Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans DON'T NEED TIGHT END Early in the NFL Draft, Pure Receiving Options & Blockers Only

Episode Date: April 3, 2026

The Tennessee Titans have many needs in the NFL Draft, but one they should not be addressing early is tight end. This is a very deep class at the position and with the Titans other demands, taking one early would just be silly. Looking for the mid/late round steals is what the Titans front office should be doing and depending on the kind of player they want, there will be plenty of options. There are more receiving-only options available, but also a lot of blocking-centric options as well. Day 3 would be the perfect time to strike on a tight end this year, but certainly not before.   LOCKED ON TITANS EVERYDAY CLUB: https://lockedontitans.supercast.com/   Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans   TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc   Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans   Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod   Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videos   Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Robinhood You’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. During the tournament FanDuel is offering $300 back in Bonus Bets every day for ten days. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Tennessee Titans got a lot of needs, and tight end ain't one of them, and they can't take one until day three of the NFL draft. I'll break down the class on today's edition of Locked on Titans. 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 Rowland Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Fandall.

During the tournament, Fandall is offering $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days. Head to Fandle.com to get started on today's show. It is time to break down the tight end class in the NFL draft. I do not think that the Tennessee Titans can afford to take a tight end on day one or day two, but that's fine because there are a ton of great tight ends in this draft class, receiving tight ends, versatile tight ends, blocking tight ends. I'm going to tell you who I think could be the best fit for the Titans

before we dive in. Do want to thank you for making Locked-on Titans. Your first listen each and every day, remember Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there.

Tune in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, what are you? you doing? We are smack dab in the middle of the 2026 Locked on Titans NFL draft preview series where we go through every single position. We've done running back. We've done wide receiver. We've done offensive tackles. We're going to hit tight end on today's show and then we're going to follow up next week and go with the interior offensive line before we get into the defense, which is a critical position for the Tennessee Titans. So make sure that you stay locked in

with the Locked on Titans podcast. But with that being said, the Titans don't need to take a tight end early. And when I say early, I mean day one and day two of the NFL draft, the Titans should not be taking a tight end in any of the first three rounds. Like if Kenyon Sadiq drops to number 35, then okay, we can have a conversation at that point. We're getting a top of the first round player at number 35. I think Kenyon Sadiq and Gunner Helm together for the rest of eternity sounds good to me. They're balanced in their styles, what they can do. And, you know, we'll talk about Sadiq. He's a better run blocker than maybe people give him credit for it but quite frankly if that unrealistic possibility doesn't fall into the Tennessee

Titans lap they shouldn't be taken tied in on day one or day two and it's crazy to me that you know it's it's like before the jerseys came out every day there'd be all these different AI mock-up jerseys on the internet that just look terrible you know people say oh that looks like madden no that really does look like a crappy madden design like the AI mockups of the jerseys got nuts by the time that they actually actually revealed them. That's where I'm at with mock drafts right now. People are sending me mock drafts with 15 players and five different trades and people are putting mock drafts on the timeline with tight end and round two and tight end and round

three and I'm just like what are we really doing here? Look the Titans, it's not like Gunner Helm proved that he's elite in year one and they got Daniel Bellinger and he's so great like but when you have needs like the Titans do other positions. It's not just about needs because people always want to say, everybody wants to draft for need, don't draft for need. All right, don't draft for need. But this tight end class is literally stacked.

There's 20 tight ends that could turn into starters. Not all of them will, but I'm just saying like, this is a very good tight end class with a ton of different buckets. The buckets are full of versatile, receiving, blocking, whatever you want.

