Titans NFL Draft Daily (Jan. 15): Tennessee's Mostly Good History with Offensive Tackles
Much of the 2024 NFL Draft buzz surrounding the Tennessee Titans concerns the offensive tackle position.
The combination of Andre Dillard and Jaelyn Duncan failed miserably in 2023 and the Titans desperately need to add an impact player on the left side of the line who can protect the blind side of quarterback Will Levis. The hope is that Penn State's Olu Fashanu or Notre Dame's Joe Alt will be available.
Selecting an offensive tackle with a first-round pick is a Titans habit. Tennessee has selected a player at that position four times in the past 10 draft classes. Three of those players — Peter Skoronski (Northwestern), Jack Conklin (Michigan State) and Taylor Lewan (Michigan) — have come from the Big Ten.
Did I mention Fashanu played at Penn State?
For the most part, the Titans have added impact players at offensive tackle. Let's look back at those four picks.
Peter Skoronski, No. 11 overall (2023)
Evaluating a draft selection after just one season can be difficult, but Skoronski showed real promise in his first season with the Titans. It's especially difficult in this instance. Skoronski was an All-American tackle at Northwestern, but Tennessee had different plans for the former Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year. In his rookie season, the Titans shifted Skoronski to guard.
After missing three games due to appendix surgery, Skoronski started 14 games and committed just one penalty and allowed five sacks in 863 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He finished his first season grading out at a 61.6, per PFF, an average mark among offensive linemen.
There's plenty of room for improvement, but Skoronski has the tools to be an anchor along the Titans' offensive front.
Isaiah Wilson, No. 29 overall (2020)
Without question, Isaiah Wilson was a bust. The former Georgia standout lasted one season in Nashville, playing just one snap with the Titans.
It was hard for Tennessee to pass on the 6-foot-6, 350-pound offensive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was a second-team All-SEC selection and seemed to fit a big need.
Injuries and a team-imposed suspension hindered any traction Wilson had in his rookie season. Rather than competing with Dennis Kelly at right tackle, he spent most of his first NFL season watching from the sideline.
The Titans decided to cut their losses, trading Wilson to the Miami Dolphins after just one season.
Jack Conklin, No. 8 overall (2016)
Conklin was one of the most coveted offensive tackles in the 2016 NFL Draft class. The Michigan State Spartan started in 38 of 39 career games over three seasons, earning All-America honors in 2015.
In 57 starts from 2016-19, Conklin gave the Titans reliability, if not excellence, at right tackle.
In his 2016 rookie season, Conklin was a first-team All-Pro. He followed that strong first season by earning an 81.8 grade from PFF in 2017, ranking 12th among NFL offensive tackles.
After missing seven games in 2018, Conklin returned to full strength in 2019, starting all 16 regular-season games and three playoff contests. He graded out at 77.9 that season, a dip from his previous success.
Despite his dependability, Tennessee declined Conklin's fifth-year option. In 2020, he was a first-team All-Pro again with the Cleveland Browns. Injuries have curtailed his playing time two of the past three seasons.
Taylor Lewan, No. 11 overall (2014)
Lewan is the most successful offensive tackle — and arguably the most important player overall — that the Titans have drafted over the last decade
A former star at Michigan, Lewan earned PFWA All-Rookie honors in 2014 and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2016-18). The left tackle played in 105 career games with the Titans, making 100 starts.
Lewan was so dominant at left tackle, the Titans signed him to a five-year, $80 million contract before the 2018 season, with $50 million guaranteed. At the time, he was the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.
In 2018, Lewan was named the 78th-best player on the NFL Top 100 Players that year.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed Lewan's final four seasons with the Titans (2019-22). In 2022, he played in just two games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Tennessee released him after the 2022 season.
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