Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans DISRESPECTED by Mock Draft, Will Levis Hatred & 2025 Major Need Positions

Starting point is 00:00:00 The disrespect for the Tennessee Titans and Will Levis is at an all-time high. I'll tell you why I'm fed up on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked On Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Roland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans podcast is brought to you by Monopoly Go. I admit I have a competitive side and it is a big fan of Monopoly Go, the mobile hit twist

Starting point is 00:00:43 on classic Monopoly. Join your friends and download Monopoly Go now free on the App Store or Google Play. The disrespect for the Tennessee Titans, and Will Levis in particular, is at an all-time high, and I am sick of it. We're going to dive into some way too early 2025 NFL mock drafts, and I'll tell you why I'm just absolutely at my wits end with the way the Titans and Will Levis are being portrayed right now. Before we dive into it, thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first to

Starting point is 00:01:15 listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. I want to give a big time shout out to all of you who tune into the Locked on Titans podcast. Folks on YouTube, folks on the podcast feeds.

Starting point is 00:01:39 Over 150,000 views and downloads over the draft week. Cannot thank you all enough for that. I got so excited I knocked over my water right there. Cannot believe all the love and support. I know I took a lot of heat for some of my draft takes, so seeing you guys all come out and show out, I can't appreciate you enough. So I wanted to give a big thank you to everybody out there

Starting point is 00:02:02 for the numbers that we put up during the draft. But with that being said, one more, one more Mock Draft Monday. And we're going to look at some early, way too early, in my opinion, 2025 Mock Drafts. We got to start with one from The Athletic. Look, Dane Brugler is one of my favorite draft analysts, and he says here on The Athletic that he's going by Super Bowl odds, not how he thinks the teams will finish.

Starting point is 00:02:30 But he has the Tennessee Titans picking second in the draft next year. Second. Second pick. And with that second pick, the Titans draft Carson Beck, the quarterback out of Georgia. Brugler says this, quote, If the Titans are drafting this high next April,

Starting point is 00:02:50 the organization might be reexamining its quarterback situation. In his first year as a starter, Beck got consistently better with each performance and put some beautiful throws on tape. He enters the season as the quarterback scouts like the most. Why in the world would I draft Carson Beck in the third year of Will Levis? Why would I do that? Next year's quarterback class, as things stand right now,

Starting point is 00:03:13 is absolutely putrid, okay? I do not want Carson Beck. I do not want Shooter Sanders. I do not want Quinn Ewers. Like, no, no, no, no. None of these dudes make more sense than letting Will Levis play in year three. Like, it's just absolutely absurd to think about that. And there are just two layers of disrespect here at the end of the day.

Starting point is 00:03:38 Number one is for Will Levis as a player. And that is something that, that is really what I'm focusing on right here, is the absolute disrespect for Will Levis as a player, and that is something that, that is really what I'm focusing on right here, is the absolute disrespect for Will Levis as a player that's been going on this offseason. I mean, we advertise here with FanDuel, shout out to FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, but they got Will Levis ranked behind Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. as quarterbacks next year.

Starting point is 00:04:03 I mean, come on. Like, look back at what Will Levis was able to do. Look at the four-touchdown debut against Atlanta. Look at the ability to come back in Miami, the miracle in Miami. Look at the things that he was able to do last year with what he had around him. An offense that had scored 17 points in the last two seasons obviously was not coached properly on the offensive side of the ball.

Starting point is 00:04:27 The worst offensive line in the entire league, maybe you want to say the Giants or the Commanders had worse. But it's a bottom three offensive line with two good players, right? Daniel Brunskill was good until his body broke down at the end of the year. Peter Skowronski was good but had mid-season appendectomy. So he clearly wasn't his 100% best. And if you look at Peter Skowronski now, pretty clear how he was affected last year.

Starting point is 00:04:57 He's a monster now. Look at his arms. Look at his width. Look at his girth. I mean, he just looks huge compared to last year. So obviously in his rookie year as a rookie offensive lineman with the worst pass-blocking center in the NFL in Aaron Brewer and the worst pass-blocking left tackle spot in the NFL,

Starting point is 00:05:16 no matter who you wanted in there, Duncan, Dillard, NPF, garbage. The worst left tackle spot in the NFL two years running. But I'm just focused on Will Levis. So with Will Levis behind a bottom three offensive line with the worst pass blocking center starting in the NFL and the worst pass blocking left tackle spot in the NFL, still had incredible moments and incredible flashes.