It's all there. You can get a potential starting tight end. probably in round five in this draft. I saw, I think as Dane Bruegler from the Athletic, one of my favorite draft guys said, I still haven't found the bottom of this tight end class. Every tight end that I go to I think is draftable. With the depth at tight end and the lack of need at tight end,

I mean, they could use a third tight end, but it's a third tight end. And you have Kylin Granson already. He's another tight end. You have David Martin Robinson still on the run. roster. I just don't understand why you would take a tight end like an Eli Stowers. For example, we talk Kenyon Cadiq, top tight end in the class, first round pick, 6-3-240, 4-3-940-yard dash. He's, you know, 20 pounds, 15 pounds heavier than Chick-a-conquo, an inch taller, and ran basically the same time as Chig. He's just got speed, he's strong, he's thick,

strong hands, good routes, yards after catch, and again, he's a better blow. locker. Then what you think, he may not be the tallest tight end or have the longest arms or run the cleanest routes ever. He's not going to be your pure Y, inline blocking tight end. That's not Kenyon, Sadiq. But he is like a superstar John Hsu Smith version of a tight end. And that with Gunner Helm being a long tall, okay, sure. You could do that. You could sell me on that if he dropped a 35, which ain't happening. But Eli Stowers, he's basically a wide receiver calling him a tight end is kind of a joke. I mean, 6, 3, 240, ran a 4, 5, which is cooking for a tight end.

He's 23 years old though. So an older prospect already, 2 years older than a guy like Kenyon Sneak. And look, he has great speed for a tight end, great size for, you know, a guy with his type of speed. That speed size combination to be 6, 3, 240, run a 4, 5, like that, that plays. good yards after catch guy, runs good routes for a tight end, good hands,

but he literally cannot block a soul. He's not a real tight end. And I've heard people in the scouting community say that maybe he should drop 20 pounds and just be a wide receiver. So if you want to say, hey, we'll take Eli Stowers in the third round. He drops to 66.

We'll take Stowers, you know, with a second, second rounder if we do a trade back. Well, okay, you better be telling me that he's dropping 20 pounds and he's playing X wide receiver with Elyke-I-O-Manor. Because as a tight-end, I'm sorry. He's just not one.

And with what we know, Brian Daible wants out of the tight-end position, based on all his previous stops, he wants more versatile tight-ends. Now, with Gunner Helm and Daniel Bellinger being versatile-type tight-ends, maybe he wants something more specialized. He did have Darren Waller, I believe, in New York. They drafted Dalton Kincaid,

although that might have been the year after Brian Dable left Buffalo. So maybe they want you know, a wide receiver big slot type tight end. Maybe they do want that. Maybe they do want a specialized big, brute, blocking tight end

to balance out the rest of the group. Maybe they want to specialize. But if they want to continue the versatile tight end mold, it ain't going to be Eli Stowers. And if they want to take that type of tight end, you can't take them in round two or round three. There's too many other needs. We don't have two starter.

on the interior offensive line. The wide receiver group is below league average. The edge group is below league average. The cornerback group is a bunch of fresh faces with no young guys to kind of groom. I just linebacker needs help. You could take a development offensive tackle. Jeremiah Love, a running back for gosh sakes.

Like, I mean, tight end is truly at the bottom of the list. So with the need and then the buckets of talent, I just can't see it. Now, if we get later in the draft, if the Titans get an extra third round pick, let's say they do a trade back in the second round, the first round, they get an extra third round pick. So now they have four top 100 picks.

And they want to look at a guy like an Oscar Delp, who's more of a receiving type. 64, 245, ran a 4-4-9, 22 years old, quick route runner, good speed, great hands, willing blocker, Not the biggest, strongest guy. Not going to win in contested catches all the time.

He doesn't have that power and that strength. But slippery yards after catch. That's a versatile tight end with more receiving lean that I think would fit very well with a guy like Gunner Helm who's that big, tall, jump ball, jump over top of you. Go get it tight, tight end. Maybe they want somebody who's more of a blocking type in the late third round.

Sam Roush out of Stanford. 6-6-267, ran a 4-7. tough, physical blocker out of Stanford. Good feel for the zone though. You can tell he's a smart guy. He's got good feel and he's a physical runner when he gets the ball in his hands. He's just not the fastest straight line guy.

