Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Draft Rumors: Malik Nabers Visit, JC Latham over Joe Alt & Pass on Edge Rusher

Episode Date: March 27, 2024

The Tennessee Titans are transitioning from a focus on free agency to a focus on the NFL Draft and with that comes rumors about what the team might do. One thing the Titans could be considering is selecting LSU receiver Malik Nabers with their top pick. Nabers would be an excellent choice and had a private meeting with the Titans. Next, there are some whispers that JC Latham is a preferred offensive tackle for the Titans and while Latham does make some sense, it would be a major risk to take him at seven. Finally, some are discussing edge rusher for the Titans' top pick and Tyler thinks that is absurd. GET SUBSCRIBED for year round Tennessee Titans film content!! 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 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. RobinhoodRobinhood has the only IRA that gives you a 3% boost on every dollar you contribute when you subscribe to Robinhood Gold. Now through April 30th, Robinhood is even boosting every single dollar you transfer in from other retirement accounts with a 3% match. Available to U.S. customers in good standing. Robinhood Financial LLC (member SIPC), is a registered broker dealer. BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelNew customers, join today and you’ll get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS if your first bet of FIVE DOLLARS or more wins. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started. 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) 

The Tennessee Titans still have a major need at wide receiver, and Malik Nabors would be a perfect fit. I'll go over the latest Titans draft rumors on today's 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, 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 FanDuel. Make every moment more. Right now, new customers get $200 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $200. If your bet wins, visit fanduel.com slash locked on to get started. Malik Neighbors had a private visit with the Tennessee Titans. I'm going to explain why he would be a great fit and why the Titans still have

a big need at wide receiver. We'll talk about why JC Latham is too big of a risk at offensive tackle and I am passing on edge rusher at pick number seven. We'll go over all the latest draft news for the Tennessee Titans before we get into it. Do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast 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. It's your team every day. Shout out to my everydayers out there

tuning in Monday through Friday couldn't do it without you guys had a great week on the show so far also make sure that you guys go check out my Legereus Sneed film breakdown on my Tic Tac Titans YouTube channel excellent stuff over there but throw a thumbs up on the video

if you're watching show's always free all I ask for in return is the press of a button and with that being said I just want to address the conversation around wide receiver right now with the Tennessee Titans and then tie that into the Malik neighbors news and rumors that we're hearing with the Titans as well. Number one, wide receiver is still a huge need for the Tennessee Titans. I do not understand how certain Titans fans have told themselves that because the Titans have signed Calvin Ridley, that they can ignore wide receiver

in the NFL draft. That is simply absurd, in my opinion. Wide receiver is still just as big of a need for the Tennessee Titans right now as it was before Calvin Ridley. And I know that that sounds crazy, but to me, I wanted the Titans to take a wide receiver in the top 100 picks, whether that be their first round pick, their second round pick. If they end up moving up into the third, the Titans need to take a wide receiver in the top 100.

And again, the signing of Calvin Ridley has not changed my mind on that. If the Titans can get one of the top wide receivers in the draft at seven, I still want them to do that. If the Titans take a wide receiver in the second round at number 38, I still want them to do that. If the Titans move up into the third round and haven't gotten a receiver yet, wide receiver needs to be the pick. I still believe that because here's some realities that we all need to accept.

I am as excited as anyone about Calvin Ridley, about DeAndre Hopkins, that pairing, but Calvin Ridley is going to be 30 years old by the end of this season. DeAndre Hopkins is 32 years old. DeAndre Hopkins is on the last year of his contract. So when you have two wide receivers who are both going to be over 30 by the end of the year, one who's going to be a free agent, to act like wide receiver is no longer a need is insane. And I know that some people right now are typing out B-U-R-K-S, Traylon Burks this, Traylon Burks that, Kyle Phillips. But I said it at the beginning of the all season. I said it during the season. Traylon Burks is a ghost to me.