Starting point is 00:05:40 Had some great throws in that late game against Pittsburgh. I know the interception ended the game, but he's trying to force it with no time left. Like, to see what we saw from Will Levis last year, in the situation that he was in, and I just talked about the offensive line and the offensive coaching. Haven't even mentioned the fact that,

Starting point is 00:06:01 other than DeAndre Hopkins, who do the Titans have at wide receiver? I mean, NWI was wide receiver too. A guy who is, what, the Titans' fifth or sixth wide receiver right now? NWI, I admit, I take shots at NWI all the time. He probably is overhated at the end of the day. He's a solid depth role player who could be wide receiver four, wide receiver five, something like that. But he was wide receiver two. And then you have the

Starting point is 00:06:30 ghost of Traylon Burks out there supposed to be something. And then Kyle Phillips, they finally get on the same page. Mike Vrabel takes him out of the roster equation. And then he's hurt other times and inconsistent other times. So one of the bottom three wide receiver groups in the entire NFL,

Starting point is 00:06:47 one of the bottom three offensive lines in the entire NFL. Bottom half of the NFL offensive coaching. Yeah, I think Tim Kelly is an okay play caller. But what about the offensive line coaches? What about the tight end coaching? What about the running back? What about the entire coaching staff and their philosophy on offense? So, all of that, bottom three offensive line, bottom three wide receiver group, bottom half of the league offensive coaching, in your rookie season,

Starting point is 00:07:16 all of that, and the flashes that Will Levis showed us isn't good enough to be ranked ahead of Bo Nix and Michael Penix? What are we doing here? So, not only is it insane, in my opinion, to have the Titans rank second, which I'm going to talk about that more at the end of the show, that the Super Bowl odds that have the Tennessee Titans

Starting point is 00:07:41 picking top two, what are we doing here? I don't think the Titans win the Super Bowl this year, but the second least likely team with all the moves. I mean, we're going to talk about that at the end of the show, but the pure disrespect for Will Levis, who has the most hero throws in the NFL from the time that he started, which are throws where the window is very, very small

Starting point is 00:08:03 and he's able to fit it in. which are throws where the window is very, very small and he's able to fit it in. Like, we're talking about a guy that dragged this team to the success that they had when they had it with nothing around him. And you think that even if the Titans have a poor season, it's going to be Will Levis' fault? Right now, Nicholas Petit-Ferrer is still set to be a starter.

Starting point is 00:08:23 Traylon Burks or Kyle Phillips is still set to be a starter. This team needs a ton of help on defense. If the Titans are that bad, it's not going to be Will Levis' fault. And I definitely don't want Carson Beck or Sadu Shander or freaking Quinn Ewers. Like, why am I taking any of these quarterbacks thinking it's an upgrade on Will Levis? Just insanity.

Starting point is 00:08:48 Just disrespect to the max. I think it's absurd. Absolutely absurd. But we're going to talk about some picks that do make sense for the Tennessee Titans before we do that. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel.

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Starting point is 00:10:30 it's just the disrespect that the Tennessee Titans and Will Levis are getting right now. It's absolutely absurd. You know, I try to not get so mad about some of these things, but it's just hard. It's hard not to. I'll talk about it at the end of the show. But now we need to talk about some of these things, but it's just hard. It's hard not to. I'll talk about it at the end of the show. But now we need to talk about some of these picks that do make sense.

Starting point is 00:10:49 And what it allows us to do is not to be so focused on the player and their profile and their skill set. I really want to have this conversation about the needs that the Titans are going to be facing next year, no matter what happens going forward. So we're going to talk about that before I do. Thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first to listen

Starting point is 00:11:08 each and every day. So I want to look at this mock draft from Jordan Reed on ESPN. Again, way too early, 2025 NFL mock draft. And like Dane Brugler, Jordan Reed went off the betting odds off ESPN Bet, so it's not like he's projecting where these teams are going to finish, but he had the Titans having the number four pick in the NFL draft. Number four.

