Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Ranking Titans First Round Options, Vegas Odds on Pick 26, Titans Rumors & Nightmare Scenario

Episode Date: April 27, 2022

The NFL Draft is one day away and the Tennessee Titans true options in the first round are becoming more clear. How would you rank the Titans realistic options in the first round? What does Vegas have to say about the odds? Tyler gives his ranking of the possible targets and goes over the gambling odds! Next, there was a rumor from an ESPN Draft expert that was very interesting on Tuesday. ESPN's Todd McShay dropped a nugget that the Titans are one of the main teams some around the league expect to go QB. So why does this make sense, what teams could take a guy the Titans like and which QB would fit best? Tyler answers all of those questions. Finally, there is a potential nightmare scenario for the Titans in the draft that would lead them down a path not many people expect. What does that nightmare look like and what direction should the Titans go if faced with it?Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitansSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.Shady RaysEXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR LISTENERS, HEAD TO SHADYRAYS.COM AND USE CODE LOCKEDON TO GET FIFTY PERCENT OFF TWO OR MORE PAIRS OF POLARIZED SUNGLASSES.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NFLNETWORK.Blue NileThis Mother’s Day give mom something she’ll treasure forever with fine jewelry from Bluenile.com, and LOCKEDON SPORTS listeners get $50 off $500. Use code LOCKEDON at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, it is a Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We are one day away from the kickoff of the NFL draft. Who will the Titans take at 26? Today's show is all about figuring that out. First, we're going to look at the Vegas odds for who the guys out in the desert think the Titans will take with their first pick.

I'm going to power rank my options for the Titans first round pick. Also, we are going to look at some rumors that have been popping up about the Titans and who they might take at 26. And finally, we'll look at some nightmare scenarios that could play out in the draft and who the Titans could go with if all the logical options are gone. So all of that and more on a Wednesday edition of the Locked On Titans podcast. Let's get it. You are Locked On Titans.

Your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Titans fans, it is a Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast, and it is brought to you by BlueNile.com. This Mother's Day, give mom something she'll treasure forever with fine jewelry from BlueNile.com. And Locked On listeners, get $50 off, $500 when you use promo code LOCKEDON at checkout.

Before we dive into today's show, putting all of our energy and effort into figuring out what makes sense for the Titans with our first round pick. I do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. If this is your first ever listen, make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. You're going to find the Locked on Titans podcast

available on all platforms and always free. That includes the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. Subscribe there. Smash that notification bell so you know when all the content goes live. Throw a thumbsed on Titans YouTube channel. Subscribe there. Smash that notification bell so you know when all the content goes live. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. I have some excellent content coming for you guys

when the draft kicks off. Number one, on Thursday morning, you're going to get the draft preview episode and you're also going to get my annual mock draft. I've been composing my own mock draft for about five years in a row now. I do a pretty good job. Last year, I scored 42 points and would have been top 50 in the entire world in mock drafting. So I put that out separately. It'll be on the YouTube channel and on the podcast feed with Thursday's episode, which will be an NFL draft full length

preview. I'm going to have draft content coming out. I'm going to have instant reaction short videos on the channel that are about a minute to 30 minutes after every single pick. I'm going to have a 10-minute daily recap after every single day. And, of course, I'll be recapping the entire first night on Friday's show and the entire draft on Sunday, Monday's show as well. So stay locked in to the Locked on Titans podcast and make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream.

But diving into our first conversation, what I want to do is, as we kind of look at all of the tangible evidence that we can find to figure out who the Titans might pick at 26, I'm going to start with the guys who often are the most informed, and that's our friends out in Las Vegas. What are the odds right now for the Titans? And I'm going to throw them up on the screen. Now, they don't have individual prospects, but

per BetOnline.net, they have different positions. So, for the people who are not watching on YouTube, right now, offensive line is the favorite position for the Titans to pick in the first round at plus 225. Wide receiver is directly after that at plus 375.

