Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Need Defensive Backs: Top Safety Fits & Best Cornerbacks On All 3 Days of NFL Draft

Episode Date: April 18, 2024

The Tennessee Titans still need help in the defensive backfield and they have tons of options to get some in the 2024 NFL Draft. First, the top safeties on the board would be a surprise, but with one starting spot still open, the Titans could very well look to take one early. Also, if the Titans do wait to add safety help there are some good depth players to develop on Day 3. Finally, the cornerback position doesn't seem like a big need, but the Titans know you can never have too many so anyone after day 1 could be in play. 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!Monopoly GO!Get in the game and join your friends. Download MONOPOLY GO! now free on The App Store or Google Pay. The mobile hit twist on classic MONOPOLY.   Yahoo FinanceFor comprehensive financial news and analysis, visit the brand behind every great investor, YahooFinance.com. 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. LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply. 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 LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARENTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – win or lose! 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 need help in the secondary, and there's tons available in the NFL Draft. We're talking the defensive backs on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked On Titans Podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans Podcast is brought to you by Monopoly Go. I admit I have a competitive side, and it is a big fan of Monopoly Go, the mobile hit twist on classic Monopoly.

Join your friends and download Monopoly Go now, free in the App Store or on Google Play. It is the last installment of the 2024 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview Series. We've gone through every position on offense. I've gone through the entire front seven on defense. Now it is time to get into the defensive backfield. The draft is less than a week away. If you missed any of those episodes, breaking down those positions, make sure you go back and check those out.

I know my everydayers out there saw them all. So shout out to you guys. But do want to thank you 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.

And next week is draft week. I do instant reaction videos to every single pick. I do deep dives every single night after the draft concludes to tell you guys what's coming next, what the Titans have done so far. My busiest week of the year is draft week, and you're not going to want to miss any of the episodes that I'll be putting out here on the channel. So again, get subscribed, stay subscribed to the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. With that being said said though, let's dive into the safety class because the Titans need a starting safety. They need depth at safety as well. And safety is one

of those positions where my expectation is that the Titans will take a safety later in the draft, day three of the draft. But this is one of those things. I was surprised when the Tennessee Titans took Roger McCreary a couple of years ago in the second things. I was surprised when the Tennessee Titans took Roger McCreary a couple years ago in the second round. I did not expect a cornerback to be taken that high. And safety could be that position this year where the Titans take a safety in the second round or if they drop back a little bit and get a third round pick, they could take a safety higher than we expect. And the number one safety on the board, And I don't know if any safeties are going to go in the first round. I don't think any of them actually end up going first round.

So second round is where we begin. And Jaden Hicks is considered the number one safety in the draft, unless people have Cooper Dijon as a safety, which I don't. But either way, out of Washington, 21 years old, 6'1", 211 pounds. This is a versatile safety who could play some free safety. He could play some strong safety and be in the box. Great ball skills, able to get his hands on the ball and have ball production. Great length, which kind of helps him be so good around the ball. Good speed and the ability to cover in man coverage, and that's where the versatility

comes in. Now, he may not be the best tackler. He may not have incredible route recognition at this time, but that athleticism, that length, the ability to play in man coverage, make plays on the ball, that's going to make him a highly coveted safety in the NFL. The next guy that I want to talk about is a guy that I really like a ton, and it is Tyler Newbin out of Minnesota. 6'1", 205 pounds.

He's 22 years old. Great ball production. This guy gets to the ball. He also has great size, great length, long arms. He's a willing tackler. He's explosive out there. The way he drives down on the ball or when he sees the ball going to a receiver,

whether it be in the run game going downhill, whether it be in the pass game going downhill, he can explode forward, and he's physical. He's a guy who's going to be a versatile safety. He may not be a deep, free safety, like playing single high coverage, but he's going to be able to play split field coverage. He's going to be able to come down in the box. He might even be able to cover some slots. He may not be the fastest safety of all time, and he's not excellent in man coverage with change of direction, garden-wide receivers, but he can do pretty much everything else that you want.