Not going to destroy man coverage all the time. Not going to win in contested catch situations because he does have shorter arms. But there's a lot to like as a versatile tight end. But again, for Sam Roush, late third round with a trade down, added in, but probably 101.

And that's day three. You know, again, that's where I'm at. Like, I'm not going to take Max Claire out of Ohio State, who's more of a receiving tight end with good route running and good feel for the zone and some speed with the ball in his hands who can get vertical down the seam. But he can't block that well.

He's not even asked to block that well. He's not good. When I have a seam stretcher who needs to be a receiving tight end and they have short arms and can't win and contest to catch situations consistently, and they can't block, and they're not powerful, that's hard to me. So maybe the last guy you throw into that conversation

is Justin Jolie or Jolly Jolie out of NC State. He's 6-3-241, not even 22 years old yet, 21, super thick, compact, strong build, good body control, he can make contested catches, good yards after catch. He's got wiggle to him. He really does. runs decent routes and he can block too. He's a versatile guy. He can do everything.

Height, not super tall, not super long. Doesn't have great straight line speed. He's more smart. Kind of, I don't want to compare him to this guy, but like how Harold Fanon is. You know, Harold Fanon wasn't the fastest straight line guy, but he just had good understanding, runs hard. Doesn't really drive in the blocking game more of a positional winner. But if you can win it all in the run blocking game in the past blocking game, that's pretty good.

So I think if the Titans out of all these guys if the Titans did take somebody in the late third I think Justin Joe Lee out of NC State would probably be my favorite option but a guy like Sam Roush and Oscar Delt also kind of speak to me a little bit if the Titans get an extra third round pick

but again those are the only guys that I would even consider that high every other tight end that I would consider for the Titans is going to be. be a day three pick and there are a ton of them. And I honestly think, you know, there's 10, 11 more guys that I want to talk about.

The Titans could get any of them and I could look at them and be like, hey, that might be a starting player eventually. Do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by Fan Dual Sportsbook. The tournament is here. One of the best times of the year brackets. Buzzer Beaters upsets. It's non-stop action from the first tip off to the final cutdown. Right now, Fandall is giving new customers a way to stay in on the action all tournament long. Here's how it works. You're gonna get $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days.

That means 10 chances to stay involved throughout the entire tournament. You can mix it up however you want, game picks, futures, even same game parles for bigger potential payouts. It's perfect for the tournament because every day there's something new, different matchups, new storylines, more ways to get involved as the bracket unfolds. So visit fandule.com to sign up today. Once again, that's fandle.com to get in on the action. Fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast, a little bonus edition for you guys to finish off the week here

talking about tight ends. Again, I said that we were going to do interior offensive line today. And I am sorry, I'm a liar, I guess, if you want to be mad. But the interior offensive line is such a big topic. important. I just want to dive into a few more guys at the end of the list. I want to just get my thoughts and order here of how we need to present this the best because again, so important and I can see the Titans going interior offensive line as early as the second round or in the first round if they trade back further enough, you know, think about

a Vega Ione. You know what I mean? That could be an option. So I want to make sure that we talk about the interior offensive line in a little bit of a longer conversation than a bonus episode. So saved Interior Offensive Line for my second show. We're going to do a mock draft on Sunday night and then get into the Interior Offensive Line on the second show of the week. But with that being, I'm actually probably going to break up Center and Guard

so that I have even more, we'll just do a full 50 minutes to an hour on Interior Offensive Line on Monday. But with that being said, most of the tight ends that I like in this class for the Titans are Day 3 options. And I would never take them higher

than Day 3. and I think being a tight end is going to be tough this year because people aren't going to be looking to take tight end too super high after Kenyon Sadiq because of the amount of depth. Why would I take a tight end in the third round when I could get a guy in the fifth round who might be better? You know? That is a conversation and how much will that push guys down

be interesting to see. But after the guys I talked about to start, Kenyon Sadiq, Eli Stowers, Oscar Delps, Sam Roush, Max Clare, Justin Joe Lee, Joe Royer from Cincinnati, 6-5, 247, good mass. He's built well. Strong. Good feel for the zone. Good hands. He's real quick in his routes. He's not vertically fast. Doesn't have great power. Doesn't have great, you know, grip strength

