Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans NEED an Edge, Late Round Edge Projects and Coverage Linebackers Steals

Episode Date: April 24, 2023

The Tennessee Titans could use a couple more linebackers on the depth chart, but for specific roles that need filled. Tyler goes over the DEEP edge rusher class and who fits for the Titans. Finally, t...he Titans need a coverage linebacker and there are some that fill that need throughout the days of the draft. Tyler points out the best fits.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

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans may look to draft two linebackers in the NFL draft, and there are specific roles on the defense that need filled. I'll tell you who can fill them and what round they can be selected 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 Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast.
Starting point is 00:00:55 I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. We are diving into the defense in the 2023 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview. We've gone through the entire offense. And on today's show, we're going to be touching on inside linebacker and edge rusher. There are specific needs and specific roles within the defense that need to be filled and the Titans can find them in the draft. Before I get into the edge class and the linebacker class, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on a journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. Visit betterhelp.com slash locked on today to get 10% off your first month. Once again, I want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast
Starting point is 00:01:45 your first listen every day, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content on all platforms all year round and always for free. Make sure you get subscribed and stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. It is the Locked on Titans podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, where it's your team every day. Again, this is our first defensive installment in our draft preview series.
Starting point is 00:02:11 We've talked about quarterbacks. We've talked about running backs, wide receiver, tight end, offensive tackles, and interior offensive line. Make sure you go back and check out any of those episodes if you missed it. We're going to be doing linebackers today.
Starting point is 00:02:24 Tomorrow, we're going to cap off the defense. And then I got a ton of draft preview content coming for you guys later in the week. And then throughout the weekend, I'm going to be doing shows and going live every single day after the draft concludes. I'll have a full draft recap on Sunday night. So I'm going to have a show out every single day for the next 14 straight days, something like that, 12 straight days. So make sure you get subscribed and stay subscribed. But diving right in, we got a lot of prospects to talk about on today's show, folks. So we're going to start with the edge rusher class. And look, everybody knows about Will Anderson from Alabama. Super
Starting point is 00:02:59 twitchy, super fast, great hands. He's going to go in the top five. Same thing, Tyree Wilson from Texas Tech. Tyree Wilson, to me, is more of a defensive end, edge rusher, where he's a hand in the dirt, you know, four-man front. But out of Texas Tech, 6'5", 271. He's got all the tools that you want, length, speed, power. Maybe not the natural player that Anderson is,
Starting point is 00:03:23 but both Wilson and Anderson are probably going to go top five, top 10 at minimum. And I don't think that they're going to be options for the Titans, but for the Titans, if they're looking at edge rusher, we heard earlier in the draft process from Matt Miller of ESPN that the Titans may be aiming to take a pass rusher with that first round pick. If that's the case, two guys that make a lot of sense for the Titans. Number one, Lucas Van Ness from Iowa, six foot five, 270 pounds. So he's big, he's long, he's powerful, and he's got a little bit of twitch to him as well. He's a guy who was a backup at Iowa, but people project him to be a much better player in the pros. He's young, so he could still develop. He could still get better.
Starting point is 00:04:08 He's got to work on the timing of his rush. He just needs a little bit of seasoning. But a guy at 6'5", 270 pounds, with that length, that power, that athleticism, it's hard to find that. So he could be a guy that the Titans are interested in at pick number 11. Another guy who could make some sense at pick number 11, I think it'd be a little rich for my blood, but it's Nolan Smith from Georgia, 6'2", 238 pounds.
Starting point is 00:04:33 He's an explosive athlete. He's very flexible to get around the loop, around the bend, you know, when he's rushing against an offensive tackle. He's got strong hands as well, which is really important for a guy who's only 6'2", 238 pounds. He needs to work on his rush plans, you know, putting his moves together. We're going to hear that a lot when I critique these prospects. A lot of these guys just got natural talent, but they're not somebody who are, they're not guys who are technically sound. And that's, it's almost like blocking with tight ends. I always say that tight ends need to get better
Starting point is 00:05:06 with their technique and their fundamentals when they come out of college and go into the pros. Even if they're a good blocker in college, they still need to work on their technique and fundamentals. I think a guy like Nolan Smith who needs to improve in his rush plan, he's a little lean too. You'd like him to put a little bit more
Starting point is 00:05:22 mass on his body, but either way, I think Nolan Smith at pick number 11, could be an option for the Titans. He could go that high. If they're interested, I wouldn't go that high. But, you know, the Titans may not agree with what I want to do. Another guy that we can mention here is Miles Murphy. He's 6'4", 268 pounds, burst length, good hands, out of Clemson.