Anything that Traylon Burks gives you is a cherry on the top. Anything that Traylon Burks gives you is a luxury. You cannot make roster decisions this all season based on Traylon Burks. I don't want to, if your retort to me is, well, I don't think we should do that because Traylon Burks, then don't want to, if your retort to me is, well, I don't think we should do that because Traylon Burks, then I don't care what you say. Because,

because Traylon Burks, it means nothing to me. So don't say, they can't do this because Traylon, they shouldn't do this because, stop it. Traylon Burks is a ghost until he proves otherwise.

So I don't want to hear anything about that. And, we are one DeAndre Hopkins or one Calvin Ridley injury away from having the same wide receiver group as last year. Not only do I think the Titans could take a wide receiver in the first round and should take a wide receiver early in this draft, I think they should take two still. Kyle Phillips and Traylon Burks mean

nothing to me. Again, maybe they bounce back in a better system. Maybe they turn into better players than we saw under Mike Vrabel's regime, but I cannot count on that as a roster builder for the Tennessee Titans. So that brings me to this point. If Malik Neighbors is there at number seven for the Tennessee Titans and Marvin Harrison Jr. and Joe Alt are off the board, I am taking Malik Neighbors every single time. No question. Again, great measurements at his LSU Pro Day on Wednesday. Came in at six foot tall, 200 pounds, ran a 4.35 40-yard dash,

had a 40-plus vertical jump, had a 10-9 broad jump. This guy is the most explosive athlete in the entire draft. Like, boom. All over the place. Can play inside. Can play outside. He could start out for the Titans with Calvin Ridley at the Z,

with DeAndre Hopkins at the X, and then Malik Neighbors is your number one slot guy. As you lose DeAndre Hopkins, you put Malik Neighbors as your outside guy who also has inside versatility, and he can be Will Levis' number one wide receiver for the long term. Will Levis does not have a long-term wide receiver one

right now. Calvin Ridley is a long-term wide receiver one right now. Calvin Ridley is a three-year thing at max, probably two. DeAndre Hopkins, again, is a free agent after the year. Burks and Phillips are ghosts to me. So if you get Malik Nabors, who, I mean, we're seeing Malik Nabors' stock rise by the minute on social media on Wednesday. Everyone's saying Malik Nabors.

Some people think Malik Nabors is the best player in the NFL draft period. All right, again, I would take Marvin Harrison Jr. over Malik Nabors. I would take Joe Ault over Malik Nabors at number seven for the Titans. But if those two are off the board and Malik Nabors is available, the Tennessee Titans should run to the podium again. The most explosive wide receiver period in this draft. He was incredibly productive in the SEC at LSU. He's a versatile guy with inside-outside capabilities,

and he is a yak demon. This guy will get massive yards after catch, which DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley have some ability there, but that's not the strength of their game. Ridley is a separator and a route runner. DeAndre Hopkins is a contested catch guy who can win in those combat catch situations. Malik Nabors would be a totally different skill set to throw into the Titans wide receiver group.

And it would take them, in my opinion, if you have Hopkins and Ridley and Nabors, you have one of the top five wide receiver groups, trios, in the entire NFL. So to go from maybe the worst wide receiver group in the NFL to one of the best overnight would be incredible. So, again, I'm taking Marvin Harrison Jr., I'm taking Joe Alt over Malik neighbors. But if those two are off the board and neighbors is there,

I'm taking him. No question about it because the Titans still have a major long-term need at wide receiver. They can improve in the short term as well. And like I've been saying throughout the draft process, if Nabors is off the board too,

I'm taking Romo Dunzay. Like, I think it is absurd to act like wide receiver is no longer a need for the Tennessee Titans because of the Calvin Ridley signing. Let me know whether you agree with me or disagree with me down below if Marvin Harrison Jr. and Joe All are off the board would you take neighbors? Would you take Roma Dunze?