Defensive line is third at plus 375. Cornerback is fourth at plus 500. Quarterback fifth plus 525. Linebacker plus 750. Safety plus 1,000. Running back plus

6,600. Tight end the same 6,600 and that kicker punter long snapper plus 10,000. That's not going to happen obviously, but diving into some of the things that I find interesting there, obviously offensive line is the favorite. And I think any Titans fan could tell you that to have defensive line tied with wide receiver, that is interesting, but I think that lends to, and we're going to talk nightmare scenarios at the end of today's show, I think that the defensive line odds there being third best indicate that the Titans may be in a tough spot at pick 26 with the top five wide receivers off the board,

the top six offensive linemen off the board. And if that is the scenario, the Titans are basically staring down the gun of quarterback or defense. And if the Titans decide to go defense, I think defensive line makes the most sense by far. The Titans had a great pass rush. They want to keep that up, but Dupree probably won't be with the team after 2022. I think he'll be cut prior to 2023, so you'll have to replace his starting edge rusher.

Danico Autry is in his 30s and probably isn't going to be able to play at his highest level for multiple more seasons. He was only signed to a two-year deal if you look at the real contract anyways. So the Titans may be losing Danico Autry after the season. I definitely think they're losing Bud Dupree. You got a guy like Rashad Weaver

who could step into one of those roles potentially, but you're still going to have another role that needs to be filled along with Jeffrey Simmons and Harold Landry. So the Titans may try to get ahead of the curve and go defense. So I find that defense has the third highest odds and tied with wide receiver as one of the most interesting things.

Not only that, though, but cornerback over quarterback. I think that is quite interesting because I think if you ask most Titans fans if they would rather go quarterback or cornerback at 26, most people would say quarterback. Because the Titans just went first round with Caleb Farley last year. Christian Fulton second round before that. Elijah Molden in the draft last year.

Chris Jackson in the draft brought back Buster Screen. I mean, that's interesting. But again, I think that points to the possibilities that open up if the nightmare scenario works out, which we'll talk about. As for my personal rankings, okay? Number one for me, if Trevor Penning is available for the Titans, that is a stone-cold lock for me. You get a brawling, mean, right tackle. That's perfect.

But I simply don't see that happening. But I'm trying to keep this realistic. Yeah, I take Ike I Kanwu as my number one in my power. That's not going to happen. So Trevor Penning is the most realistic option that I could think of that I could still have ranked number one in my power rankings. Trevor Penning, the Titans could potentially trade to 21 and get Trevor Penning with the Patriots if he slides. I think that would be a great move, but I just don't think he even gets out of the 20s. But Trevor Penning, number one. Number two, Trelon Burks. Give me Trelon Burks, big physical guy who also could play the Chester Rogers role. You could develop his route running,

his ability to play multiple positions, but he could be an immediate slot threat for you that doesn't ruin your blocking like Chester Rogers does. So I love Trelon Burks. He is the perfect mesh of value and realism. I love Trelon Burks, He is the perfect mesh of value and realism. I love Traylon Burks, but he may get taken by the Cowboys, may get taken by the Packers, may get taken by the Cardinals. There's a good chance he won't be there. Zion Johnson is number three for me in terms of realistic options in the first round. Perfect fit for the Titan Zone scheme.

Perfect fit for the locker room. Intel between Vrabel and Boston College with Tyler, that's just absolutely perfect. Number four for me is Kenyon Green. I'd take Zion over Kenyon Green, but Kenyon Green would be number four. Number five at that point, if all of those guys are off the board,

I'm going with Desmond Ritter. If Desmond Ritter's available, I think he's a perfect fit for the Titans. I think he's exactly what they want to do. They want to be at Ryan Tannehill's level or maybe just a little bit below, but save $30 million and stack out the rest of the roster. I think in year two of Desmond Ritter,

he could be pretty close to Ryan Tannehill level, and you could get that for $30 million less than what the Titans will have to pay for Tannehill if they keep him around in 2023. So that makes sense for me. After Ritter, I have Matt Corral. That would be my last option here. Now, if they have to go defense, Carl Loftus, Andrew Booth,

those are two names I'm keeping my eye on, but we'll talk about that more in the final second. For me, realistic and logical, Trevor Penning, Traylon Burks, Zion Johnson, Kenyon Green, Desmond Ritter, Matt Corral. You guys tell me your power rankings down below or tag me on Twitter at TicTacTitans and let me know there. But that's going to do it for this first segment of our Wednesday show. We are going to move into the rumor section.