Starting point is 00:05:44 More of a defensive end, in my opinion. So I don't know that he's as good of a fit for the Titans as maybe some other guys on the board. You have BJ, hold on one second here for you guys. BJ Ujulari, whose brother Aziz Ujulari plays for the Giants from LSU. He's another guy who I think would play outside as an edge rusher, 6'2", 248 pounds, an explosive, bendy guy who just is a little bit lean. But for me, I think that Ojolari is going to be in that late first round,
Starting point is 00:06:16 early second round conversation. And I don't know if his value matches up with where the Titans are going to be picking. Another guy is Felix Nudike Uzama. Nudike Uzama. Oh yeah, there we go. Boom. Check that off. Was ready for it. Kansas State, edge rusher, 6'3". He's a power rusher. He doesn't really have the twitch or the burst that you would want, but he's got a ton of power and effort and energy. He would be another guy who I would think go late first, early second. May not be there for the Titans, but here's got a ton of power and effort and energy. He would be another guy who I would think would go late first, early second. May not be there for the Titans,
Starting point is 00:06:47 but here's another guy. I've seen him go in mock drafts as high as like the top 15, but I've also seen him be available at pick 41 quite a bit. Depends on where you go, but Will McDonald from Iowa State is a guy that I absolutely love for the Titans. If the Titans take an edge rusher in the first couple of rounds,
Starting point is 00:07:08 I think Will McDonald at pick 41 would just be an absolute home run for the Titans. He's 6'3", 239 pounds. So, yeah, he's a little lean. He's not the strongest edge rusher that you're going to have out there, but he's got great length. He's a twitched-up guy who's incredibly explosive. And And look, when we're talking about roles that need to be filled within the Titans offense, if Rashad Weaver transitions into more of a Danico Autry role as Danico Autry gets older and they try to put Rashad Weaver there, which I think the free agent signing of Arden
Starting point is 00:07:42 Key could point us in that direction. If the Titans choose to move Arden Key or keep Arden Key on the edge nonstop as a starter, and of course you have Landry on the other side, and then they start using Rashad Weaver in a Danico Autry role more often and rushing him from the interior and sub package, well, then I think having a third rotational edge rusher who is just an edge rusher. He doesn't play against the run. He doesn't come in on early downs. He literally is a rotational pass rusher
Starting point is 00:08:11 and a guy who plays on special teams and a guy who the Titans are trying to develop, basically, into an everyday starter. I think Will McDonald would be an absolute slam dunk for the Titans in the second round at pick 41, especially if people are talking about him maybe going in the first round. I think Will McDonald, for me, has a little bit of Harold Landry to him. No, he's not the biggest edge rusher in the world,
Starting point is 00:08:36 but the length, the twitch, the bend, the explosion, if you could find that in the second round, I think you truly got to consider it. But we're going to move forward. We got more edge rushers to talk about. If you could find that in the second round, I think you truly got to consider it. But we're going to move forward. We got more edge rushers to talk about. We're going to talk day two, day three edge rushers who make sense for the Titans at the back end of the draft. Then we're going to transition and finish the show
Starting point is 00:08:59 talking about linebackers. Guys, we still have over 20 prospects to break down on a jam-packed edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Before we get into the rest of it, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp.com. BetterHelp is online therapy. It's secure.
Starting point is 00:09:19 It's safe. I think you really need to give it a try. Look, guys, getting to know yourself can be a lifelong process, especially because we're always growing. We're always changing. Therapy, some people think about therapy as they need to fix some kind of issue. It doesn't always have to be that. Therapy can just be about deepening your self-awareness and understanding of yourself because sometimes we don't know what we want or why we react the way that we do until we talk things through with somebody. BetterHelp connects you to a licensed
Starting point is 00:09:50 therapist that can take you on that journey of self-discovery no matter where you are at. For me personally, I really enjoyed working with BetterHelp. I have the tendency to get a little fired up as you guys maybe can tell. So figuring out what things kind of get under my skin, figuring out why I react the way I do in certain situations was the first step I needed to take to correct those decisions and correct those behaviors. So it was really all about that journey of self-discovery for me. If you're thinking about starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try.
