The Tennessee Titans are in the middle of a general manager search after firing Ran Carthon earlier in the month. While that is taking place, accolades for some of their 2024 draft haul continue to roll in.
At 3-14, there is no doubt that the team is flawed. The roster lacked depth and was exposed when the injury bug hit. That doesn’t mean it was a total loss, especially for some of their rookies who gained valuable experience.
JC Latham, T’Vondre Sweat and Jarvis Brownlee all played major roles in 2024, while Cedric Gray, Jha’Quan Jackson, James Williams and Jaylen Harrell all logged playing time near the end of the season.
Two players, though, performed better than many expected and played their way onto ESPN’s regular-season All-Rookie Team.
While JC Latham lost out on the top spot to New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, he was named second team left tackle by Ben Solak.
Left Tackle
Sorting out the first- and second-team left tackles was a heartbreaking endeavor. Fuaga, JC Latham (Titans) and Olu Fashanu (Jets) all delivered on or exceeded their draft billing as blindside protectors. Having to rank them is impossible and unfair, and Jets and Titans fans can be justifiably upset with me.
This was a fair take and one that seems to come up a lot in conversations about this rookie class. Fuaga, Latham and Olu Fashanu are consistently grouped together at the left tackle position.
The same cannot be said about Sweat, who was named one of the top interior defensive linemen.
Interior defensive linemen
T’Vondre Sweat, Tennessee Titans
2024 stats: 51 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Drafted: Round 2, No. 38
If you had asked me for my rosiest projection for Sweat’s rookie season, I don’t think I would have gotten here. At 360 pounds, he consistently played over 50% of the defensive snaps, and while he was occasionally flagged in the fourth quarter of long games, it wasn’t any more or less than an average defensive tackle.
He was a perfect pairing with franchise defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, as he punished teams that made Simmons the focal point of their pass protection and run schemes, and Sweat consistently won when he was doubled. While it will never be a featured strength of his game, he flashed more pass-rush arsenal than I could have dreamed. Sweat clearly has a ceiling beyond that of a Jordan Davis or Michael Pierce; he might be a Vita Vea.
Second team: Braden Fiske, Los Angeles Rams
While neither Latham nor Sweat were perfect, they showed signs with their performances that they can be foundational pieces for the future. With the Titans holding the No. 1 overall selection, fans hope that the next general manager can select players that will have a similar impact in 2025 and beyond.
