NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Titans general manager Jon Robinson has been on the job for a little over a month, long enough for some fans to start recognizing him.
Already, some have offered advice on what to do with the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
"I would say most of the public interaction has been, 'Hey, we're excited to have you here. We're excited about the future of Tennessee football,' Robinson said. "Occasionally, they are quick to offer their pick.
"Some guy told me the other day, 'We need to take player X.' I kind of laughed and said, 'They're all under consideration at this point.' I think they kind of understand the poker game that goes with it."
In the NFL, it's a high stakes game, and the Titans have some valuable chips.
The Titans have the No.1 pick in this year's draft, in addition to picks No. 33 (second round) and No. 64 (third round). The Titans also have one in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds, along with two picks in the sixth round.
Robinson, previously with the Buccaneers and Patriots, has not only spoken to fans about the top pick – he's also talked to other NFL teams.
"I've had a couple of conversations here and there. I think it is really more kind of exploratory at this point,'' he said. "As we get a little bit closer, a little bit more through the process with the combine and interviews and pro days, I expect there will be a few more exploratory calls, and there may not be. We'll see."
Coming off a 3-13 season, the Titans have plenty of draft needs. Robinson's philosophy on trading picks, including first-round selections, is simple – consider all options.
"I look at it much like a game plan,'' Robinson said. "Coach (Mike) Mularkey and his staff, they put a game plan together and whatever they think is best for us as a team to win a football game … and they follow that plan. That is kind of where I'm at – taking everything into account and we're going to put a game plan together based on the options that we have that we think are best for the team."
Robinson and the rest of the scouting staff and coaching staff will head to the NFL Combine next week in Indianapolis.
Last week, the scouts gathered at Saint Thomas Sports Park to put together an early game plan. Robinson, who was hired on January 14, said he's using the time to evaluate players, and his scouting staff.
"I know different teams do it different ways,'' Robinson said of the pre-combine meeting with scouts. "This was really their first round of draft meetings, so it was a chance for scouts to produce the background on the players, maybe some things we need to investigate further about their personal life or their football character, how intelligent they are, what kind of workers they are. You just want to get all that information on the table and talk in terms about how those players would fit our team on the field. And then you position those guys within their specific position groups as to the level of interest we would have in those guys.
"It was a very productive week. We had a lot of good discussions back and forth, did a couple of projects where we watched film and made some comparisons. I try to do some thought-provoking, brief mini-seminars if you will, to try and not only talk about players but get a gauge on the staff as evaluators, because I am evaluating those guys as well."