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Starting point is 00:10:45 That's betterhelp.com. Slash locked on. Titans fans, we are going to continue today's breakdown of the linebackers in the 2023 NFL draft. I know I remind you guys a lot, but I'm very proud of the work that I've done here on this draft series. It's some of the best work that I do all season long with the in-depth breakdowns on skill set, size, how they fit in the Titans system. If you missed anything on offense, quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, I did offensive tackles and interior offensive line separately. Make sure you go back and check those episodes out.
Starting point is 00:11:37 They're going to be good to go until the draft on Thursday. Moving forward, we're going to do secondary tomorrow, corners and safeties. Then I'm going to have my ideal mock draft for the Titans. I'm going to have a full draft preview, and I'm going to have live coverage and instant reactions all weekend long to all the Titans picks. There's no better place to be than the Locked on Titans podcast for draft weekend. Also want to tell you guys, Locked On NFL as a whole channel
Starting point is 00:12:05 did a mock draft and it's absolutely excellent content. Go to Locked On NFL, Locked On NFL Draft. You're going to get the episode where I made a pick for the Titans in this feed. It's legit like the real draft.
Starting point is 00:12:23 It's the 2023 Locked On NFL Mock Draft. Go check it out. Like each episode is an hour long. There's about five or six episodes. It's literally like the draft is happening, just locked on hosts are making picks for each team. It's absolutely excellent. Make sure that you guys go check that out.
Starting point is 00:12:40 I'm really proud of it. But moving forward here, the next guy that I want to talk about is a guy that had a visit with the Titans during the pre-draft process. And it's Keon White from Georgia Tech. More of a power rusher here. All right. He's six foot four, 285 pounds. He's got great size, great power, and incredible bull rush as well. He's got a great tool in his toolbox. great power, and incredible bull rush as well. He's got a great tool in his toolbox. He doesn't really play with great technique, and for being a 24-year-old guy,
Starting point is 00:13:10 how much more can he develop? If he was a younger prospect, I'd be a little more in tune with maybe trying to develop Keon White, but I think he would only make sense for the Titans if they traded down in the second round, collected some more picks, and you take him in the late 50s or early 60s. But Keyon White did meet with the Titans,
Starting point is 00:13:29 so clearly there's some interest in a power rusher. And honestly, it just makes me wonder, are the Titans looking for a power rusher who could eventually take over for Arden, or who could take over for Danico Autry in that power rusher role? Or are they looking for what I was talking about with Will McDonald, that third elite, well, not elite isn't the word I'm looking for, that third young explosive outside pass rusher?
Starting point is 00:13:55 That's going to be an interesting question that will be answered by the Titans during this draft process. But if they look for a power rusher, Keon White at 6'4", 285 pounds out of Georgia Tech would make a ton of sense. And again, he's had contact with the Titans during the pre-draft process. You got another guy like Derek Hall from Auburn who's 6'2", 250 pounds, plays with power, plays with effort, may not be a bursty, twitchy guy,
Starting point is 00:14:19 but he's more of a power rusher that could be something that makes sense for the Titans. He's more of a power rusher that could be something that makes sense for the Titans. Isaiah Foskey from Notre Dame, 6'5", 264 pounds. He's another guy with great range, plays with toughness, plays with length. Maybe not the burst and the explosion and all the pass rush moves. He has a little bit of a hard time shedding blocks at times in the run game, but that could be a guy with the size that they're looking for. Yaya Diaby from Louisville, 6'3", 263 pounds.
Starting point is 00:14:52 He's another guy who's incredibly explosive with great length, really strong hands. He doesn't really have the instincts or the pass rush moves yet, but I think Yaya Diaby from Louisville could be a great fit for the Titans. Zach Harrison from Ohio State, more of a power, defensive end type guy, different from some of the edge guys that we talked about, like Yaya, or like Will McDonald, or BJ Ojalary,
Starting point is 00:15:14 guys like that. He's more of a power guy, and Zach Harrison, 6'5", 270 pounds. He's got height, weight, speed, but he doesn't bend. He plays a little upright. He's not really an edge setter in the run game for a guy that big and that physical, so that's a little disappointing. Isaiah McGuire from Missouri, another long, agile guy that plays with power.