I think Tyler Newben would be a solid fit for the Titans at the next level. The third safety is Javon Bullard. Out of Georgia, 21 years old, five foot 10. So a little bit smaller than the first two guys that we talked about only 198 pounds. He is going to be a box strong safety. He's not a guy who you want covering back deep. He's a guy who wants to get downhill. All right. He productive, though. He can get on the ball. He's going to make a ton of tackles as well.

He's good in run defense. He plays with good speed and good physicality. But he just doesn't have the acceleration to cover back deep all the time. So to me, Javon Bullard is a guy who you want coming downhill. You want playing forward towards the line of scrimmage, not a guy going backwards. Cole Bishop is another guy that we got to talk about as one of the top safeties.

Out of Utah, he's another guy 21 and a half years old, but man, he is a big guy. Six foot two, 206 pounds. He's more of a strong safety type, but with versatility. He's not purely a box safety type, but with versatility. He's not purely a box safety like you would think of Elijah Molden, who really needs to play down in the box. That's what's best. Think about Cam Chancellor. That's the name that was on the tip of my tongue.

Cam Chancellor from the Seahawks. He was all about being down in the box, coming forward, all of that. Cole Bishop has a little more versatility to him than that. He can play split field coverage where you have a deep half. He has great range as a safety, plays with physicality. He can play man coverage on tight ends and slot wide receivers. He's a good blitzer as well, which is why I think Cole Bishop is a really, really good fit for the Tennessee Titans

because of his ability to be used as a blitzer. He may not be great at the catch point. He's probably not somebody who's going to have a ton of ball production. He doesn't have great length and having shorter arms ties into that. His eyes can fool him sometimes, which being a split second early with the instincts and the eyes is how you create turnovers and you have good ball production. Anticipation, he doesn't really anticipate things. He's kind of a see it and hunt it type of guy. But if you can improve on the anticipation through understanding of route concepts and all that, then I think you could take a step forward with being better in production. But I think third round, fourth round, a guy like Cole Bishop could make a ton of sense for the Titans.

Someone who the Titans have talked to, though, that I want to mention here is Dadrian Taylor Demerson out of Texas Tech. He is a free safety guy. Now, he's versatile. He's willing to come down and play against the run. He'll do it, but he doesn't really have the bulk. He's not a very big guy at 5'10", 197 pounds, but he's a guy with great speed, great acceleration. He reads routes very well.

He can play press coverage. He's a willing tackler. The problem is he drops interceptions. He can be a little overaggressive sometimes. And again, doesn't have great length, doesn't have great size. So a guy you're going to want to keep in the back end of the defense, not someone who's going to work around the line of scrimmage. But if the Titans want to use a Monty Hooker forward, and I talked about Geno Stone as a really good free agent fit for the Titans because he can just patrol the back end completely,

play single high coverage. I think that Taylor Demerson could do some of that. I think that he can. Tyke Smith from Georgia is another guy worth talking about here. 5'10", 210 pounds. He is a box safety. Think about Dane Cruikshank when you think about Tyke Smith from Georgia. Great run defender. Really

good at shedding blocks. He can mirror routes from tight ends, which is important. Good awareness. Like, you know, he just has a good understanding of where things are happening. You know what I mean? And he's another guy who can be a blitzer, which I think the Titans could be looking for and great ball skills as well. So you put all that together, Tykee Smith in the third round could be a good option for the Titans. Look, he's not the biggest safety ever. He can be a little grabby, you know what I mean, which may lead to penalties.

He doesn't have, like, real quick change of direction, drive on the ball, but his physicality, his speed, his acceleration, his ability to read offenses and what they're doing, that sort of player is going to find a way to have success. The last guy that I want to talk about here is a guy I like a ton, and it's Cam Kitchens from Miami. 21, 5'11", 203. He is a ball hawk.