Starting point is 00:11:34 Higher pick than they had last year. Okay. But he had the Titans trading down with the Raiders, or the Titans had the fifth pick. My mistake, the fifth pick. And the Titans trade down with the Raiders. So, or the Titans had the fifth pick. My mistake. The fifth pick. And the Titans trade down with the Raiders from 5 to 10 because the Raiders come up to

Starting point is 00:11:51 get a quarterback. And the Titans take Luther Burden, the third wide receiver out of Missouri. And Jordan Reed says, quote, with DeAndre Hopkins entering the final year of his contract finding a young receiver to play opposite Calvin Ridley makes sense. Burden is an explosive tackle breaker.

Starting point is 00:12:09 He forced 32 missed tackles, which was fifth most among all FBS receivers last year, and is 710 yards after the catch out of the 1,212 total receiving yards ranked third. So Luther Burden, wide receiver out of Missouri. This makes sense. Now, if the Titans are drafting 10th or 5th and trading back, I mean, I got my own beef with that that we'll talk about here in a second. But Luther Burden is the type of player that the Titans will need. The Titans desperately will need wide receiver next year.

Starting point is 00:12:44 DeAndre Hopkins is going to be 32 years old this year and he's in the last year of his contract. Do you really want to give a contract extension to a 33-year-old wide receiver? Is that what we want to do when we just gave a big-time contract to Calvin Ridley who's 20 going to be 29 soon or is 29 right now? to Calvin Ridley, who's going to be 29 soon, or is 29 right now. No matter what, the Titans desperately will need a number one young receiver to grow with Will Levis. That's why I was okay with taking Malik Nabors this year. That's why I was okay with taking Roma Dunzey this year.

Starting point is 00:13:17 Because while they may have Ridley and Hopkins, you can't count on Traylon Burks. You can't count on Kyle Phillips to be anything. Why would we do that? So, the Titans will need a top-flight, top-tier, drafted wide receiver ASAP. Like, immediately. They're going to need that next

Starting point is 00:13:35 year. If they didn't do it this year, which they didn't really do anything with it this year, then they're desperately going to need it next year. Like, no question about it. So, I love to pick a Luther Burden, but more important than Luther Burden as a player who's excellent is just the fact that the Titans will have a desperate need at wide receiver next year.

Starting point is 00:13:56 The next way too early mock draft that I want to look at here comes from pro football focus. All right. And it was done by Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman. But they have the Titans here with the fourth pick. Okay. And it doesn't say in here whether this is their, oh, okay, based on Super Bowl odds.

Starting point is 00:14:17 That's everybody's cop-out, right? They get to go off the Super Bowl odds. And of course, the Titans are picking fourth. And they take Will Johnson, cornerback out of Michigan. Now, this one is tougher for me. I'm not going to be opposed to the Titans taking a freak cornerback if there's one available. I'm glad the Titans didn't do that this year with like Tyrion Arnold or Quinion Mitchell. I think those are good players, but I don't know if they're good enough to take cornerback four. You know what I

Starting point is 00:14:46 mean right there? But next year, after we get to see a year of Chito, after we get to see a year of LeJarius Sneed, maybe it'll make more sense. Here, PFF says, Tennessee selects the top cornerback in the draft, Michigan's Will Johnson. Johnson has been incredible in Ann Arbor,

Starting point is 00:15:02 shutting down some of the best receivers in the country. He has earned a fantastic 86.3 single coverage grade over the last two years. All right, look, like, I understand you can never have that, never have too many cornerbacks, but for me, I mean, Kelvin Banks, the offensive tackle out of Texas, offensive tackle is still a way bigger need, and if the Titans don't do anything with that this year, which they're kind of out of good ways to solve that problem,

Starting point is 00:15:30 you're going to have to replace one of those offensive tackles. You know, whether they put Latham at right, left, doesn't matter. You're going to need another one. So I would probably rather go with Kelvin Banks out of Texas than Will Johnson. go with Kelvin Banks out of Texas than Will Johnson. You look at Luther