Starting point is 00:15:35 Doesn't have great speed or great getoff off the line of scrimmage, but with that power and that length, might be an option for the Titans as a big rusher. But two guys who I think could be had in the middle rounds for the Titans that make a ton of sense. I mean, I love both of these players as fourth, fifth round guys, maybe even sixth round for Nick Hampton. But Nick Hampton from Appalachian State.
Starting point is 00:16:04 Every year there's an edge rusher at the end of the draft that I fall in love with. Now, the Titans haven't taken him normally, but last year, the Titans added David Anini, an undrafted free agency, and David Anini was my late-round edge rusher that I was in love with. And for some reason, despite all the edge rush needs that the Titans had, they didn't let David
Starting point is 00:16:29 and Nanny have a real shot. Let him go to Pittsburgh. I'm pretty annoyed about it. But Nick Hampton is my late round edge rushing draft love of this year. He's six foot two, 236 pounds out of Appalachian State. So I get it. He's a little small for an edge rusher, but his first step off the line of scrimmage is absolutely lightning quick. He bends. He bends around that loop. You got to get around that loop to beat offensive linemen in this league, and my God, can Nick Hampton run the loop? He also plays with incredible effort.
Starting point is 00:17:06 He is going to chase you down no matter what. You cannot run away from Nick Hampton. So, yeah, look, he needs to put a little more mass on. The guy is lean. He is skinny. He doesn't have a lot of rush moves right now. He uses his length, and he uses his speed. But who does that sound like?
Starting point is 00:17:26 6'2", 240 with great burst, great bend, great loop running ability, but needs to learn how to use more than just his speed and his length? Sounds like Harold Landry. That's what it sounds like to me. So, Nick Hampton has also shown
Starting point is 00:17:42 that he can drop into coverage, which you know the Titans love running those blitzes where they blitz a slot corner off one side and drop the backside edge. So, to me, Nick Hampton makes a ton of sense for the Titans in the late rounds. The last guy that I want to mention here in the edge rush class, and look, guys, I could go through 30 edge rushers.
Starting point is 00:18:02 I could literally go through 30. It's a great class. It really is a great class of edge rushers. I could literally go through 30. It's a great class. It really is a great class of edge rushers. I like Andre Carter out of Army late, and I could have put him in here as well, but the last guy that I'm going to talk about is Byron Young from Tennessee. 6'2", 250 pounds.
Starting point is 00:18:20 He is rocked up, man. That dude looks like he was chiseled out of stone. For a guy who's going to get drafted in the mid rounds, maybe in late rounds, he has great twitch. He's another guy who's really good on stunts and loops. And the Titans love running twists and stunts and loops up front on their defensive line. He plays with great motor, great effort. I love Byron Young for the Titans late in this draft. Now look, at 6'2", 250, he doesn't have a lot of power. He's not going to hold up great in run defense right now.
Starting point is 00:18:54 He's got to get better with his technique to be able to do that. And he's 25 years old, man. Like, again, we talk about age with these prospects. 25 years old. How much are you going to be able to develop a guy when he's 25 years old? You know, you have to ask yourself that question. So that's fair, but I think what he gives you right now at 25 years old, that twitch, the ability to run loops and stunts, playing with that effort and that motor,
Starting point is 00:19:19 yeah, he's not going to be a run defense guy. He's not a guy who's going to play with great power and bull rush you over, but I think he makes a ton of sense for the Titans. So we're going to move into off-ball linebackers. As a recap here, Lucas Van Ness, Nolan Smith in the first round would make sense for the Titans. Will McDonald and Keyon White would make sense
Starting point is 00:19:40 in the second round. After that, I would probably wait until later in the draft and look for a Nick Hampton or a Byron Young in the fourth, fifth, sixth round, somewhere in there. But we're going to move forward, talk about off-ball linebackers. We got a lot of guys to go through still, a lot to talk about on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. So we'll get into that in just a moment.
Starting point is 00:20:20 Titans fans, we are going to cap off today's edition of the Locked On Titans podcast, breaking down the linebackers and the edge rushers in the draft class. I mean, we're going through nearly 30 guys. I think over 30 guys on today's show. So a lot of information, a lot of prospects. Tomorrow, we're going to cap off the defense. We're going to talk secondary. I'm going to throw in a little interior defensive line. I have feelings about the interior defensive line in the draft that lead me to not really wanting to draft one.