He makes plays on the ball. He's got great range, is a deep safety. He is going to be a back-end safety, all right? He drives with acceleration on routes when the ball is thrown. He's willing to come up and run defense. He's good at reading quarterbacks, man. He's really good at reading quarterback size. That's why I think being a deep free safety would be perfect for Cam.

He could be a little overaggressive, and that leads to big plays. He gets beat because he gets fooled. He doesn't do a great job of recognizing certain route combinations so he can kind of get caught off guard. And he's given up a ton of big plays in college. But if he learns how to read those things and have a little more patience, his ball skills with

his speed and his ability to have range on the back end, I think it would be perfect as a deep free safety for the Titans. But there are other guys in the mid rounds that I think make a ton of sense as well and probably more sense because I expect the Titans to attack this position later in the draft.

We're going to talk about those safeties, but also I got like 20 cornerbacks to shoot through with you guys as well. So we're breaking down the defensive backfield on today's show. Before I continue, I do want to let you guys know that today's show. Before I continue, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is sponsored by Yahoo Finance.

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yahoofinance.com. The number one financial destination, yahoofinance.com. That's yah YahooFinance.com. That's YahooFinance.com. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast, capping off the 2024 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview Series. Again, I've done the entire offense. I've done the front seven.

We're hitting the defensive backfield today. You're not going to find a more comprehensive draft preview than the Locked on Titans draft preview series. Like, it just doesn't happen. I go over like 180 to 200 prospects every single year, and I got to tell you guys, I'm exhausted. All right? I'm ready for draft week to finally be here. And remember, I'm going to start on Monday with a mock draft Monday.

Tuesday, I think we're going to take a look at all the players that the Titans have had a visit with during the pre-draft process. Wednesday, going to take a look at all the players that the Titans have had a visit with during the pre-draft process. Wednesday, going to take a look at the latest rumors and what we're hearing out there. And then Thursday, I'll have my personal first round mock draft as a bonus episode on the channel. And I'll do a full length draft preview with you guys. And then I'll be ready to react to it all live on Thursday night here on the Locked on Titans YouTube channel and Locked on Titans podcast. But with that being said, continuing to talk about the safeties,

Malik Mustafa out of Wake Forest, a guy I like a ton. Look, he is going to be a versatile safety. All right, he can play in the slot. He can come up in the box. I don't think that I would have him back deep as a free safety, but I'm not going to count him out. He's 21 years old, 5'10", 209, incredibly physical player. Like, he plays like a linebacker, the way he's willing to be

physical, and great speed as well. Really smart player, and he's got special teams experience, which I expect him to be taken on day three of the NFL draft. You better be willing to play special teams if you want to make it in the NFL as a day three pick. Look, he doesn't have great ball production. He's not a guy who's going to get a ton of interceptions and all that because he's a little smaller, five foot 10. You know, he's not the biggest rangiest guy. He's not going to have that free safety range on the back end to play single high. You know what I mean? Like he is a versatile, strong safety who you don't want playing back deep. I really like Mustafa, though,

because he played a specific role in his defense where he played as a deep safety, played as a box safety, played as a slot, blitzed off the edge. And I just have to say, very similar to the role that I played within my defense when I was in football in my younger days.

They would just move it, roll and go over there and blitz, roll and line up here and blitz. You know, like watching Malik Mustafa, you know, it just makes me reminisce. That's all. So I am partial to Mustafa. I do like his game. But I also like Kalen Bullock out of USC, 21, 6'2", 188 pounds. So great length, but boy is he light, 188 pounds.

He's another guy who's going to be more of a versatile, strong safety. You maybe don't want him, you know, to be constantly back deep, let him play like in cover two, be a deep half, but I think he could play some free safety. I think he could play back deep because he's incredibly athletic, got great speed, great range. He is a ball hulk as well with good length. So he's going to be able to make plays on the ball.

He's just super light. Not going to be a great tackler. And his recognition skills need to improve a little bit. So not a super physical player, but speed, athleticism, ball skills, let him roam back deep as a split field safety or even some single high situations. I think he could be a versatile guy to really, really help the Titans defense.

