Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST DRAFT Tight Ends in Each Round of the 2023 NFL Draft and Best System Fits

Episode Date: April 17, 2023

The Tennessee Titans need a ton of help on offense and one of the positions that gets neglected is tight end. The Titans have second year player Chig Okonkwo, but need a Y-Styler tight end to pair with him. There are options in every round for the Titans, where will they go? Tyler goes over his favorites options and more!!Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. Visit BetterHelp.com/lockedon today to get 10% off your first month.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Ultimate Football GMTo download the game just visit Ultimate-GM.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Tennessee Titans could find a starter at tight end in every round of this draft. I'm going to tell you who they are 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 every day. Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. On today's show, we are continuing the 2023 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview Series with the tight end position.

There are starters in this draft in almost every single round. So I'm going to point out who are the best fits for the Titans. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. Let me know down in the comments who you think the perfect fit for the Titans at tight end is. Before we get into my list of tight ends, I do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. And shout out to my everydayers listening to the show,

watching the show Monday through Friday, five days a week. Shout out to you guys. Do want to let you guys know that the Locked on Titans podcast is indeed Monday through Friday on all platforms, all year round, always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast where it's your team every day. But diving in here, the number one tight end on my list is Michael Mayer from Notre

Dame. He's six foot4", 250 pounds. And look, guys, here's what I want to dive into before I get too far into the prospect list. Yes, the Titans have Chig Okonkwo, who was one of the most explosive players in the NFL last year. But we must understand the limitations of Chig Okonkwo at this point in his career.

He is not a prototypical in-line wide tight end that lines up next to the offensive tackle with his hand in the dirt and takes on blocking assignments one-on-one. That's simply not what he is. You want to know why Jeff Swaim played so much last year? Because Chika Conquo can't do what they ask Jeff Swaim to do. Chika Conquo is a move tight end that can line up in the slot, that can line up detached from the formation, that can line up as a wing player.

If you get in second and short situations or certain situations out there, depending on down and distance, then Chigaconquo can be out there with his hand in the dirt. But more often than not, you need a prototypical wide inline tight end to pair with Chigaconkwo, and you would have a dynamic tight end duo. So that's why I'm going to bring Mayer back up here.

Mayer is a big, strong, physical athlete with great body control for a guy his size. He runs good routes. He understands how to be patient within his routes. He drives guys in run blocking as well. He was incredibly productive during college, but here's the reality. He doesn't have great speed. He's not going to be like a field stretcher going down the seam, and that's something that we're going to talk about throughout the day. He doesn't have great wiggle to make guys miss and run after catch, but he can do it, and of course, as with

all these tight ends, even the good blocking tight ends in college, they need to improve and sustain different things through whether it's technique, whether it's their angle, stuff like that. Mayer gets on guys, he can drive guys, but he's just got to be able to sustain his blocks even longer at the next level. So that's something that it's not surprising to hear. But at the end of the day, Michael Mayer is probably a first round prospect. And while I'm not a huge fan of the Titans trading down in the draft, Mayer would absolutely be a candidate for them as a trade down target if they move down in the first round.

Now, for my money, I still don't want them to do that. So Mayer is a starting tight end that can be found in the first round that would be a great fit for the Titans. But with the depth in this tight end class, I think the Titans could wait a little bit longer to get their tight end. The next guy that I want to mention here is Dalton Kincaid out of Utah. He's six foot three, 246 pounds., this guy is not your prototypical in-line wide tight end. Dalton Kincaid is more of a Chigaconkwo style tight end where he's a move tight end that's going to be a wing

or detached from the formation. He's a former basketball player, and you can see it. He's long. He's agile. Good hands. Smooth adjustments to the ball when trying to catch the ball away from his body. Makes good breaks in and out of his route. He's a willing blocker. He may not be the best blocker, but he's a willing blocker.