And there was a big rumor dropped by ESPN's Todd McShay that I want to dive into and talk about how things could play out and why it does make so much sense for the Titans. Before we get into that though, I want to tell you guys a little bit more about today's title sponsor, Blue Nile. Mother's Day is right around the corner. So go to bluenile.com right now, the original online jeweler, and check out the best selection of fine jewelry. They got diamond jewelry, cocktail rings, tennis bracelets, layered jewelry. Typically, this stuff is given as a gift and Mother's Day is right around the corner. So show the woman in your life, whether it be the mother of your children, your wife,

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We just broke down the Vegas odds for what position the Titans will take in the first round. I gave you guys my power rankings of the players that I would personally choose realistically if they were on the board. But now, I want to turn away from the odds makers. I want to turn away from my personal rankings. Let's look at a little bit of a rumor here. And we got a rumor that we do need to chew on a little bit from Todd McShay at ESPN.

Before we get into that rumor, though, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first listen every day. The NFL Draft is here, folks, and the Locked On Podcast Network is going to have live draft coverage every day of the draft, kicking off on the Locked On NFL Draft YouTube channel free, live, 30 minutes before the NFL Draft kicks off. That's 6.30 Eastern on Thursday, or 7.30 Eastern on Thursday, 6.30 Eastern on Friday, 11.30 Eastern AM on Saturday.

Literally live coverage. You don't want a national talking head breaking down the Titans pick. Tell your friends too. They don't want a national guy breaking down their individual team's pick. They want a local expert that talks about their team every single day. You're only going to get that with the Locked On Podcast

Network's coverage on the Locked On NFL Draft YouTube channel. Check that out. But this rumor from Todd McShay from ESPN. Rumor. News. Noise. Whatever you want to call noise, whatever you want to call it. Whatever you want to call it. But here it is.

And it's a long paragraph, but it all makes sense. As it stands right now, my sources don't believe there is a team in the top 19 picks that will be drafting a quarterback. There's always a shock on draft night, and teams always look to trade up for a signal caller. But the Pittsburgh Steelers at number 20 is the first spot I'm hearing serious quarterback consideration. Word is that the Steelers like Liberty's Willis. So the question

for Pittsburgh GM Kevin Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin, can they pull a Bill Belichick and just hold tight for their guy? Another team that popped up in my conversations about quarterbacks was the Tennessee Titans who pick at number 26. They were the AFC's top team last season at 12-5, and there are bigger roster needs, including wide receiver. But Ryan Tannehill will turn 34 this summer,

and Tennessee could drastically reduce its salary at the position if it drafts a QB this year, sits him in 2022, then parts ways with Tannehill in 2023. End quote from McShay. Is this a bluff? When Matt Miller came on, he said that the Titans weren't too forward with looking at quarterbacks this year.

But I've heard other people say that the Titans were very forward with their due diligence on quarterback. So it seems like everything's up and down. Here's all I know. The Panthers at No. 6, I don't think they're taking a quarterback. The Saints at 16 and 19, I really don't think they're taking a quarterback

they brought back Jameis Winston and they signed Andy Dalton why would they get a third quarterback that's a sign to me that they don't want to take a quarterback in this draft the Seahawks brought back Geno Smith brought in Drew Locke,

I don't think that they're going to take a high pick on a quarterback. So if the Panthers, the Steelers, the Saints, and the Seahawks, or the Panthers, the Saints, and the Seahawks don't make sense to take a quarterback and nobody's expecting them to take a quarterback, and the Steelers take a quarterback at 20, and they like Malik Willis, some people say they like Kenny Pickett either way.