But I wonder if he would be better served in more of a zone-friendly defense where I think the Titans are going to be more man coverage than anything. Finally, we get to where I talked about Cam Kitchens, Malik Mustafa, Dominic Hampton, my guy out of Washington, who I've been taking in mock drafts for months now. I just love the potential here.

He's 23 years old, 6'2", but 215. He is the biggest player that we have talked about so far, by far. I mean, 10 pounds heavier and 6'2". Like, we're talking about, you know, a 30-pound difference between Kalen Bullock at 6'2", and Dominic Hampton at 6'2". He is going to be a versatile, strong safety with a great build. He's a good athlete. He can cover and man on tight ends or slot wide receivers. Press coverage. He's going to be able

to get up in a tight end space. All right. Plays with physicality, special teams experience. Look, he's not the most agile change of direction guy. He's a bigger physical player. He doesn't, you know, quickly transition his hips and drive on the ball. He probably isn't going to be able to mirror wide receivers and man coverage very well. But let him be the Dane Crookshank of this defense. I always go back to that season that Crookshank had

where he was the tight end stopper. Play dime coverage. You're our third safety. You play man coverage on tight ends. We can blitz you. You can play physical against the run if there happens to be a run. You play man coverage on tight ends. We can blitz you. You can play physical against the run if there happens to be a run. You play special teams as a gunner. I think that Dominique Hampton can fill that role perfectly,

and it would fit perfectly within the Titans' man-heavy new defensive system. I just love Dominique Hampton. Bo Braid out of Maryland, 6'2", 203. He's another guy who's going to be a versatile safety. He's athletic. He's physical. He's instinctive. He doesn't have great ball production.

All right? He needs to work on making sure that he finishes his tackles and doesn't miss tackles. He's not a guy who's going to play back on the back end as a deep free safety. He is going to be a versatile, strong safety who you want coming forward. Okay? So I think if they put Imani Hooker back deep as a free safety. He is going to be a versatile, strong safety who you want coming forward. Okay? So I think if they put Imani Hooker back deep as a free safety again, he could make a lot of sense there. Jalen

Simpson from Auburn. Another guy. 5'11". 179 pounds. He's 24 years old and only 179 pounds. So he's years old and only 179 pounds. So he's not putting on much more weight.

He is going to be one of the smallest safeties in the NFL from the moment he gets drafted. And that's why he needs to play as a free safety. Okay, like he needs to be on the back end because he can't play in the box. He's not somebody who you want close to the line of scrimmage. Look, he's a former cornerback, so he can play some man coverage,

good speed, good length, good ball skills. He's just not going to help you in run D. He doesn't play a physical style of football. So if you want Jalen Simpson, you want somebody who's in the back end and playing free safety and playing back deep and running with people. Maybe you can bring him up and play a little man coverage here

and they're on wide receivers, but I'm keeping him in the back end as a free safety. A total opposite player of that is Catan Oladapo from Oregon State. 23.5, 6'2", 216. Size, length, and physicality. Alright, he plays a physical brand of football. Not good range though. Again, you plays a physical brand of football. Not good range though.

Again, you don't want him back deep as a safety. His tackling can be suspect even though he's super physical. And he just doesn't have good change of direction for a guy 6'2", 216. Remember, we just talked about that with Dominic Hampton. These aren't the most agile guys who have great change of direction. You know what I mean? Like, they're too big for that. So, and if they did have better change of direction in agility, they would be higher picks than day three, you know what I mean? With that size

and that strength and that physicality. But hey, we're picking later in the draft. I'm not turning down, you know, anything that could happen, especially later in the draft. It's worth it. You know, one of the last couple of guys I'm going to talk about here is Trey Taylor. I love Trey Taylor. Bring me Trey Taylor on day three of the draft. Out of Air Force, 23 years old, 6'2", 206 pounds, so he's got good size. He's Ed Reed's cousin, and they're close. They talk.

