NFL Draft: What Second-Round Pick T'Vondre Sweat Says About His Future with Titans

After T'Vondre Sweat's arrest earlier this month on suspicion of driving under the influence, Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon, coach Brian Callahan, and defensive line coach Tracy Rocker followed up with a visit to Houston and had some "tough conversations" with Sweat, plus his mother, brother, and grandfather.

NASHVILLE — T'Vondre Sweat, the Outland Trophy-winning defensive tackle, is grateful to the Tennessee Titans for giving him a chance.

On April 7 in Austin, Texas, Sweat was arrested and booked on suspicion of driving under the influence — a misdemeanor. A day later, he interviewed in Nashville with the Titans.

Titans leadership appreciated Sweat's transparency and general manager Ran Carthon, coach Brian Callahan, and defensive line coach Tracy Rocker followed up with a visit to Houston and had some "tough conversations" with Sweat, plus his mother, brother, and grandfather.

On Thursday night in Detroit, the Titans made Sweat their second-round draft pick.

Here is a transcript of Sweat's remarks after his selection.

On getting the news of his selection

"When I got the call, it was just unbelievable. And I was just thankful and thank God that they gave me a chance. And now I'm ready. It's just — I really have no words."

On the possibility that the Titans would be calling

"Yes. So, I met with them a few times. And when I went down there to Tennessee, it was great. The vibes were great. Loved the facility and the people around there was just great.  Everybody just kept it real. And I just can't wait to get up there and go to work."

On coming to Tennessee earlier this month after his arrest

"Right, that's some legal issues. I will not be talking about it. I won't be discussing that."

On how the Titans listened to him

"It's life. It's life, man. They believed in me. And I'm just ready to rock and roll and go to Tennessee."

When Titans leadership visited him in Houston

"I felt great about it when they came down to Houston to meet me and my mom. It was great. And I knew they believed in me and they had seen something out of me. And when they told me they was coming, I was excited just to let them know and show them who I truly am and like who I'm not."

On reuniting with former Texas teammate Keondre Coburn

"Big Coburn I can't wait to be down there playing next to him. That's going to be awesome playing next to him and Jeffrey Simmons. Woo, woo! I feel sorry for the league."

On Jeffrey Simmons

"A dog. I don't know much about him. I just know he is a dog and one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the game."

On how he wants to be described as a player

"I'm going to bring everything to the team. I'm going to give it my all. But me personally, I really don't care about other people's opinions. I'm just going to put my head down and work and keep going."

On his current weight

366 (pounds).

On his preferred playing weight

"I’m going to go down more. I could play good at 366. My coach told me, Coach Bo (Davis), this past season said, 'Yeah you played great, but you could have played better at 355 or 350,' so I’m just going to try to chop it down day by day to get to that and if I go to 355 or 350, most likely I’m going to be a Hall of Famer."

On Texas beating JC Latham and Alabama

"That’s going to be crazy. I mean just a lot of locker room talk. You know how the locker room is. We are going to talk noise and stuff like that but it’s going to be all love. You know when you got two guys that chop it up. You know how that goes in the locker room. It will be fun though. I can’t wait to get to know him as a person and talk to bro."

On his mother

"The short answer to that is without that woman I wouldn’t be here. Without her putting her foot on my neck I wouldn’t be here. I give all praise to her and God. That’s really what I can say about that.

"I’ve got one thing to say though. Everybody recording? T Sweat coming home."

Related Titans stories

• LATHAM'S JOURNEY TO NASHVILLE: In high school, JC Latham played at IMG, a program known for nurturing professional athletes. He then played for legendary coach Nick Saban in Alabama. He's hoping to continue evolving in the National Football League with the Tennessee Titans. CLICK HERE
• WHAT CALLAHAN, CARTHON SAID: Here's everything general manager Ran Carthon and coach Brian Callahan said after the Tennessee Titans selected JC Latham in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. CLICK HERE
• O-LINE MUSCLES UP: Peter Skoronski, the All-Rookie team left guard, now will be flanked on the Tennessee Titans offensive line by center Lloyd Cushenberry, who allowed only one sack in 2023, and first-round draft pick JC Latham, a 6-foot-6, 342-pound anchor at left tackle. CLICK HERE