But at the end of the day, he's a very slender guy. He's got to get a lot stronger if he ever wants to be the blocker that the Titans would need him to be. And he had multiple injuries in 2022, and that's a concern. For me, Dalton Kincaid doesn't fit for the Titans. I see him too much overlap with Chika Konkwo. It's not a balancing act there with those two. So with Dalton Kincaid's current projection being drafted in the first round, maybe early second round, I would probably have to pass

on Dalton Kincaid at that price if I were the Titans. Moving forward though, the next guy on my list I think would just be a fantastic fit for the Titans and it is Luke Musgrave out of Oregon State. Six foot five, 250 pounds. He can be your inline tight end. He played in a very run heavy system in Oregon State. So that should appeal to the Tennessee Titans. But he can also be a combination tight end where he has the athleticism to be detached from the formation. Maybe line up in the slot a little bit. He's tall. He's long, super long arms, which helps him with his catch radius as well. Good acceleration in and out of his breaks during his routes. He can pluck the ball out of the air with those long arms, with strong hands. He's a good blocker as well, and he has incredible football character. I think Luke Musgrave makes a ton of sense

for the Titans. Look, he's not great at taking contact with his catches. He's not a guy who's going to be great over the middle all the time. He needs to understand how to better pace his routes out. He runs at full speed all the time. He's got to learn to throttle it down a little bit and sell his routes that way. And he's got medical concerns. He missed 11 games last year in college football with a knee injury. Now, recently, he was cleared by his doctor for full football contact, full football play, all of that. But it's going to be a concern, but that should help bring his price down, and at pick 41 for the Titans, or if, God forbid, they trade down into the second round

from the first round, I think Luke Musgrave instantly becomes a really great option for them because he can pair with Chigaconqua, but at the end of the day, guys, you know, But at the end of the day, guys, you know, my number one tight end target for the Titans based on value and skill set is Darnell Washington from Georgia. 6'6 and change, 264 pounds. We're going to talk about different types of tight ends. There's a wide tight end. There's move tight ends. There's big slot tight ends. There's combination. There is no doubt that Darnell Washington is a traditional wide in-line tight end. He would be an ideal pairing with Chigaconko, an absolute monster with his

size and his strength. He's got strong hands that benefit him when catching the football and running the ball. Because of his size and his speed, he's good run after the catch as well. A tough guy to bring down and he is the best blocking tight end in the draft. Drives guys off the ball. And look, he's a big physical guy. Is he going to have great straight line speed? No. Is he going to have great agility and speed? No. Is he going to have great agility and change of direction? No. He doesn't run a very exquisite route tree, let's say, a very simple route tree at this time. And he had five penalties in 2022. So there are some concerns. But my God, that size, that athleticism, that strength, the versatility to help in the passing game,

athleticism, that strength, the versatility to help in the passing game, to block in the run game. The Titans could not possibly find a better prospect to pair with Chika Conquote tight end than Darnell Washington. And I think that there's a good chance that you could get him in the second round. So the Titans have to consider it. He has to be on their radar, but we're going to move forward. Talk about some of the tight ends that you could have later in the draft, and I keep going back to a quote I saw from Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network saying that there are 10 or more potential starting tight ends in this draft class, and you could see why with all the names that we have remaining. Before we get into it though, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Grand Slams. No hitters

and double plays are back. There's no better place to get in on the action with the MLB season than FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Right now, new customers can step up to the plate with a no sweat first bet up to $1,000. Just go to Fananduel.com slash locked on to sign up, place your first bet and get up to $1,000 back in bonus bets even if you don't win. Don't miss your chance to get a no sweat first bet up to $1,000 when you join FanDuel today. Just go to FanDuel.com slash locked on to sign up. It's FanDuel, an official partner of Major League Baseball. Titans fans, we are going to continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast.

We talked about some of the top tight ends in the draft. I think Michael Mayer, Luke Musgrave, Darnell Washington, all could make great sense for the Titans. Now we're going to move into some of the mid-round prospects that should be available that could end up being starters for the Titans next season. Before we get into it, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.

Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content on all platforms all year long and always for free. Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, where it's your team every day. Once again, shout out to my everydayers listening to the show every single weekday, Monday through Friday, YouTube watching from Sunday through Thursday night. watching from Sunday through Thursday night.

Next, I guess, segment, next episode in our draft preview series will be the offensive tackles. We're going to talk offensive tackles tomorrow. We're going to talk interior offensive line on Thursday. Make sure that you don't miss out. And if you miss quarterback, running back, or wide receiver, go back and check those out as well. But diving back into our list here, the next guy that I have could be the most realistic target for the Titans. And it's Tucker Kraft from San Diego or South Dakota State University, six foot four, 254 pounds. He can be a wide tight end. He could be a combo tight end if you needed it.