It's not like he's a distant cousin who never gets to interact with him. And I think Trey Taylor can be a versatile safety. You can play split field. He can come up into the box. He can play physical against the right. He just has, it's Ed Reed's cousin. You're not going to be shocked when I tell you his incredible instincts. Great ball skills.

I use a picture on the YouTube show, just picture of the player, and it's him getting an interception because that is what he does. Okay? Trey Taylor makes plays on the ball. And guys like that, I'm sorry. I'm going to bet on him. I'm just going to bet on him because he's going to find a way to make plays. He's not fast, like pure straight-line speed,

but he plays with quickness because of his instincts and his understanding and his awareness. And that's what allows him to make plays on the ball. So doesn't have great speed. Isn't going to be someone who you want playing back deep as a free safety all the time. Doesn't have great recovery ability if he gets beat because he doesn't have that speed, but his quickness, his instincts, he's going to play on special teams like bring me Trey Taylor, man. That's all I have to say about that is bring me Trey Taylor. But the last two safeties I want to talk about is Sione Vaki out of Utah. Played some running back at Utah as well.

He's 22 years old, 5'11", 210, built solidly. He's a physical guy. He'll tackle. He plays safety like a guy who's only played college football for two years. He went on a religious mission trip and missed a couple years of college. So, doesn't have good reads, doesn't have good instincts, doesn't have good awareness, change of direction, all that. He's just missing on that. So maybe you want to develop him in that way because he has, you know, some speed, physicality, he's a willing

tackler. Like, there's stuff there to like, but again, late in the draft, I'm kind of okay with any dark throw that the Titans make, but I would definitely prefer Dominique Hampton or Trey Taylor to Vocky. But the last guy I want to mention is Evan Williams out of Oregon. He's a box safety, going to want to keep him towards the line of scrimmage, playing forward, 5'11", 200 pounds. He does not have the ability to play deep. Doesn't have good ball tracking.

Doesn't have great speed, but he'll come up and run defense. He plays powerful. He's good going forward and breaking on the ball. I think about like Logan Ryan at the end of his career with the Titans was similar to that. And I think Elijah Molden, honestly, is kind of similar to that. So my favorite guys, though, again, I really like Trey Taylor, really like Dominic Hampton. Cam Kinchens, I think, would be interesting.

It depends on what the Titans are looking for, but there's definitely a lot of options. Now, let's talk about cornerbacks. Before we do, though, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Monopoly Go. All right. I'm competitive. It is obvious.

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or Google Play. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the safety group. Now I got a ton of cornerbacks to go over with you guys. I hope you guys all enjoyed these chock-full episodes this week. I get a lot of comments. I wish the episodes were longer. I wish the, well, even though it is frowned upon for me to have episodes longer than 30 minutes,

it's too important to go over all of these draft guys. So I've been going pretty long, 35, 36, 40 minutes in some cases on these episodes. So I just hope that you all who ask for more, I hope you're enjoying this week. All right, because I'm doing my best to give you as much as I can on these draft prospects. But let's talk about cornerback. You got the top guys on the board, Quinion Mitchell, who's a great athlete with off-coverage ability and was a senior bowl standout. Tyrion Arnold, the physical, ball-productive cornerback from Alabama. Nate Wiggins, the thin but incredibly lightning-quick cornerback out of Clemson with great size at 6'1",

who's going to be great in man coverage. You got Kool-Aid McKinstry, who's probably the first guy who's going to be great in man coverage. You got Kool-Aid McKinstry, who's probably the first guy who I want to kind of nail in on because Quinion Mitchell, Tyrion Arnold, Nate Wiggins, the Titans met with Tyrion Arnold, but I just don't think, even if the Titans trade back, I just don't understand how they could go with cornerback in the first round after Pang Cheeto and trading draft picks and paying LeJarius Sneed.

Like, it just wouldn't make any sense for the Titans to purposefully trade back and then take a cornerback. Offensive tackle, wide receiver, edge rusher. Like, I would even, like, I would be more shocked by the Titans taking a cornerback in the first round than I would Brock Bowers or even an interior defensive lineman like Byron Murphy or Johnny Newton. Like, I would be shocked if the Titans took a cornerback in round one.

