Tracking The Titans' Day Three Selections
The final day of the 2021 NFL Draft is here, and Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson and company have plenty to accomplish.
The Titans have made three selections thus far, and three of those players have been defensive additions, including two defensive backs, first-round pick Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech), and third-round pick Elijah Molden. In addition, the Titans drafted offensive tackle Dillon Radunz in the second round, and Georgia linebacker Monty Rice in the third.
Expect the Titans to focus more on their offense today, specifically at wide receiver and tight end. However, it's fair to expect them to add an edge rusher at some point as well.
In rounds 4-7., Tennessee is scheduled to make six picks – two in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh – which would account for more than half of their total picks.
Follow along as AllTitans tracks the Titans' day-three decisions.
(11:20 a.m., CDT): The Titans have traded up in the fourth round. They acquired pick 109 from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for picks 126, 166 and 232.
The Titans used pick 109 to finally address the wide receiver position. Louisville's Dez Fitzpatrick. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has been a full-time starter for the Cardinals over the past three seasons. He recorded 154 receptions (ninth all-time in Louisville history) for 2,589 yards (sixth all-time) and 21 touchdowns (fifth all-time). He is tied for 10th with eight 100-yard receiving games.
(11:30 a.m., CDT): The Titans entered day three of the NFL Draft with six picks. After the trade with the Panthers, they have just three picks remaining (135, 205 and 215).
(11:41, CDT): With the addition of a wide receiver, a look at all of the rostered players at that position: A.J. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Fitzpatrick, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Cam Batson, Cody Hollister, Chester Rodgers, Rasheed Davis, Mason Kinsey.
(11:48, CDT): Fitzpatrick says the Titans told him they needed to trade up for him when they saw he was still on the board.
(11:50, CDT): Fitzpatrick is a decent-sized wide receiver prospect, but can play both outside and in the slot. He said the Titans were impressed that he could play both given his size.
(11:53, CDT): Fitzpatrick has played at Nissan Stadium, the Titans' home field. He played well against Western Kentucky there, he said.
(11:54): Fitzpatrick says he tries to resemble Packers star wide receiver Davante Adams. He said he grew up a Larry Fitzgerald fan.
(11:56): Fitzpatrick said Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has already reached out to congratulate and welcome him to the Titans.
"He (Tannehill) said he can't wait to work with me," Fitzpatrick said. "...He said he felt like it was good pick for them."
(12, CDT): Fitzpatrick said, "I was expecting (to be picked) late day two, early day three, around this time. A couple of other teams I thought would pick me up...the Rams and a few others were in contact with me a lot. I am just so excited to be a Titan."
(12:19, CDT): The Titans' next pick is approaching. Here are some prospects to keep an eye on: Trey Smith (OG, Tennessee), Quincy Roche (DE, Miami), Rashad Weaver (DE, Pittsburgh), Brevin Jordan (Miami), Austin Watkins (UAB).
(12:30, CDT): There's the pass rusher. The Titans select Pittsburgh defensive end Rashad Weaver. The 6-foot-5, 270-pounder recorded 17 sacks, 34.5 tackles for a loss of yards (at least 14 in each of his last two seasons), 110 total tackles and nine pass break-ups in 35 games. He missed the 2019 season after suffering a knee injury in training camp.
Weaver is a solid pick for the Titans in the fourth round. Some experts believed he would go earlier than this. Panthers beat writer Will Graves of the AP tweeted, "Titans take Pitt's Rashad Weaver in the fourth round. I'll be stunned if he doesn't play in the league for long, long time."
His defensive line coach at Pittsburgh, Charlie Partridge, coached J.J. Watt at Wisconsin. Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi has long been regarded as one of the best defensive minds in college football. Weaver is an NFL-ready prospect who will learn a lot from former Steelers OLB Bud Dupree, who signed with the Titans in free agency, and Harold Landry, who has led the Titans in sacks in each of the last two seasons.
(12:47, CDT): Weaver said he can stand up on the edge or play with his hand in the dirt.
(12:50, CDT): Weaver said the Titans got a steal by drafting him.
"I think they got the biggest steal of the draft," he said. "I thought I would have gone on day two, honestly.
"I think they made a great value pick in me, and I am excited to prove that to them."
(12:53, CDT): The two played in the same city. But they did not meet in Pittsburgh.
Weaver said he and Dupree have the same financial advisor and met in Arizona.
(12: 58, CDT): "You're going to get me in trouble before I even get there (Nashville)."
Weaver beat coach Mike Vrabel's son, Tyler, for a sack in a game against Boston College, where Tyler plays collegiately.
Weaver said he did mention that to his new coach during a pre-draft meeting.
"I think the second meeting I had was with coach Vrabel, and I brought it up to him. He just kind of laughed at me, he might have cussed at me. Besides that, it was a good little laugh. He said that I had a good game. His son will be a good player. He's still young."
(1:18, CDT): The fourth round for the Titans was a busy one. They added a receiver (Fitzpatrick) and an edge rusher (Weaver). Tennessee does not have a fifth-round pick. Their next selection will be in the sixth round (205, 215). Get ready for a layover, if you're still watching.
(2:01, CDT): A few interesting facts on fourth-round pick, wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick...
His father, Greg, played defensive back in the Canadian Football League, and he was childhood friends with Rams wide receiver Trishton Jackson and Panthers OLB David Reese.
He is a fan of former Titans wide receiver Corey Davis, who signed with the Jets.