He is agile. Some of these bigger tight ends don't have great change of direction or great agility. They have some straight line speed or they're just strength guys. Tucker Kraft has good agility and good shake, especially after the catch as well. Not only that, but he has good vertical speed to stretch the seam down the middle of the field, which is incredibly important in today's NFL. And with strong hands and good adjustments, he has the ability to pluck the ball out of the air. He is not afraid of contact over the middle of the field. He is a strong guy in run after catch. He is going to be a tough guy to bring down, and he can block.

I always feel like Boobie Miles' uncle, or yeah, it was Boobie Miles' uncle in the Friday Night Lights movie, and he can pass with tight ends, though. And he can block because that is so important to what the Titans do as an offense. Now look, with Tucker Craft, he's not the most

precise route runner. That's something he'll have to work on. Part of that is his tempo. He's another guy going 100 miles per hour all the time throughout his routes. He's got to learn to vary his speed to set things up. He's got to get better with his blocking technique, but the physicality, the aggressiveness, the willingness to block is all there. I think Tucker Kraft could be a guy

that the Titans get in the third round. They could immediately pair with Chica Conquo and be their two starting tight ends going forward. The next guy that I want to mention here is Sam Laporta from Iowa. Now, a lot of people, a lot of people are high on Sam Laporta. Some people are calling him a baby Gronkowski. All of that. Look, he's 6'3", 245 pounds. He's a combo tight end. He's not a traditional inline tight end.

He's a guy who was detached from the formation. Iowa split him out as a wide receiver a ton. I couldn't believe it when watching the tape how often that he was outside as a receiver. Just lined up literally as a receiver. So that's value that he brings. I don't know if that makes him as great of a fit for the Titans as maybe a Tucker Craft or a Darnell Washington or a Michael Mayer, for example. But Laporta has just an incredibly strong frame. I mean, look at the picture if you're watching on YouTube.

He is a stocky guy, but he has really good change of direction, really good agility. He is a nimble guy, and he's so good, so good with yards after catch. I get why people give him the Gronk comparison after they watch what he does with the ball in his hands. He's got good hands and incredible character and incredible production during his time in college.

So that's pretty important. Now, look, with Sam Laporta, you're not going to get deep straight line speed. You're not going to get long speed out of Laporta. He has the tendencies to have some focus drops as well because he's so focused on run after the catch. He's got shorter arms, so he's not a guy that is great in contested catch situations either. He's more of a guy you want to dump the ball to him and then let him do his work run after

catch. So that could have some allure for the Titans who are all about getting their guys the ball in space. That's what they want to do, even if they don't execute it properly all the time. Look, he does have the ability to block. He's just got to be more consistent with his blocking that, you know, I could say that about a lot of these tight ends, but at the end of the day, I like Sam Laporta, but I just think that some of his skillset is overlapping with Chigaconquo, and I don't know if that's going to

be the best value to the Titans. The next guy that I want to mention is the guy that we talked about yesterday, and I'm not going to spend a ton of time here because we did talk about him yesterday, but we talked about Luke Schoonmaker out of Michigan, 6'5", 251 pounds. We want to talk about a traditional inline wide tight end. That is exactly what Schoonmaker is. He can be a wing guy as well if you need him to be, but he's a size-speed combination. Great speed, straight line, great size, very coordinated in and out of his breaks as well. He's got good body control to pluck

the ball out of the air. He's a great blocker as well, and I think when we talk about Sam Laporta, Tucker Craft, Darnell Washington, Musgrave, Kincaid, Mayer, these are all guys that are going to go in the first three rounds. I think Schoonmaker is a guy that can be had outside of the top 100.