I would be shocked. So, I don't think that Quinion Mitchell, Tyrion Arnold, or Nate Wiggins are realistic options. But Kool-Aid McKinstry from Alabama, he could be there in round two. 5'11", 200 pounds. He's had injuries, man. He has had some injury concerns, but he's a good man cornerback.

He's good in press coverage. He's got experience. He's a smart player who plays with good technique and has good hands. They didn't even throw at him last year at Alabama because they know. Look, he's only had two interceptions in his career, so he doesn't have a ton of ball production,

but he hasn't been thrown at a ton. He needs to work on his punch at the line of scrimmage. He's not the most insane athlete. If he was, he would get drafted higher, but with what he brings to the table, I like Kool-Aid McKinstry, and if the Titans went with him in the second round, again, I'd be a little surprised, but I wouldn't be shocked like I would be

if they took somebody in the first round. Kamari Lassiter is a cornerback out of Georgia. 5'11", 186. Good at the catch point. He can jam you. He has good strength. I think he's a slot, though. I think Lassiter is a slot at the next level.

He can be a little grabby. He can be a little overaggressive, get beat by double moves, stuff like that. I think he's more of a slot at 5'11", 186 pounds. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. from Missouri, though,

5'11", 183 pounds. Another guy who may be a slot at the next level, but has man coverage capabilities. He has a good punch at the line of scrimmage. He's a physical player. Plays with anticipation.

Rake Straw doesn't have great speed. His testing numbers weren't good. He doesn't have great size either that you would typically want from someone who plays that well. And his attentiveness and zone coverage, like, he just loses guys sometimes. So I think he's a man coverage corner.

Maybe with some inside-outside versatility, it could be an option for the Titans. TJ Tampa out of Iowa State. 6'1", 90. He could play zone. He could play man. He's got good speed, good size, good length. Maybe not the best agility. He's a little grabby and he's not maybe the best tackler either. But with his ability to play multiple coverages, his size, his length could be an option as well. Chris Abrams-Drain is someone who the Titans have met with. 5'11", 179 pounds.

I think he's more of a slot wide receiver or a slot corner, but I think he's a guy who could maybe have some inside-outside versatility. He's feisty. He's quick. He's got ball production. Just doesn't have great size, strength, or agility. You know what I mean? Like, he's going to play tough. He's going to play quick.

He's going to get to the ball. But is it going to work at the next level without better size, better strength, better agility, and change of direction? That's something to watch. Renardo Green, a guy I liked early on, I think he can play inside and outside. Some people say he's a slot corner. I think he can do both. 5'11", 186.

He is smooth, man. He just looks like an NFL player out there. He's tough. He has good hands. He just doesn't have ideal size, doesn't have ideal speed, but man, he's just a ball player. And I just, I believe in him.

I believe in him. So, Renardo Gris is a guy I like a lot. Naheem, Naheem Maya, Pritchard, Pritchett. When the first name's hard, sometimes I mess up the last name too.

It's ridiculous how that works. But, Nehemiah Pritchett from Auburn. I think he's a zone cornerback though. He's got good length, good speed, but he's thin. Six foot, 190.

I think he's a zone corner, so not a great fit for the Titans. Kerry Jackson out of Oregon, though. 6'3". All right, he's huge. Great length, great speed. He's a... Well, great speed seems a little nice.

He's got decent speed, but his length allows him to be such a good press corner, good tackler, maybe a little tall for the Titans. He might be a guy who's better served as a press bail corner and cover three rather than pure man coverage and going across the field. But I just like him, and I think he could be like... I can't believe I'm blanking on the name again. These Seattle Seahawks cornerbacks.

Tall corner... Tariq Woolen. He's not quite the athlete that Woolen was, Again, these Seattle Seahawks cornerbacks. Tariq Woolen. He's not quite the athlete that Woolen was, but I think he could play a similar role in a defense. Jarvis Brownlee out of Louisville is a guy the Titans have had interest in. I think he's a slot, though. 5'10", 194 pounds.

