Tennessee Titans 2008 NFL Draft Needs
Written April 19, 2008 by Jack Jones
The Tennessee Titans might have finished 3rd in the NFC South at 10-6, but they were still good enough in the AFC to make it to the playoffs as a wild card team. They didn’t last long as they were sent home after a first round loss to the San Diego Chargers. The Titans have made some key offseason additions so far in TE Alge Crumpler, DE Jevon Kearse, and OG Jake Scott. The team was hit pretty hard on the defensive side of things when DE Travis LaBoy, DE Antwan Odom, and DT Randy Starks. So the though the team still has some work to do before the season gets underway if they want to repeat their success they had in 2007. The team is set to pick 24th in the first round and its hard telling exactly what they will go after first. Here is a look at the top 5 positions we believe the team will be targeting in this year’s draft.
1. Wide Receiver
The team really needs a big time playmaker for QB Vince Young to throw to. The team has to find a way to bring in a guy that can allow Young to develop into his full potential as a quarterback in the NFL. Its hard to say if there will be a franchise receiver when they pick at 24, but you never know when you will strike gold in the draft. A guy like Indiana’s James Hardy, or maybe even a steal if Texas WR Limas Sweed is still on the board.
2. Defensive End
With the loss of both starting ends in free agency, the team needs another guy to help put pressure on the quarterback. The team did bring in Kearse, but it’s hard to say what they will get with him. If Clemson’s Phillip Merling is sitting there it will be hard to pass him up, but they may have to wait on a guy like Purdue’s Cliff Avril in the 2nd round.
3. Cornerback
There is little to no chance that the team will be bringing back Adam “Pacman” Jones back if he is reinstated or not. So the team could be looking for another playmaker here in the draft. Its hard to say if they will use an early pick here, but if they do they might go after a guy like Kansas’s Aqib Talib with their first round pick.
4. Defensive Tackle
With the loss of Starks the team will need to find someone to fill the hole left by the big guy. Whether it comes from within the organization or the draft is hard to tell. We believe they will take one at some point in the draft; it’s just a matter of when they feel like pulling the trigger. We are thinking possibly 4th round on a guy like Arkansas’s Marcus Harrison.
5. Offensive Guard/Center
The team made a big splash when they brought in Scott from Indy, but they are still a little thin in the middle of their line. Look for them to use a pick pretty late in the draft here, and hope that they can develop him into a starter for the future,
Be sure to continue to check back as we will continue to be bringing you team-by-team draft articles. Also, be sure to check out our first round Mock Draft. Feel free to leave any comments you might have on the draft and each team’s draft needs in our comment box.