You could possibly get him in the fourth round. I think that could make a lot of sense for the Titans. Now, look, he's not going to be a run-after-catch threat. He's not a guy who does great in traffic, catching the ball in contested situations. He is going to be 25 years old by the time the season comes around, and he has dealt with a lot of injuries the last few years at Michigan, but for the price tag that he's going to have this late and what he could do as a pairing with Chigaconquo, I think it would make

a ton of sense for the Titans to consider Luke Schoonmaker late in the draft. Now we're going to get into some guys that are going to be available even later. I'm looking at fifth round or later for these guys, and the next guy we're going to talk about is Brenton Strange, guy out of Penn State, six foot three, 253 pounds. He's more of a move tight end than he is an inline tight end, a wide tight end. He's another guy, really athletic, really competitive, good at plucking the ball out of the air, strong hands, adjustments to the ball, body control, all that, but doesn't have great size, doesn't have great length, doesn't run very good routes,

and I just don't think he's a very good fit for the Titans with Chica Conquo. They need somebody who's more reliable as a blocker. The next guy I want to mention here is Davis Allen out of Clemson. 6'5", 245 pounds. He's another move tight end. Look, he's got good size. He makes good adjustments to the ball. He's good at the catch point. He'll go over the middle of the field and

win, but he lacks burst. Doesn't really give you much yards after the catch. Doesn't really have great speed either. So, I mean, Davis Allen just doesn't give you a lot of upside. He gives you a lot of just, hey, he's going to do the job. But if the Titans are going to take a guy who's just a do-the-job type guy, I want it to be more of a traditional in-line wide tight end who could pair better with Chigakonkwo than somebody who has some of the skill set that overlaps with Chigakonkwo. And I don't think it brings as much value to the Titans.

But with that in mind, we're going to move into the late round portion of today's show. There are two tight ends in this next grouping that I would be very, very happy if the Titans came away with them. We're going to dive into that in just a moment. Titans fans we are going to cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast

your first listen every day Monday through Friday Tennessee Titans content on all platforms, all year round, and always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure you get subscribed and stay subscribed. It's Locked on Titans, your team, every day. Also, shout out to my everydayers out there listening to the show every single day of the week, Monday through Friday.

You guys are the troopers here. You're the superstars here. Definitely do appreciate you guys. And if you aren't an everydayer, you got to get yourself there. Every day, your free Titans content is going to be here for you. But we are in the tight end portion of the 2023 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview. We've covered quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers. We're hitting tight ends. We're covered quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers.

We're hitting tight ends. We're moving to offensive tackles tomorrow. Interior offensive line after that. We'll hit all the positions on the defensive side of the ball as well. Make sure if you missed any of the previous installments, you check those out and be ready for all the installments that are coming for you throughout the next few days. But getting back into the tight end group, the next tight end I want to talk about is Zach Kuntz.

And look, a lot of people are kind of drooling over Zach Kuntz right now. I'm just not a big fan of how he fits with the Titans. I see Zach Kuntz as, I don't want to say Austin Hooper, because Austin Hooper, when he came out of the as, I don't want to say Austin Hooper because Austin Hooper, when he came out of the draft, I don't think is a good comparison, but maybe like, maybe,

trying to think, one of these, like, I don't want to say Evan Ingram either, but that might be the closest thing to drive home my point. I wouldn't say that's a great comparison, but just to drive home my point, I think he say that's a great comparison, but just to drive home my point,

I think he's more of a big slot. Zach Koontz in the NFL, I don't think he's a guy who can line up in line and be a blocker. He's 6'7", 255 pounds. He is a freak athlete. Make no mistake about it. He dominated the combine in the vertical jump,

the broad jump, all that stuff. I mean, he is a freak athlete. He can stretch the field vertically with the speed, and he'll play physically and catch the ball over the middle. He will. But he doesn't have bulk. He's close to wide receiver size. He's not a guy who's going to block. He doesn't have great routes.

He's not a guy who wins with refinement in his routes. He just wins athletically with speed. And he played at Old Dominion. So the competition level has to concern you as well. For me, Kuntz is a day three option in the draft. But I just don't think he's a very good fit for the Titans. So it would be a pass for me. The next guy that I want to talk about, though,

is a guy I really, really like. And it's Josh Weil out of Cincinnati. Six foot six, 248 pounds. He can be an inline tight end. He can detach from the formation a little bit as well. He is a size speed prospect. A guy that size with his speed, it's hard to find. He's really good at reading coverages, knowing where to sit down in the nooks and the crannies of zones. He makes good adjustments to catch the ball even when the ball is away from his frame. He's a guy who's a willing blocker. He's a guy who's a physical blocker.

