NASHVILLE – NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has a best-case scenario for the Titans in the first round of next week's NFL Draft, and he also has ideas on how the team could attack some of its roster needs.
Jeremiah, regarded as one of the nation's top draft analysts, has something different playing out for the Titans in his most recent mock draft, however.
First, let's discuss Jeremiah's best-case scenario, which he discussed during a conference call on Wednesday.
"The perfect pick to me, if somehow in a miraculous fashion that Jaycee Horn were to slide a little bit, you could scoop him up and plug him in," Jeremiah said of the South Carolina cornerback, a player he has rated 16th overall. "Maybe it's something where you can trade up for somebody like that."
In Jeremiah's mock, however, he has the Titans staying at pick No.22 and taking another cornerback – Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley.
But in Jeremiah's mind, that wouldn't be all bad, assuming the team's medical staff signs off on him following a back procedure that kept him from working out at Virginia's Tech's Pro Day. Heck, it might even be better, he thinks.
Jeremiah has Farley rated as one of the top five players in the draft, but he thinks he'll slide a bit. In his mock, Jeremiah pointed out "the Titans were rewarded for stopping Jeffery Simmons' slide a couple years ago (because of an injury), and things could play out similarly in this scenario."
"If you are comfortable with him medically -- he was like my fifth or sixth player in the draft. He's a freak show," Jeremiah said of Farley. "If they give you the okay and he passes, shoot, that would be a home run pick if he shows up and he's healthy. … He's got rare movement and skills for a big corner like that. I think he's the most talented corner in the whole draft."
The Titans currently have four of the draft's top 100 picks, including 22, 53 (second round), 85 (third round) and 100 (third round).
Overall, the Titans are scheduled to make nine picks in the draft's seven rounds.
With plenty of holes in the roster, Jeremiah thinks the Titans can address needs, but he added a few words of caution.
"When you look at some of their other needs along their team, to me offensive line is the way they could go," Jeremiah said of the Titans. "I think trying to find somebody to give them a weapon after losing Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith, I think they're in a position where they're going to miss out on those top dudes. They might be in a position where they've got such a good team and they're pretty close that maybe it is in their best interest to move up a little bit, maybe use some of those other picks to get that accomplished. That would be something to keep in mind with them. Sometimes where you're picking doesn't necessarily match up exactly with where your needs are, and I think they find themselves a little bit in that spot.
"Other needs for them going forward throughout the draft, finding a tight end later on. I'm really intrigued by Tommy Tremble from Notre Dame. I think he's my third tight end, and he's somebody that can bring some physicality, which they would appreciate with the way they run the football, and I think he's got a lot of upsides a pass catcher. That's just one other name I would keep an eye on that fits them."
The NFL Draft kicks off next Thursday.
