. Similar to free agency this draft isn’t deep with talent in certain positions, so the Titans will have to strike early to get one of the top prospects in the draft.

Prospects:

Harold Landry is a top 10 talent, but he missed some games due to injuries and his production decreased. The likelihood of him on the board at 25 is very slim, but it could happen because it’s a perfect fit. 1st round pick

Josh Sweat used the post-draft workouts as personal coming out party. He forced scouts to go back to the tape and give him another look. Sweat has the frame and athletic ability you desire for an edge rusher. He has the talent and needs with refining in order to become a better player going forward. 1st or 2nd round pick

Marcus Davenport is the athletic freak you need on the edge he blends the edge effortlessly and smooth. Question is, will it translate to the NFL because the competition is superior to the college level. 1st round pick

Sam Hubbard played like an NFL player at times during his college career but never dominated in the fashion I expected. He can be a force against the run and the pass. 1st or 2nd round pick

Later round sleepers: Arden Key, Lorenzo Carter, Dorance Armstrong, Chad Thomas

Interior Defensive Lineman:

The Titans tried their best with a full court press to get Ndamukong Suh. That plan fell through so the Titans must look to the draft to upgrade the position. Jurrell Casey is the only top-notch player the Titans have on their d-line, while Daquan Jones provides quality depth it is pretty slim behind those guys. The Titans can fill multiple d line positions in this draft from the 1st to 6th round.

Prospects:

Vita Vea is the top nose tackle in the draft, he could also play the 3 technique if needed. Vea is a mountain of a man that demands a double team on every play. He is strong and agile enough to be a day one starter in the NFL. Vea is so talented that he should be draft within the top 15 picks. 1st round pick

Maurice Hurst Jr is a penetrating 3 tech that has proved that he can play at high levels, but due to a heart alignment at the combine, his stock has taken drastic hit putting him in play for the Titans with one of their early picks. 1st round pick

Da’Ron Payne has the tools to be a difference maker on the d-line but he hasn’t been able to consistently put it together in college. Payne looks to be one of those players that will be better in the pros than they were in college. 2nd round pick

Harrison Phillips is a high motor player, which has turned himself into a possible day 2 prospect. Phillips motor never stops and he’s athletic enough to make plays in the backfield. 3rd-4th round pick

Later round sleepers: B.J. Hill, Derrick Nnadi, Andrew Brown, Justin Jones, Kahlil McKenzie

Late round needs:

Running back

Safety

Interior offensive line

Receiver/tight end

Backup QB

Jackie Barnes is a Writer for Couch Rider Report. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

1 Roquan Smith, Georgia

Smith was all over the field this season playing for the Georgia Bulldogs. He was a force to be reckoned against the run and a solid contributor against the pass. Smith had 137 tackles, 14 for loss, 6.5 sacks, 2 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble led all SEC with 85 solo tackles and total tackles. He was a highly decorated player in 2017 after being named all American, winning the Butkus award and SEC defensive player of the year. The speedy linebacker has tremendous instincts, a very high football IQ, and top-notch awareness. At 6’1 Smith is slightly undersized for an inside linebacker, but with the success of the ‘’money’’ linebacker in Arizona or Atlanta, some teams might look to give him that role given that he is fast and can cover well while providing excellent run support. He has all-pro potential and reminds me of less injury prone version of Reuben Foster. He could still thrive with the traditional middle linebacker role.

2 Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State

Vander Esch is an old school punishing hitter with an amazing athletic ability and skill set. Not only he is a strong hitter, he is also great in coverage. He is also a very smart player, he never seems to be out of position to make a tackle. The Boise State product has got great hustle and motor and you can’t take your eyes off him when watching his film. He had a very good year with 141 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, 5 passes defended and 4 forced fumbles. Having played in the mountain west against lesser talent will be a knock on him and is also the reason there is very little hype around him.

3 Rashaan Evans, Alabama

Evans possesses an impressive skill set with size, speed, and physicality. He filled Reuben Foster’s spot without missing a beat and played in a unit plagued by injuries in 2017, he still excelled and had a phenomenal year. The senior linebacker out of Alabama finished the year with 74 tackles, 13 for loss, 6 sacks, 3 passes defended, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. He is an explosive athlete with range and plays with instincts. He has some durability concerns, he had a nagging groin injury last year and he also needs to shed blockers better and avoid getting caught by them.

4 Josey Jewell, Iowa

Jewell isn’t an explosive athlete but is fast in his own rights, and he might be the most instinctive and smart linebacker this year. His abilities to read plays and not bite play actions is one of the things that make him so great. He is not the hardest hitter out there, but he gets his hands dirty. Jewell is praised as a hard worker with a chip on his shoulder. He displays a very good technique and is very disciplined. He shows a relentless motor that compensates his lack of elite speed, lateral quickness, and size.

5 Malik Jefferson, Texas

Jefferson stats don’t jump the page, the junior had 110 tackles, 10 for loss, 4 sacks. While his big-play production was a bit lacking Jefferson is a very good prospect at the position with the speed and range to cover the entire field. Jefferson is also a sure tackler, but he doesn’t deliver the big hit or creates fumbles. It’s rare to see a linebacker prospect with Jefferson’s combination of size, athleticism, and physicality. He is still very raw especially in pass coverage, therefore some scouts have him as an outside linebacker, but he can easily be a WILL linebacker in a 4-3 defense. When you see Jefferson, you look at all his untapped potential, his stats and lack of highlight reel plays will keep him out of top 100 consideration but has the talent to be very good in a couple of years when he gets it all together.

6) Micah Kiser, Virginia

7) Oren Burks, Vanderbilt

8) Darius Leonard, South Carolina State

9) Tegray Scales, Indiana

10) Tre’ Williams, Auburn

Honorable mention: Nick Deluca, North Dakota State

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Tennessee Titans Draft Guide

2018 NFL Draft: Eric’s Top 5 ILB Rankings

1 Roquan Smith, Georgia

2 Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State

3 Rashaan Evans, Alabama

4 Josey Jewell, Iowa

5 Malik Jefferson, Texas