Well, that means to me that the Titans may have their choice of quarterback. And the three guys that would make sense are Malik Willis, Desmond Ritter, and Matt Corral. And I've gone back and forth on all these options. I really have. I've gone back and forth on all these options I really have, I've gone back and forth on these quarterbacks but I think

if I had to rank them my final ranking I'm actually going to put Desmond Ritter number one now I think Willis is a better prospect I think he's got higher upside, cannon of an arm he's kind of a Jalen Hurts, Michael Vick mixture. But the improvements he has to make are going to be harder to teach. Yes, there's more natural talent there.

But it's going to be harder to teach the ins and outs of playing quarterback. But with Ritter, he has athletic traits. He's got a strong arm. Excuse me. He may have some accuracy concerns and some mechanical issues. But he also understands coverages, knows how to read a defense, understands the professional requirements of being a quarterback right now. I just think Ritter makes the most sense for the Titans.

There's the fickle connection. He just fits what they want to do on offense more than Willis does. Okay? So, for me, let more than Willis does. Okay? So for me, let's say Willis goes 20, I'm taking Ritter at 26. If I'm taking quarterback, I'm taking Ritter at 26.

If Willis is on the board, I think I still go Ritter. I really do. Now, Willis is directly after that, and then I'd probably say Matt Corral, but I don't think Matt Corral is a first-round value at this point with the way the quarterbacks are going to be slipping. I don't think it makes sense to take Matt Corral there. So I expect Matt Corral to go in the first 15 picks in the second round.

But man, if Desmond Ritter's there and Penning, Burke, Zion, and Kenyon are all off the board, it's going to be hard for me to turn down Desmond Ritter. Just really like him. Think he's a perfect fit. Like Traylon Burks and Trevor Penning are fits for the Titans at offensive line and wide receiver, that's how good of a fit Ritter is at quarterback for the Titans.

He's perfect. But with that in mind, we are going to move forward here and maybe none of these guys who we like are available and maybe it is truly a nightmare scenario for the Titans. We are going to get into that nightmare scenario and what the Titans may do to cap off today's show. Before we get into that though, do want to let you guys know about the best tasting protein bars in the galaxy from our friends over at Built Bar. You get the best of both worlds with this incredible protein bar. You get all the health benefits you would want from a protein bar. You get low calorie, low sugar, high protein, high fiber, but you also get incredible

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off this Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the Vegas favorites, my power rankings for the first round. We talked about the quarterback options that the Titans could have and the recent rumor from Todd McShay and all the swirling conversation around quarterback and the Titans

at the end of the first round. But what I want to finish the show with is the scenario that no Titans fan wants to see, the nightmare scenario for the Titans in the draft. Before we get into that, I've got to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Just want to remind you guys again about the content schedule coming up. Alright, this is going to come out

on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, depending on whether you're YouTube or whether you're listening to the audio podcast. On Wednesday night into Thursday morning, I am going to release my draft preview, the my draft preview, the official draft preview for the Tennessee Titans. That'll be ready for you guys on Thursday morning

or Wednesday night for YouTube. And as an added bonus, I am going to release my personal mock draft that I've been putting out for multiple years. Again, like I said, last year I scored a 42

on Huddle Report scoring system. Would have been top 50 in the world. So I pride myself on my mock drafts. I'm no Evan Silver or Brandon Donahue, but I think I do a pretty good job and I pegged the Titans quite a few times as well. So excited to look at that. And then going to have one to two minute instant reaction videos for every single pick. Going to have a 10 minute recap for every single day. 30 minute recap for night one and a 30 minute recap on Sunday night into Monday morning

to recap the entire draft. So excited. Make sure that you're tuned in. Follow me on Twitter at Tic Tac Titans. Subscribe to the show, whatever it takes. But with that in mind,

let's go into this nightmare scenario and have this conversation here. So it seems very realistic and possible that the top five wide receivers are all off the board. That would be London, Wilson, Williams, Burks, Olave. The top six offensive linemen are all off the board. Neal, Okonwu, Cross, Penning, Green, Zion. There's also a chance maybe that, Okonwu, Cross, Penning, Green, Zion. There's also a chance maybe