Would you take Bowers? Would you take a different offensive tackle like potentially J. potentially JC Latham? Or maybe you go edge like Dallas Turner. I'm going to tell you guys why I think taking Latham at number seven and taking Dallas Turner at number seven are some of the craziest things I've heard all draft season. We'll get into that now. Before we do though, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by GameTime.

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We're breaking down the latest draft rumors and conversations surrounding the Tennessee Titans. We talked about the private visit with Malik Nabors and why he still would be a great option at number seven. But now I want to talk about offensive tackle because y'all know that I am the leader of the alt call. But lately, we've been hearing some things that the Titans may actually prefer another offensive tackle.

I'm going to dive into that and why I would absolutely not pass on alt for JC Latham. Before I get into it, thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day. Again, do want to remind you guys, go check out my film breakdown on Legereus Sneed. It's over at Tic Tac Titans on YouTube. I've shared some posts for you guys into the Locked on Titans feed on YouTube. Make sure that you guys go check that out.

Worked pretty hard on it. Appreciate all your support there. But I'll have a link to the film breakdown down in the description of the video, of the podcast, whatever. Just click on that. It'll take you right there. But we have been hearing some noise

around offensive tackle and the Titans. Number one, Chad Forbes, draft analyst, said that he thinks the Titans prefer J.C. Latham to Joe Ault, like they would take Latham over Ault. Seeing maybe some mock drafts hinted at that recently. I'm hearing some whispers as well that the Titans may prefer J.C. Latham to Joe Ault. Of course, J.C. Latham, offensive tackle, Alabama, monster. Just a monster of a guy.

6'6", 340 pounds, 35-inch arms, 11-inch hands. I mean, he is an absolute monster. All right? So I get it. I get the appeal. The position drills. He's looked fluid. He looks like he's a pretty good athlete. So I understand the appeal. I really do. And we hear the whispers about it as well. But for me, Latham is a huge risk alright there is no

okay if you want to I don't want the Titans to trade back but if the Titans were to trade back to 11, 12, 13, 14 and they take Latham there then alright I guess I could understand what they're doing

Latham was a right tackle for Alabama but you shift him over to left tackle for the Titans Tyron Smith is a guy who's had that happen under Bill Callahan. I believe Jedrick Wills did the same thing, switch him from right tackle over to left tackle under Bill Callahan. So Callahan can do that. Bill Callahan can make a guy switch from right to left and he can make that work. So I'm not really as worried about switching from right to left, and he can make that work. So I'm not really as worried about switching from right to left.

But here is my concern. J.C. Latham didn't do any athletic testing, either at the Combine or at his pro day. So short shuttle, three cone, things like that. He didn't do any of the athletic testing. And in the past, in the past, there are players who are J.C. Latham's size, 6'6", 340, that big.

I mean, most of the offensive tackles are 20 pounds lighter. Alright? There have been players in the past who were that size, who did not test, who went in the past who were that size, who did not test, who went in the first round, and in the last 10 years, they were Mekhi Becton and Isaiah Wilson. Yes, Panda, the Titans, first round bust.

One of the worst draft picks in NFL history. My guy Will Lomas pointed that out on Twitter. In the last 10 years, there's only been two guys that size that went in the first round that didn't do any athletic testing in the pre-draft process, and it's Becton and Panda.

So, again, if the Titans move back, if the Titans trade back and pick up Latham, I can at least understand, but if the Titans truly prefer J.C up Latham? I can at least understand, but if the Titans truly prefer J.C. Latham to Joe Ault, and if, God forbid, Joe Ault is on the board at seven and the Titans take J.C. Latham over him, I'm going to have a hard time dealing with that.

I'm going to have a hard time having a positive reaction to that. Also worth noting here, Joe Goodberry, who covers the Cincinnati Bengals, is kind of, you know, I guess a similar situation to me. He's not a beat writer. You know, he just provides analysis as a fan. No question about it. So a fanalist, I'll call it.

