The Tennessee Titans have done it again, managing to be really bad in a draft year that might not fully reward the awful season they completed Sunday.
Thanks to former Tennessee Vol Joe Milton showing out for New England, the Patriots defeated Buffalo, allowing the Titans to move up for the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
So now what?
The Titans find themselves in this situation because they have so many deficiencies and weaknesses that they were hardly competitive in the season finale even as the Houston Texans played reserves for most of the day. The 23-14 setback marked the eighth time this season the Titans have lost by at least two scores.
Coach Brian Callahan completed his first season with an unacceptable 3-14 record. He likened it to his first year as offensive coordinator in Cincinnati when the Bengals won three games and had the first overall pick in 2020.
That pick changed the fortunes of the Bengals forever because Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow was available to be taken No. 1 overall. He has gone on to be a true franchise quarterback.
Based on what most draft analysts are saying about 2025, the Titans won’t be so fortunate with the No. 1 pick. This quarterback class – and the draft overall – is regarded as one of the weakest in several years.
NIL deals are keeping some top prospects in college longer and affecting all areas of the NFL draft, so much so that Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson declared recently that there are only about eight prospects with first-round grades. Eight out of 300-plus prospects.
The good news for the Titans is they have the No. 1 pick in a bad field. If there really are only eight blue chip prospects, they should walk away with at least one.
“That’s the way the league’s designed,” Callahan says. “It’s designed to continue to allow the teams that don’t play as well to have chances to continue to improve their teams. And that’s why the draft has always been the way it is. The order is why the teams with the worst records pick at the top. It’s not a position I’d ever want to be in again.
“But there is the benefit of that is it does open up some opportunities for you to try to improve your football team,” he continues. “I’ve seen it done. I’ve been a part of it. It is the one bonus to a season like this. And again, not one I ever want to be a part of again.”
No sure things
So, does Callahan, who came to the Titans with a reputation as a quarterback whisperer, use the first pick to draft his own hand-picked quarterback and marry his Titans fate going forward to that guy? He can surely make Will Levis the scapegoat for this season if he wants to. Levis’ ups and downs would make him an easy fall guy if Callahan has given up on trying to transform Levis’ raw talent into an effective system quarterback.
If Callahan and GM Ran Carthon’s replacement do use the first pick on a quarterback, they must be absolutely certain their pick is a game-changer for the organization. Titans fans know the perils of the alternative. They’ve experienced it recently with Vince Young, Jake Locker and Marcus Mariota.
If Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward isn’t going to pan out any better than those picks, the Titans brass would be wise not to bite on a quarterback, even though having the first pick usually dictates that. They could trade the pick for more draft capital to fill holes and find a stopgap option to start at QB or at least compete with Levis next year.
But if the front office, Callahan and the scouts and coaches are convinced that Sanders or Ward would bring enough to the table to put the franchise’s fortunes on their shoulders, then it’s a gamble they have to take.