We’re slowly approaching the end of the regular season and a lot of experts are starting to put out their mock drafts. Truth be told, making mock drafts this time of year has always confused me because so much can change between now and draft day.
Not only will the draft order change a handful of times before the season is over, but some players return to school, injuries happen, team needs shift after free agency, new information becomes available, etc.
Regardless, it’s at least a good way to gauge how some of the most credible names in the industry see certain prospects.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is a highly-respected name when it comes to the NFL draft, and he recently decided to take a crack at predicting how the picks would fall as of right now.
When it comes to the Titans, he had a rather controversial pick that I’d imagine not too many fans would agree with.
Brugler has Tennessee selecting Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 10th overall pick. Here is what the draft analyst had to say about this choice.
With Will Levis likely penciled in as the Titans’ 2024 starting quarterback, the front office can focus this offseason on building up the offensive line, adding more weapons, and strengthening the defense. There are greater needs on the roster, but the pass rush has been wildly inconsistent this season (when the Titans aren’t playing the Panthers). Turner is a freak-show talent — both against the run and while rushing the passer — and continues to get better.
Unfortunately, Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt, Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu, Alabama right tackle JC Latham, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers were all off the board prior to Tennessee’s pick.
However, with Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze and Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman still available, I don’t know why an offense devoid of talent wouldn’t go that route over someone like Turner.
Even if the Titans were going to go defense, UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu and Florida State’s Jared Verse are almost universally considered the top pass-rushers.
At the end of the day, these mocks hold little to no weight this time of the year, so we’ll have to wait and see how these next few months play out to truly get an idea of how things may fall.