Starting point is 00:15:48 Burden still being on the board here. I mean, that makes it tough for me. Harold Perkins even. I'm not, you know, I'm not a big linebacker guy, but like I just have a tough time going cornerback there. I know that the Titans need a number one lockdown corner,

Starting point is 00:16:05 but they literally just gave up a draft pick. So that means that next year, their third round pick will be for LeJarius Sneed, and their first round pick will be on Will Johnson. You know, I'm not hating on Will Johnson as a player, but man, they're just, you know, Deion Walker, defensive lineman, Kelvin Banks, again,

Starting point is 00:16:25 I mentioned Luther Burden. Just tough. It's just tough for me to accept going cornerback right there. So it will be a need, but I don't know. I guess it depends on what happens. Here's one I do want to go over from NBC Sports that I do like. It's from Eric Froton. Titans picking fourth against Super Bowl odds, but they take James Pierce Jr.,

Starting point is 00:16:48 the edge out of Tennessee. Here's the blurb. A terror off the edge who charted 8.5 sacks with a team-leading 4.7% havoc rate and 14.5 tackles for loss. Pierce recorded the second highest PFF pass rush grade in the Power 5 and at 92.4 behind only UCLA edge Leitou LeTou, who was the first defender selected in 2024's NFL Draft. Pierce Jr. is crafty, versatile edge defender with all the physical tools to succeed in the pedigree to revitalize the Titans pass rush. Tennessee fans, let me know down below how you feel about that. But more importantly than James Pierce is the need for edge.

Starting point is 00:17:29 I didn't want to see the Titans take an edge rusher in this draft class this year. But at this point, I am fully on board with edge. Edge is going to be a screaming need next year. Now, Will Campbell, the offensive tackle from LSU, is on the board. I don't know if I could pass there. I don't know if I could pass there. I don't know if I could pass on Will Campbell. Again, the Titans need another offensive tackle. And I am fully on board with them taking it.

Starting point is 00:17:56 But here's what the real point is. Wide receiver, offensive tackle, edge. And heck, maybe even throw cornerback in there too depending on what happens with Cheeto. You know? But those are the four most, these are the four most important positions outside of quarterback.

Starting point is 00:18:14 Wide receiver, offensive tackle, edge, cornerback. I mean, those are the four most important positions outside of quarterback. So the premium positions, there are going to be good players at premium positions. Now, here's the problem. I don't think the Titans are picking that high.

Starting point is 00:18:33 And I think that these Super Bowl odds suck. Quite honestly, I think they're wrong. And look, I'm not going to tell you to go bet them because the odds of the Titans winning the Super Bowl, but there's just no way, there's no way in my mind the Titans are picking in the top five next year, and I'll explain why. Before I do, though, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Monopoly Go. All right, game off. We got to pause here to talk more about Monopoly Go,

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Starting point is 00:19:46 There's always something fun to discover in Monopoly Go. So get off the bench and go download it now for free on Google Play or the App Store. Game on. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. One more mock draft Monday for this year. Of course, they'll be back next offseason. But looking at these mock drafts, man, again, the big thing that stands out to me

Starting point is 00:20:27 is the absolute disrespect for Will Levis. And we talked about one where the Titans were picking a quarterback, but there are others out there as well. And, you know, I just don't want to spend too much time on all these different mocks when they're all just saying the same things. But the disrespect for Will Levis is just out of control. Now, we talked about some positions that do make sense for the Titans same things. But the disrespect for Will Levis is just out of control.

Starting point is 00:20:48 Now we talked about some positions that do make sense for the Titans with some players that I don't think the Titans will have access to because the Titans are not picking in the top five next year. And I don't care about Super Bowl odds and I don't care where they come from and all of this and that. It is absurd to think that the Titans are going to be worse this year than they were last year. Like, it just does not make any sense. Before I explain why, thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast

Starting point is 00:21:13 your first listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to your team every day. sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. So you're telling me a team that added Lloyd Cushenberry, gets an improved Peter Skowronski, adds J.C. Latham, adds Bill

Starting point is 00:21:35 Callahan, isn't going to have a better offensive line? A team that added Calvin Ridley, one of the better separators in the NFL. A team that added Tony Pollard to add more versatility and dynamicism out of the backfield. With one of the better quarterback gurus in the NFL now as their head coach. So Bill Callahan, his son, running the offense. With a ton of former players and experienced coaches. You're telling me that offense isn't going to be any better?