Starting point is 00:20:48 And I'll explain that tomorrow. But a lot of good edge rushers in this class, guys. A lot of good edge rushers. That may be the best position, like depth-wise, in this entire draft is edge rusher. There's a lot of good ones. It's one of the only good positions in this draft, if we're honest,
Starting point is 00:21:06 but moving forward away from the edge rushers, getting into linebackers. Before we do that, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first listen every day, tomorrow, secondary, and then I'm going to have so much draft content for you
Starting point is 00:21:19 for the next five to seven days. I'm going to have a show every single day until next Friday, breaking down everything the Titans do in the draft, all the new prospects, every move they make. I'm going to be breaking it down here on the show for free. So make sure you get subscribed and stay subscribed to the Locked On Titans podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team, every day.
Starting point is 00:21:44 And shout out to my everydayers who are listening to the show Monday through Friday. You guys are the stars of the show. Shout out to you guys. But anyway, getting into these linebackers. So, you have, in my opinion, three linebackers at the top of the draft. They're the best three linebackers
Starting point is 00:21:59 in the group. And it's Drew Sanders from Arkansas, who's rangy and versatile. He can play off-ball. He can play on the edge. He's a from Arkansas, who's rangy and versatile. He can play off-ball. He can play on the edge. He's a tweener guy who's probably going to go late first round, early second round. Trenton Simpson from Clemson, another great rangy athlete who's really good in coverage, is really physical. And then you have Jack Campbell from Iowa, who's incredibly athletic.
Starting point is 00:22:23 He's tough. He's instinctive. Those guys all could go anywhere from the late first to the early second round. But for me, again, inside linebacker is just not a position that has enough value that I think the Titans should be taking it that early. I simply don't. Okay. You can get good, early. I simply don't. Okay. You can get good, consistent, solid linebacker play later in the draft. Okay. I mean, the Chiefs just won the Super Bowl with Nick Bolton and Willie Gay. All right. You don't need a stud inside linebacker to win the Super Bowl. You don't. So for me, I can get off-ball linebacker play later in the draft.
Starting point is 00:23:06 Look at what we just got from David Long and Jayon Brown for the last four to five years. Both late-round picks. So I just wouldn't spend the draft picks necessary to get Sanders, Simpson, or Campbell. But a guy who I do like maybe in the third round, because what I think the Titans need, the Titans need a pass coverage linebacker.
Starting point is 00:23:28 Ben Neiman, Aziz Alshier, Monty Rice, they are run defense linebackers. That's what they're better at is run defense. So I want a coverage specialist at linebacker and a guy who I think is that is day on Henley from Washington State. Incredible speed. He's a quick player. He will chase you down sideline to sideline and excellent in pass coverage with the ability to get even better in pass coverage. He's a little inexperienced. He just started playing linebacker in 2020, so he's got so much room to grow as a player.
Starting point is 00:24:08 Right now, he can get a little bogged down in traffic at times in run defense where there's just too many bodies in front of him, but those are instincts that will improve with reps. All of Deion Henley's problems are based on inexperience playing the position. So I think if he falls into the mid rounds and the Titans trade back at any point to collect more picks, Deion Henley would make a ton of sense. You got another guy like Nick Herbig from Wisconsin
Starting point is 00:24:33 who's kind of a discount Drew Sanders because some people think he needs to play off-ball linebacker even though he's an edge rusher in college. I like Nick Herbig and his versatility, being able to play off ball and play some edge, but I just don't think the value is there for the Titans with Herbig probably getting picked in the late second, early third, somewhere in there. Same thing with Henry Toto from Alabama. Look, he's six foot one. He's just a small guy. Yeah, he's smart. He's instinctive. He's rangy, but he just doesn't have the power, the length, the playmaking.
Starting point is 00:25:07 He's just a blah linebacker in my opinion, so I'm really not that interested. A guy who I absolutely love that will be available for the Titans later in the draft, much later, probably fourth round, fifth round, is Dorian Williams out of Tulane. Speed, length, coverage ability, so good in coverage. He's an excellent tackler.