That's, you know, that's what I never try to act like. I'm some journalist or beat reporter or anything. I'm a fan just like you guys. Just with, you know, obviously a lot of information to give and things like that. So Joe Goodberry does great work for the Cincinnati Bengals. And he pointed out, when the Bengals have taken risks on guys who didn't do the pre-draft testing, guys like Cedric Abouye, Billy Price, Jackson Carman,

they've all been busts. None of them have worked out. Now there are other guys on the other side of that. I mean, like Christian Derusaw from the Minnesota Vikings, one of the better left tackles in the NFL. He didn't do any testing either. So there are examples, both good and bad, of this situation. But again, to me, it's all about risk. All right.

If Joe Alt is on the board, the Tennessee Titans cannot pass up on the most pro-ready plug and play left tackle to take a risk on JC Latham, who didn't do testing, who is really, really big, and who played right tackle and you got to move him to left tackle. It's just too many things, too many risks to take to pass up on Joe Ault. Like, there's no way. There's no way that the Titans will do that.

There's no way that... I could not rationalize that. There's no way that I could get on here. If the Titans take J.C. Latham at No. 7 over Joe Ault, there's no way I could get on here to do my live show after that pick and act like I'm happy about it. There's just no way. And look, I get

I get the, and let's just talk about you know, JC Latham is a player, again, monster size. He's super strong, really powerful. He's got decent mobility on tape. He does get beat inside sometimes. He can overset on his pass pro.

You know, get too deep and then guys beat him inside. That's possible. There's technique in there, but he's a strong guy. Good anchor. I mean, you know, there's obviously examples on tape of people losing in different ways. But overall, I understand the appeal. He is a first-round offensive tackle. Make no mistake about it.

He is a first-round offensive tackle. I'm not saying that he isn't. What I'm saying is taking him at No. 7 is a risk. Taking him over Joe Ault at No. 7 is a risk. Trading down and passing up on Joe Ault Malik Neighbors or Roma Dunze or whatever and then taking Latham is also a risk. So I just don't see a scenario where the Titans can pick J.C. Latham where it is a massive risk that I would definitely have questions about.

So that's really what it comes down to. And again, examples in the last 10 years of guys picked in the first round at J.C. Latham's size who didn't do any pre-draft testing according to my friend Will Lomas, Mekhi Becton, and Isaiah Wilson.

Is that the risk that you want to take at offensive tackle? And you say, hey, if Bill Callahan signs off on it, I trust him. And I get that. I really do. But I would also tell you that John Robinson has forgotten more about NFL football than all of us watching right now and me combined will ever know.

And he traded A.J. Brown. So people make mistakes, whether they're experts or not. That's all I have to say. But some people think the Titans should go defense at number seven, and I think that is even crazier. So I'll explain why before I do. Do you want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel? Say goodbye to all your busted brackets,

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breaking down recent NFL draft rumors, draft conversations. We got the Titans' private visit with Malik Nabors. We got Titans potentially preferring J.C. Latham to Joe Ault. Now I want to talk about the potential to take an edge rusher at pick number seven and why I think it's so crazy. Before I do, thank you for making Locked on Titans your first listen each and every day. Also want to ask you,

are you guys watching Fox Sports and ESPN on your TV all day? What are you doing? Make sure to turn off the nonsense and make the switch to Locked on Sports today. It's a free 24-7 streaming sports show that's bringing you the biggest stories every single day without all the nonsense that you get from the big channels. Locked On Sports Today brings you can't-miss analysis,

opinions, and news streaming 24-7. It's on YouTube, and it's free on the Amazon Fire TV channels app, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. It's your team every day on Locked On Sports Today. But I want to talk about edge rusher. So I talked about how wide receiver is such a huge need for the Tennessee Titans at the beginning of the show. We talked about Malik Nabors, how I think he would be a good fit,