Starting point is 00:22:13 Now I get it if you want to say the defense is going to be worse. Alright, you know. Titans had good defensive coaching. There were things that we didn't like, but overall, good defensive coaching. The Titans still have Jeffrey Simmons and Harold Landry. I know a lot of you guys really love the Tavondre sweat pick, so they're adding a big run solver

Starting point is 00:22:34 who should be better than Tierra Tart up front. Linebacker got a little bit worse, losing his ease. I don't think Kenneth Murray is as good as his ease. I don't. Cedric Gray adding in, he's a rookie, who knows. But going from Christian Fulton, Sean Murphy bunting, to LeJarius Sneed and Chido Uzi, that's not a major improvement.

Starting point is 00:22:58 I don't know. It looks like the Titans have one of the best cornerback groups in the entire NFL after having one of the worst groups last year. So just as good on the pass rush. Maybe a little less with losing Danico Autry. Fair enough. But, hey, you guys love Tavondre Sweat. So, a little bit worse on the pass rush.

Starting point is 00:23:17 Way better pass coverage. Linebacker's a little step behind. I could say if you say the defense is a little behind. But look at the improvements on offense. Like, I just, it's hard for me to sit here and be like, you know, the Titans won six games last year, and they added Bill Callahan and Brian Callahan and Denard Wilson as coaches,

Starting point is 00:23:42 and they added Lloyd Cushenberry, and they added J.C. Latham, and Denard Wilson as coaches. And they added Lloyd Cushenberry. And they added J.C. Latham. And they added Calvin Ridley. And they added Tony Pollard. And they added Chito. And they added LeJarius Sneed. And that team is going to be worse than they were last year?

Starting point is 00:24:06 With a fourth place schedule, that team's going to be worse. Like, the math just is not math-informing. And it's just frustrating. And again, I know that the Super Bowl odds and the way too early mock drafts

Starting point is 00:24:23 and the national conversation about the Titans doesn't really matter. It doesn't matter to the on-field product, right? Like wins, losses, none of that stuff is going to affect how many games the Titans win. But I don't care. It's just frustrating, man. And if you're a fan who doesn't just find it frustrating to have your team crapped on nationally all the time, I don't know what to tell you. Like I know you can say every time the Titans turn into favorites, they crap the bed and blah, blah, blah. You get the number one seed and

Starting point is 00:24:54 you lose in that embarrassing fashion. And that's why, and that's why. And I'm not saying that it's not justified. I'm just saying it's annoying. You know, Like, at the end of the day, that's all the point is. It's just so annoying to see the Titans crapped on all the time, no matter what. All of the additions they made this offseason. How much better this roster got this offseason? And all these places think the Titans are going to be worse. Just like, doesn't make any sense to me at all. You know, second worst Super Bowl odds.

Starting point is 00:25:32 We really think the Titans are going to be the second worst team in the NFL after all of the additions and the change. Like, I don't know, man. It's just one of those things reading through some of these way too early mock drafts. And I'm just like, man, screw this. Like this is absurd. And y'all know, I'm not some like classic Titans Homer, who's going to get up here and tell you that they're going to win every game.

Starting point is 00:25:54 Like people get mad at me all season long. Cause I don't have them going undefeated. You know, like I try to be balanced here in my coverage of the team and like, be honest, but like top five pick? Man, just absolutely ridiculous. I'm going to talk about where I think the Titans are going to finish

Starting point is 00:26:13 and their record and all that. Those conversations are going to be had here over the next few weeks, but let me know down below if you think the Titans are going to have a top five pick. Do you really think they're going to be that bad? Is there anybody out there who's a Titans fan who think they're going to be that bad? Is there anybody out there who's a Titans fan who thinks they're going to be that bad this year? Like, it just blows my mind. It blows my mind.

Starting point is 00:26:31 But with that being said, that is going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland. And this was Locked on Titans. you

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans DISRESPECTED by Mock Draft, Will Levis Hatred & 2025 Major Need Positions

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