Starting point is 00:25:36 This guy does not miss tackles. Dorian Williams does not miss tackles. I love Dorian Williams. Look, he's a little bit of a smaller guy, only 6'1". He needs to play with better anticipation because once offensive linemen get on his body, he has a hard time getting them off him. So, if he plays with better
Starting point is 00:25:54 anticipation, it's like David Long. David Long was a small linebacker, but he was so good at anticipating the run and so quick to get into his spots that offensive linemen couldn't get a body on him, even though he was small.
Starting point is 00:26:08 That's how Dorian Williams needs to play. And in his first couple of years, he can come in and be a sub package passing down past coverage specialist for the Titans. As he gets more mass on his body, learns the position even more, gets more comfortable. I think the Titans could have a stud and Dorian Williams, if they're able to get him late in the draft even more, gets more comfortable. I think the Titans could have a stud in Dory and Williams
Starting point is 00:26:25 if they're able to get him late in the draft. Now we're going to get into guys who I think are special teams guys, and the Titans have talked to some of these guys in the pre-draft process. Ivan Pace from Cincinnati, just a violent, strong, balanced linebacker who's only 5'10". He's small, so he doesn't do a great job of shedding blocks when offensive linemen get on him. But to be violent and physical
Starting point is 00:26:55 and give effort in special teams, I think Ivan Pace from Cincinnati could make some sense. Yazir Abdullah from Louisville. A quicker guy. Doesn't really have the length or the power that you would want from a linebacker, but he's got some pass rush versatility,
Starting point is 00:27:11 good speed, and that speed could be really helpful on special teams. This late in the draft, guys, we're talking about special teams players. All right? So Noah Sewell from Oregon is another guy who could be in that conversation, but there are three guys at the end of the draft. I'm talking sixth round, seventh round, that I think could make sense for the Titans.
Starting point is 00:27:35 Dee Winters from TCU. Great effort linebacker. Doesn't really have elite traits, but he gives good effort. He's going to play physical. He's going to do what's asked of him, and I think he could be an asset on special teams. Ventrell Miller from Florida, who we know that the Titans have spoken with
Starting point is 00:27:54 during the pre-draft process, another guy. He's physical. He plays with good instincts, but he's just not really very athletic. He's going to be a special teams guy, and I think Ventrell Miller could fill that spot for the Titans. But the guy that I really like is Muhammad Diabete. He is explosive.
Starting point is 00:28:14 When have I mentioned in the last five or six names a guy that's explosive? You don't get guys as explosive as Diabete this late in the draft he's explosive he's got long arms he plays with great effort yeah he reads plays a little slow his play recognition needs to improve he's a lean player as well
Starting point is 00:28:38 you can see it on the screen if you're watching on YouTube he's a he almost looks like an edge rusher with his length and how lean he is. But I just think with his explosion, that length, and then the effort that he plays with,
Starting point is 00:28:52 if they can coach him up, they could find a diamond in the rough late in the draft in Mohamed Diabedi. I love Mohamed Diabedi as a late round pick for the Titans. I think he gives them versatility. And again, yeah, how not to? I see you in the chat and I agree with you.
Starting point is 00:29:10 I don't think linebacker is a super big need. I don't. That's why I am pretty happy if the Titans go with a guy later in the draft, like a Dorian Williams or a Ventrell Miller or a Muhammad Diabedi. I'm fine with that. Because I don't think that linebacker is a super big need. But what they do need at linebacker is a pass coverage specialist
Starting point is 00:29:32 because Ben Neiman ain't that. Aziz Alshir ain't that. Monty Rice ain't that. And I know that we all got excited by Jack Gibbons' first game against Jacksonville, but Gibbons really fell off at the end and he was an undrafted free agent last year. You guys got to be realistic about what these guys can be going forward.
Starting point is 00:29:51 So, for me, if the Titans got a guy who can help on special teams and really help in pass coverage on passing downs, that would be a big pickup late in the draft. But overall, I generally agree. I think the Titans need an edge rusher, that third rotational edge rusher. I think they need a coverage linebacker. But outside of that,
Starting point is 00:30:10 I wouldn't spend any kind of two high picks on any of those unless you get the right guy in the second round as an edge rusher. But that is going to do it for the linebackers and the edge rushers in the draft class. Tomorrow, we are capping off the defense
Starting point is 00:30:23 to make sure that you don't miss that. And if you miss quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive tackle, or interior offensive line, make sure you go back and check those out before the draft kicks off on Thursday. And that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.

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