Physical, quick, tough. Just doesn't have great size. Cam Hart is a guy out of Notre Dame I like. 6'3", another big physical cornerback with size, press coverage ability, and good recognition skills. Then you have some guys who are more slot cornerbacks. And honestly, maybe the Titans are looking for some depth in the slot because a guy like Max Melton, Mike Sanestrell out of Michigan, who people seem to really like, DJ James out of

Auburn, Andrew Phillips out of Kentucky. Those are all slot guys, all right? Like, they're going to be slot cornerbacks. One more man cover corner that I like is Elijah Jones out of Boston College, 6'1", 185. He's good in press. He's a smooth mover. He's got good speed. He's just an older prospect at 24, so you're not going to get a lot of potential there. But I think he would be a good option. And then, of course, I got to mention Kamal Haddon from Tennessee. But I think Haddon is a zone corner. He reminds me of, not exactly, but how he should be used.

He's like Sean Murphy bunting. You don't want Sean Murphy bunting playing man coverage and running with deep crossers across the field. You want Sean Murphy bunting sitting in the flat and cover two playing an outside quarter and quarters coverage. Like I think that Kamal Haddon is more of a zone cornerback. So he's going to go to a team that maybe runs that Vic Fongio, uh, cover two match quarters, cover six type stuff. Then a pure man corner, which I think is what the Titans are going to be looking for. The last guy I want to mention is Quantes Stiggers. He's out of the Canadian Football League.

Toronto Argonauts, I think, is the team. But he's a guy who's a good athlete. Needs some development in how to play the game. But he is impressing people. need some development in how to play the game, but he is impressing people. And I think that Stiggers does ultimately get drafted. So keep an eye on him. But that's the defensive backfield.

I mean, we went through like 20 cornerbacks, like 15 safeties, a chock-full episode, and that is going to do it for the 2024 Locked on Titans NFL Draft Preview Series. Whoa. I'm cooked, folks. I'm cooked. A lot of research went in. Before I go anywhere, I do want to give some credit to some people who I trust.

So I can't scout and watch film on 200 players. Like, I simply don't have time to do that. I can't scout and watch film on 200 players. Like I simply don't have time to do that. I can't. I watch the top guys at each position, the guys that I really like and I'm interested in based on their scouting reports. Obviously, I've done some film work on the Tic Tac Titans film channel

with some of the top guys, wide receivers and offensive tackles and stuff like that. But Dane Brugler from The Athlet athletic, the beast, incredible resource for me. James Foster and no flags films has the best draft board scouting report system that I've seen. Like it's visually friendly, clickable. Go check out James's work. He does a great job.

Jordan Reed from ESPN. Great job. My guys here at Locked On NFL Draft Scouting, Damian Parson and Keith Sanchez. I love their work. Lance Zerline at NFL Network. I use all of those people's scouting reports and read all of them to determine some of my opinions,

plus what I've seen from these guys just watching college football, and then, of course, some of my own tape study on the top guys. So just major shout-out to everyone in the draft community. It does such good work, and I implore you guys, go check out the work that my guys are doing over at Locked On NFL Draft. Great show to get you ready for the draft. Go check out James' big boards. James Foster from No Flags Films.

Go check out the scouting reports on NFL.com from Lance Zerloin and his team over there. I mean, great stuff. And Dane Brugler, the beast. The beast is the best draft. Like, comprehensive product. Getting background on prospects. Things that you would never know from the scouting

reports. So, shout out to all the great work that you would never know from the scouting reports. So shout out to all of the great work that everybody does leading up to the draft. Just excellent stuff. So I just want to, no man is an island and those are some great resources that I use this time of year that you guys should check out as well. But with that being

said, that is going to do it for me today, folks. I'll be back with you guys for Mock Draft Monday, my ideal mock draft for the Tennessee Titans. Coming soon. But as always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.