(3:11, CDT): Did Monty Rice grow up a Titans fan? The third-round pick, an inside linebacker by way of Georgia, posted pictures on his Instagram story of him donning Vince Young and Steve McNair jerseys at Nissan Stadium as a young boy. The Titans' Twitter account reshared those photos and added, "It was meant to be."
(3:20, CDT): Titans fourth-round pick Rashad Weaver said in his press conference that he learned from some of the best coaches at Pittsburgh. Regarded as one of the best defensive minds in all of college football, Panthers head coach Patt Narduzzi shared some thoughts on the Titans' new defensive end.
"The Titans got themselves a steal in the fourth round in Rashad Weaver. He is so mentally and physically tough. That was on full display this past season when he came back from a knee injury to be a first-team All-American," Narduzzi said, via the program's Twitter. "I am not surprised that coach Vrabel, a former defensive lineman himself, wanted to make Rashod a Titan."
(3:31, CDT): The Titans are two picks away. They could do just about anything with this one. I still think they add a tight end....Here are some options: (Dylan Sohner, Iowa State), Matt Bushman (BYU), Quintin Morris (Bowling Green).
A wild card: Quincy Roche is probably the best player available right now. If the Titans want to add another edge/DE, they might as well take a shot on the Temple/Miami prospect.
(3:37, CDT): Another wide receiver. With the 205th pick, their penultimate selection of the draft, the Titans take LSU wide receiver Racey McMath, who ran a 4.39 at his Pro Day. McMath played in 34 games with six starts over his four seasons at LSU. The 6-foot-2, 211-pounder caught just 33 passes for 522 yards and four touchdowns, in part because he was buried on the depth chart behind the likes of Justin Jefferson, J'Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall, to name a few. He was a special teams contributor as well.
And a fun fact on how his parents named him: During his mother's nine-month pregnancy, he never stayed still, according to his player biography... “it felt like he was just racing in my stomach, so we said, ‘ok, that’s going to be his name – let’s call him Racey.’”
(3:50, CDT): McMath was college roommates with cornerback Kristian Fulton, who the Titans drafted in the second round last season. At one point, Fulton predicted that McMath would be the next LSU star.
(4:09, CDT): Mike Vrabel made this selection live on NFL Network. With their final pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Titans selected Oregon Safety Brady Breeze. He's the third defensive back the Titans have drafted over the past three days.
A 6-foot-0, 196-pounder, Breeze opted out of this past season. He played in 38 games over this first three seasons with the Ducks, recording 95 tackles, 8 passes defended and three interceptions. He's one of eight FBS players since 2000 to have two fumble returns for a touchdown and a pick-6 in the same season (2019).
He earned 2020 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP honors after making a career-high 11 tackles to go along with a forced fumble and a fumble return for a touchdown.
Breeze will likely have to contribute on special teams to make the roster. The good thing is that he played over 700 special teams snaps in college, according to The Athletic's Dan Brugler. If he does stick around, he'll be able to learn from one of the top safeties in the NFL, Kevin Byard, who is a Pro Bowler and All-Pro.
(4:22, CDT): Breeze said the best way to force turnovers is by hustling and doing the "little things" right. Vrabel is going to love this kid.
"It's all about hard work and hustle," he said.
(4:25, CDT): Breeze said he played a lot of special teams, but maybe less than 700 snaps, as Brugler reported.
"Special teams is near and dear to my heart," he said.
(4:27, CDT): Breeze said he is lifelong friends with Titans third-round pick, defensive back Elijah Molden. Molden's dad, Alex, and Breeze's uncle, Chad Cota, played together at the University of Oregon.
Shortly after the Titans drafted Breeze, Molden tweeted, "Yessir let’s go family!!"
(4:37, CDT): That concludes the Titans' 2021 draft class. We'll hear from Vrabel and Robinson shortly.
First round: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Second round: Dillon Radunz, OL, NDSU
Third round: Canty Rice, ILB, Georgia
Third round: Elijah Molden, DB, Washington
Fourth round: Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville
Fourth round: Rashad Weaver, DE, Pittsburgh
Sixth round: Racey McMath, WR, LSU
Sixth round: Brady Breeze, S, Oregon
(4:48, CDT): Robinson, on trading up for Fitzpatrick, "I love his toughness and tenacity as a blocker. He's good in traffic catching the football.
"...Excited to get him here in Nashville. The staff there raved about his work ethic."
(5, CDT): Robinson said the Titans were close to drafting a tight end a "couple of times" but like what they like on the roster. However, he did add that the roster-building prospect is "never over."
Robinson said there is a chance that MyCole Pruitt comes back.
(5:04, CDT): Robinson said, "I think we're a better football team after this weekend. I think they (the draft picks) are going to add value to our football team in their various roles."
(5:06, CDT): Vrabel, on all of the new defensive additions, "In a virtual setting, that's challenging. How. much time do I give the coaches as a defensive or offensive unit, and then positional?"
(5:13, CDT): Glenn Guilbeau, who covers LSU for The Advertiser, said the Titans could have gotten a steal in Racey McMath.
"He could be a steal as he was behind three great receivers at LSU the last three years - Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall. He'll be a great gunner on special teams."
(5:25, CDT): That concludes AllTitans' 2021 NFL Draft live blog. Stay tuned for more on the newest members of the team in the coming days, including features, commentaries and in-depth analysis. Thanks for following along.