when he's blocking. But he's a versatile tight end at 6.5.250. Who, again, when you can run routes, be good in the zone, you're a thick, built, strong person. That could make you an option for the Titans. Now, do I like Royer the most out of this group? No. Michael Trigg is the next one out of Baylor. He's an intriguing guy, 6-3-2-40, older prospect almost 24 years old, real explosive in his routes, good yards after catching power, but boy, he's got some off-field issues.

So I know there's a lot of people out there who really like Michael Trigg because he was good on the field, but like it's well-known. He's got some off-field problems. So I think the Titans would just avoid that for the depth of the tight-end class. There's so many other guys. I just don't know. And Michael Trigg is more of a receiving guy. You know, he's not someone who's going to be a great blocker,

have great power. It's not something that he really does. So maybe that's what the Titans are looking for. But if they want just a receiving tight end, I would go a different route. Let's look at it that way. If the Titans want a receiving tight end, like close to a Janu Smith,

Chikonkwin. type guy. Josh Suvas, I believe it is from Alabama. He's 6.3, 245. Good route runner, get the ball in his hands. You know, good feel. He ran a 4-6, 40, but

short arms, contested situations. He's not going to be much of a blocker. Dalen Bentley, I've seen it pronounced both ways in different podcasts and mocks and things like that. So apologies to the Bentley family. But

he's an other guy who's more of a receiving move tight end. 64, 253, ran a 4-6. He's a strong guy. Good hands, good feel for his routes, can get open, but in contested situations, blocking, he just doesn't have the power that you need. You know, he's strong in his routes,

catching the ball, but, you know, he's a move tight end, not really somebody you can have in line. And I'm looking at Swayvoss and Dalyan I'm not taking these guys until the sixth or the seventh round. Now, some guys who could go in that range as well who I think are more intriguing who are just receiving tight ends. Tanner Coziel out of Houston, 6'46, 247. See, if I'm getting a receiving tight end who's not a good blocker,

I want somebody tall. That's what I really would want. Kylan Granson and David Martin Robinson can be your Chigaconkwo replacements who are just faster, smaller guys. Let's get more size. Okay? At least, at least if they're not a good blocker, just being bigger

will help you get in somebody's way more than a smaller guy who can get manhandled. So Tanner Coziel is a very intriguing option to me late in the 6th, 7th round. He's tall, long arms, strong hands, big hands, good and contested. He's kind of gunner helmish. I'd say he's not as good of a prospect.

and route runner. He doesn't have good burst. He's not going to help you block it, but he's that big slot Mike Gosecchi type guy. A John Michael Jillenborg. What a name. John Michael Jillenborg. 6.25, 250, ran a 4-6. Okay, that's moving for a tight end. Great speed, good route runners, got good size to him. Just isn't going to do much with the ball in his hands. Not a blocker at all either. 65-250-4-6. Let's take a chance on. that guy in the seventh round if you want a receiving tight end.

Now, if you want some more versatility, you want a guy that could do a little bit of everything like Daniel Bellinger, like Gunner Helm, Jack Andrews from Texas. 6-3, or 6-5, 2-45, also ran a 4-6,

good-field, tough player, that classic tight-end. Gonna do a little yards after catch, winning contested catch situations, which is critical. with Cam Ward. So I think Jack Andrews makes a lot of sense there. He just doesn't have elite size, speed,

power, you know, he's very Gunner Helmish, not as good of a blocker. I don't think it's not as good in contested catch situations as Gunner Helm, but I think he could go in a similar place. You know, they're similar players. So Eli Raritan is a guy who I am very

interested in. One of my favorite tight ends from the class out of Notre Dame, 6'6, 2405, ran a 4-6-2. A lot of these 4-6, tight ends. That's about where they're at. Just turned 22 years old. He is strong. He is explosive as well off the line of scrimmage and his routes.