that let's say Kenny Pickett goes 19 to the Saints, Malik Willis 20 to the Steelers and then somebody trades up. It's something I've been looking at. I could see the Buffalo Bills at 25 trading back to let's say 32 with Detroit. Trading back to let's say, 32 with Detroit, trading back to, let's say, 40 with Seattle, to allow them to come up to 25,

and the Titans are rumored to get a quarterback. So it would make sense for a team, if they wanted the third quarterback off the board, to jump in front of the Titans at 25 to do that. I mean, that makes sense. If Ritter is taken off the board, let's say by the Seahawks who jump up to pick 25, so the Titans are missing

out on their quarterback options, their wide receivers, the offensive line. At that point, they would really have no choice but to go defense. Yeah, I'd love a trade back, but you need a trade partner, guys. All you guys say, well, if that happened, they would trade back.

You can't make a team trade back. You can't force a team to trade back or trade up. You can't do that. So what if nobody wants to trade up to 26? You know, you can't just say, oh, well, I'd trade back. Well, what if you can't? What are you going to do pause the draft say hey this isn't

fair NFL no that's not going to happen so what would the Titans do well there are a few names that make the most sense to me on defense number one George Karloftis now he's a physical edge rusher I don't think he

has as much versatility to kick inside as maybe some people think, but there is some versatility there. But again, a strong physical edge rusher that can set the edge and be good against the run. That is just one of those guys that's a hard worker and finds a way to make plays. I mean, Karl Loftus is going to be a solid, productive player

in the NFL for years to come. I would be perfectly okay with that. Another guy, Andrew Booth from Clemson. I know it seems nuts to go cornerback here, but if Caleb Farley doesn't pan out, Titans are going to be in a tough spot and you can never have too many good cornerbacks. So if the Titans are stuck with it, I want a position of premium. I want quarterback, wide receiver,

offensive tackle, pass rusher, cornerback. There's the five most positions in the entire sport. By far. By far. You take positions of premium or top-notch players in the first round. So if you can't get the players you want at positions of need, just go with a premium position on defense. Edge rusher and cornerback.

So Karloftis, Booth, and another guy who I think makes a ton of sense is Logan Hall from Houston. He is like a better version of Rashad Weaver. And again, I think Bud Dupree is gone after this season. I think Danico Autry's deal is up Dupree is gone after this season. I think Danico Autry's deal is up and he'll be 33 after the season. It's time to start replacing those guys. We saw how valuable the pass rush could be this year. You can't let that go to the wayside. If that means stocking that cabinet a year early, then it's worth it. So again, this isn't what I would do, but in this

nightmare scenario, which is also realistic, I like Karloftis, I like Booth, I like Logan Hall. Guys I'm not as interested in. Travis Jones, the Titans don't need a one tech. They're hitting on undrafted free agents. Don't waste your first round pick on interior defensive line. You only do

that on a three technique like Jeffrey Simmons. You don't do that on Logan Hall or on Travis Jones. You don't do that. Boye Mafe, one hit wonder. I don't know if I can bank on it. Kair Elam is more of a fit for zone, in my opinion. And then David Ajabo, I know that he's got a lot of talent, but if I'm the Titans, I just can't take another risk

on an offed injured or on a major injury prospect. I can't do Jeffrey Simmons, Caleb Farley, and Ajabo. I just can't do it. I can't bring myself to do it, even if I think he's going to be decent. I'd rather at that point, if I'm going away from all my positions of need to go defense, I'm going to take somebody who is at a premium position who can give me instant impact.

And that's Logan Hall and Carl Loftus and Andrew Booth. That's the guys who I would take if the Titans get in a tough spot and have to go defense at 26. But only more noise. Only more rumors. If the Titans get in a tough spot and have to go defense at 26, but only more noise, only more numerous rumors, only more fun is going to be coming in the next 24 hours or so. So I'm excited to get ready for the NFL draft with you guys. Again,

ton of content coming up. My official NFL draft preview episode will be dropping tomorrow along with my 2022 mock draft. Hope you guys do enjoy. That's going to do it for me today though, folks. As always, I am it for me today, though, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.