how I think some people are being crazy about acting like wide receiver isn't a big need short-term and long-term for the Tennessee Titans. We talked about JC Latham and the conversation at offensive tackle. Okay, but now I need to talk about edge rusher. And if you're looking at long-term needs, I would say offensive tackle is number one. Wide receiver is still number two. And then edge rusher is number one. Wide receiver is still number two. And then edge rusher is number three. I would have had cornerback there,

but with Chito and LeJarrius Sneed and Roger McCreary, to me, that number three need is edge rusher. And if the Titans hit a wide receiver in the early rounds, I'm moving edge rusher up after the draft to the Titans Titans secondary need. I would imagine it would be tough to take offensive tackle off the board even if they get one high.

But I get the edge is a need. And we talked about what Callahan said on yesterday's show. My everydayers remember. He said that Harold Landry is a, you know, someone who's proven he can be a great pass rusher. Arden Key is a situational rusher. That means the Titans need another starting edge. And Harold Landry is getting older.

He's not a long-term solution for much longer. I mean, I would say this year and then next year. And after that, Harold Landry would probably be gone. And then you need another edge rusher. And the Titans really need a third edge rusher anyway. So again, I understand the need. But taking edge rusher at number seven, when you have the needs that you do at offensive tackle, the long-term need that wide receiver is, and the players that will be available, like there's just no way that the Titans can pass on Roma Dunze, Malik Nabors, Joe Ault, for Dallas Turner, or Latu, or Jared Verse.

You know, like, there's just no way. Or, hell, I'll throw Byron Murphy in there, although he's an interior defensive lineman. There's just Johnny Newton. There's just no way. There's just no way that the Titans can pass on the offensive talent that's going to be available in this draft to go defense. If you want to go edge rusher in the second round, I'm open to that now. If you want to hit edge rusher in the top 100 and make a trade up

and get somebody in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, I'm all for it. I think the edge is a need. I really do. But there is no way that the Titans could take one of those top three edge rushers at seven. And here's why. Here's my thought process. All right.

While Dallas Turner is a good player, Latu, good player, Jared Verse, good player. These are good players. None of these guys are a home run, no doubt about it, top tier edge rusher. Like, none of these guys are Aiden Hutchinson or Miles

Garrett or Nick Bosa. Like, these guys aren't on that level. If there was a pass rusher, an edge rusher, that was considered that level of prospect, then I would say, okay, alright, maybe, maybe. But Turner and Latu and Burst, these guys are not on that level. They are a level below that.

So you can't pass up on offensive tackle, wide receiver, to take one of these edge rushers. You just cannot do that, alright? Again, I love the options that could be there in the second round. I mean, think like a Darius Robinson. Think like a Chris Braswell. Think like a Marshawn Neyland. Like, these are really good options that I would be fine with taking

at pick number 38, or if the Titans drop back and trade down a little bit in the second round to the 40s or the 50s. Like, you take one of those guys in that spot, recouping some of those picks, I think that makes a ton of sense. But again, it is just absurd to think that the

Titans could take Turner, Latu, or Verse, or Newton, or Murphy, like, at pick number seven. Not only because I think that's way too high to take those guys, but also because you'd be passing up on other positions with more talented players, in my opinion. So, the conversation about edge and the Titans

is starting to kind of percolate. Just know, I'm telling you right now, I think that's absurd. I also think taking JC Latham over Joe All or taking Latham at seven at all is absurd. And I think people who think that wide receiver all of a sudden isn't a need for the Titans and they can't take one at pick number seven, I think that's absurd as well. So, draft conversations, stuff that I'm hearing, absolutely nuts.

Let me know how you guys feel down below. Would you take Malik Neighbors at seven if he was the best player there? Would you take JC Latham over Joe All? Would you take an edge rusher at number seven? Let me know how you guys feel, but that is going to do it for today's edition

of the Locked on Titans podcast. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland. And this was Locked on Titans.