For the first time that we’ve seen this offseason, a draft expert has the Tennessee Titans trading out of the No. 22 overall pick in order to acquire more selections.
In the latest four-round mock draft from Chad Reuter of NFL.com, the Titans trade their No. 22 overall pick to the Green Bay Packers for their No. 29 pick, as well Green Bay’s fourth and fifth-round selections.
The Packers go on to take Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome II in that spot, while the Titans take Wake Forest EDGE Carlos Basham Jr. near the end of the first round.
Reuter’s take on the Titans’ pick:
The Titans build on their defensive line with Basham, a strong yet agile pass rusher who could replace free agent starter Jack Crawford. Basham’s work at the Senior Bowl showed scouts he’s ready to take his game to the next level.
Here’s a look at who Reuter has the Titans taking with the rest of their picks in the four-round mock:
Round 2, Pick 53: TE Hunter Long, Boston College
Round 3, Pick 85: WR Nico Collins, Michigan
Round 3, Pick 100 (comp pick): DT Bobby Brown II, Texas A&M
Round 4, Pick 127: OT Brady Christensen, BYU
Round 4, Pick 136 (via Packers): LB Derrick Barnes, Purdue
This is a pretty solid haul for Tennessee, as Reuter has the team addressing three of their biggest needs with the selections of Basham Jr., Collins and Brown II.
The biggest gripe we have here is the Titans taking a tight end in the second round. Of course, that position might be a need if Jonnu Smith leaves in free agency, but we’d prefer a pick to fill a bigger need in that spot, like defensive line and wide receiver, or to a lesser extent cornerback and inside linebacker.
We expect the Titans will add an offensive lineman in this draft after whiffing on Isaiah Wilson, but chances are that will come later in the draft with all five starting positions currently locked in. Taking one around the fourth round is feasible, especially if Tennessee addresses its bigger needs in the picks prior.
Barnes in the fourth is another solid selection depending on what happens with Jayon Brown, who is a pending free agent, although it might not be necessary if the Titans believe David Long can step into a starting role. However, even if that is the case, the uncertain future of Rashaan Evans could have Tennessee looking to address the position in this draft.