Has good feel for the zone. He is a good blocker. And he's good at contested catch situations as well. Is he the quickest lateral player? Lateral route running and stuff like that? Not quite. Yards after catch doesn't have great wiggle. You know what I mean?

The real problem with Eli Rared to note is though he's torn his ACL 12. same knee in 2021 and 22. But it's been a while since then, and he's still only 22 years old. I think that Eli Raritan would be a steal for the Titans, and I think he has the potential to be a true number one tied in. And if he's on the team long term going forward, that allows Gunner Helm to be split out a little more,

to be more of a power slot type guy, to be on the move a little bit more, which I think would be helpful to Gunner for him to have a more versatile role, than just be trapped as the Y tight end. I think that's why they brought in Daniel Bellinger because Bellinger has versatility as well. I think Eli Rairdon,

if the injuries check out and the knee is good now, I think you've got to take a chance on him. I would take him in the like the fifth round. I would do it. Will Casmeric from Ohio State? Just a pure blocking tight end. 6-5-260, a 4-7, you know. Just a good blocker, big guy, catches the ball when it's thrown to him.

Nothing impressive. I think another guy like that is Nate Borkature from Texas A&M, 6-5-250, ran a 4-7-8, already 25 years old. He blocks like a man, wins contested catch situations like a man. Just not a great athlete by NFL standards. Not a lot of quickness to him. That's a, you know, that's a seventh round, sixth round pick. I think Riley

what is it Nowakowski is the same way No, nowakowski Yeah that's that's right That's right trust the pronunciation that you practice 62-250 466 a little bit faster But he's just a physical blocker wins with technique

Not a good route runner Not good yards after catch Not a great athlete but just a tough physical player who's going to do the right things Take him in round 7 I guess that can make some sense You know, some other guys who I think could go a lot later but are versatile guys who I'm interested in.

Matthew Hibner out of SMU, 6'4, 250 pounds, ran a 457. He's an older guy though, already 24 years old. But man, he's got straight-line speed and watching him run the seam and catch the ball and move. He can move. Yards after catch because he's just fast and big.

Wins and contested situations, he's not the quickest lateral. Like he needs to go straightforward. You know what I mean? But man, I'm telling you, I like Matthew Hibner quite a bit and he's a little bulkier than the rest of the Titans tight ends,

which makes me kind of favor him in a way. I'm just, I'm a big fan. I think he would be a great fit for the Tennessee Titans. Just quickly, some other options on the board. Marlon Klein from Michigan, I'm not a super big fan of, 6-6-250, ran a 4-6, he's 23 years old. He can block a little bit.

He's got a little yards after catch to him. There's some upside there because he's a foreign player. He came from Germany, but he doesn't run routes with great technique, which is to be expected. Doesn't have a ton of experience or production. You're really betting on like the upside there. And I just don't know if that's where the Titans need to go

for their tight-end position right now. DeKwan Wright is a guy that I have to mention 6-3-2-4-4-4. good route runners, got good speed, good feel for the zone. Just isn't a super physical player, not good with his routes in and out, like the in-breaking and out-breaking routes. Bad technique in his blocking, his hands get wide. And, you know, for a guy his size 6-3-246,

you've got to be good with your technique if you want to win as a blocker, which is why Kenyon Sadiq, you know, come full circle. is a guy that wins in the blocking game because he can be good with this technique. He needs to get better, needs to get stronger, all that. But 6-3-2-40, you can win with a good mentality and good technique. But not everybody can do that. That's the difference between a first-round tight end

and a guy who's probably going to go in round 7. But that's nearly 20 different tight ends. If the Titans get literally any of those guys, I can see a path towards them being impactful and contributing player. But with all the options on the board, How early do you think the Tennessee Titan should take tight in? Who should they take? Who are your favorite options?

Let me know down below or hit me up on social media. I'm literally on every social media app. You can find me Ticktac Titans, locked on Titans. It's all there. 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.