And there were some, according to his coaches and some scouts, there were some maturity concerns early on, but he's grown as a man through four years at Cincinnati and become one of the team leaders by the end of it. He's not a guy who tracks the ball downfield very well. He has some focus drops as well, which are things that need to be cleaned up. He's not a guy who does well catching the ball in traffic either.

Not much of a run after catch option either, and he's had some injuries, but that's why he would be available in the fifth or sixth round for the Titans. So you look at the positives, the side speed, side speed combination, his ability to read coverages, adjust to the ball to make catches, his willingness to be a blocker. That's all important to me. So if the Titans got Josh Weill in the fifth or the sixth round, I couldn't say that I would be mad. The next guy I want to talk about is Cameron Latu from Alabama,

6'4", 242 pounds. He's more of a combo tight end as well, can do a little inline, can be a wing tight end as well. He's a controlled athlete. He's a smooth athlete. He's quick in and out of his breaks. He's a willing blocker, which you have to be at Alabama. But he just doesn't give you much in the way of size and bulk

and ability to add mass. Not a guy with great speed either. Kind of pedestrian across the board in a lot of places. He's had some drop issues, and he's not a big threat after the catch. So for me, I mean, I can accept this late in the draft, some downside, of course, to these prospects, but I just don't see Latou's build as a tight end and his skill set as a tight end

pairing well with Chigaconquo, which is my entire goal here in this draft is to get a tight end in a great, historically great tight end class, but to get one that pairs with Chigaconquo, and there are enough tight ends in this class that pair really well with Chigaconquo, then I'm not interested in Cameron Latu, even if it's in the sixth round. But a guy in the sixth round who I am interested in is Payne Durham out of Purdue, 6'5", 253 pounds, can be your Y inline tight end.

He's got good length. He's a long athlete. Great hands. He's got great hands. He does not drop the ball. He'll pluck the ball out of the air, which is incredibly important. He's going to be tough over the middle of the field, and he's a guy who will block.

He's durable as well. I believe he only missed one game out of 54 games in college, so he's a guy who's durable. He blocks. He gives you a lot of upside as a receiver, even if it's not the most incredible receiving tape that you're going to watch. At the end of the day, doesn't have great speed overall, long speed.

Needs to work on his route tempo and his pacing of his routes not a great run after catch option either and he's got to learn how to drive people off the ball he's more of a positional blocker right now but that'll come with time but to me in the 6th round if you were to get Payne Durham in the

6th round I think he could play for you right away and that's how deep and talented this wide receiver group or this tight end group is in this draft. I mean, it's just a really great group of guys. The last guy I want to mention is Will Mallory out of Miami. Six foot four, 239 pounds. He was the fastest tight end at the combine.

He had the fastest 40-yard dash. was the fastest tight end at the combine. He had the fastest 40-yard dash, but guys, the fastest 40-yard dash was a 4.54 for Will Mallory. Chig ran a 4.39 last year. We have a speed tight end, an athletic tight end, so Mallory is really athletic, good speed, can go vertical, good catch radius. He has a lot of pedigree, NFL pedigree in his family, family members who are players and coaches in the NFL. And I just kind of bank on guys like that, that they're going to figure it out. But look, Mallory doesn't play with physicality,

not a good blocker, doesn't have great strength, doesn't create good separation for a guy as athletic as he is. Just not a fit, Just not a fit. Just not a fit. So for me, you look at the tight ends that I really like. Michael Mayer in the first round. Luke Musgrave, Darnell Washington in the second round. Tucker Kraft, Sam Laporta in the third round.

Luke Schoonmaker in the fourth round. Josh Weil and Payne Durham in the sixth round. Those are all great options, and if the Titans come away with one of those tight ends, I think they did a great job in this draft. But remember, tomorrow it's time to dive into the offensive line. We're doing offensive tackles. On Thursday, we're doing interior offensive line.

Very excited to dive into all that, and I'm seeing across my timeline here, the Titans have signed another linebacker. My God, another linebacker. It's Ben Neiman. Had like 70 tackles last year. Could play on special teams. Just another depth signing.

I think really what it means is they have no allegiance to Chance Campbell or Jack Gibbons, maybe even a lack of faith in Monty Rice at that point. But either way, I wanted to mention that signing before we move on, but I can't really tell you that I think it's very big news. That's going to do it for me today, though, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.