George Walker IV, The Tennessean
Ranking Titans' Best Draft Classes: No.8 Is 1997 Anchored By Derrick Mason
The countdown of the Titans' top ten draft classes stops today at no. 8, where a third and fourth-round selection anchors this class. It is perhaps the only class in our countdown where the top pick wasn't the group's gem.
1997 produced some big-time contributors to the Titans franchise that would play significant roles in the team/s 1999 SUber Bowl run, a run that, if not for a poor first-half performance, might have given this franchise that coveted Lombardi Trophy, alas they came up one-yard short in the end.
Here is the complete 1997 class, with the impact they had.
Kenny Holmes, defensive end
- Round: 1
- Pick: No. 18 overall
- College: Miami
- The skinny: A four-year player with the Titans, Holmes came with an excellent pedigree, and while he never became a superstar, he was far from a disappointment. As a rookie, Holmes tied for the team lead in sacks, and as a result of his play, he earned All-Rookie honors.
Joey Kent, wide receiver
- Round: 2
- Pick: No. 46 overall
- College: Tennessee
- The skinny: A teammate of Peyton Manning at the University of Tennessee, Kent became a college star and was considered a can't-miss pro. He came to Nashville with big expectations. However, that star never developed as a Titan. For his career, Kent spent three seasons on the Titans roster and another season between two other teams before exiting the league.
Denard Walker, defensive back
- Round: 3
- Pick: No. 75 overall
- College: LSU
- The skinny: Walker became a starter at corner very early in his Titans career and was a solid defender for the team for four seasons, including the 1999 Super Bowl team.
Scott Sanderson, tackle
- Round: 3
- Pick: No. 81 overall
- College: Washington State
- The skinny: Sanderson spent four seasons on the Titans roster, seeing mostly special teams action and some spot play along the offensive line. While never a starter, he was an adequate backup in the few instances he was called upon.
Derrick Mason, wide receiver
- Round: 4
- Pick: No. 98 overall
- College: Michigan State
- The skinny: The gem of this draft class, Mason was a standout receiver, a fan favorite, and a leader on this team. He was arguably the best wide receiver the Titans had had since arriving here, though some felt AJ Brown was on track to surpass him before he was traded. More on Mason later.
Pratt Lyons, defensive end
- Round: 4
- Pick: No. 107 overall
- College: Troy
- The skinny: Lyons spent three seasons on the Titans roster. A car accident ended his career prematurely.
George McCullough, defensive back
- Round: 5
- Pick: No. 143 overall
- College: Baylor
- The skinny: McCullough spent four nondescript seasons on the Titans roster.
Dennis Stallings, linebacker
- Round: 6
- Pick: No. 181 overall
- College: Illinois
- The skinny: Stallings spent two seasons on the Titans roster, collecting two career tackles.
Armon Williams, defensive back
- Round: 7
- Pick: No. 216 overall
- College: Arizona
- The skinny: Willaims spent the 1997 season on the Titans roster, appearing in six games, but failed to record any stats.
Derrick Mason makes the reception against the Raiders.
George Walker IV, The Tennessean
Titans Hits in 1997
It starts with the Titans' fourth-round selection of receiver Derrick Mason. The Michigan State product spent eight seasons in Nashville, racking up receptions and becoming a fan favorite and team leader while serving as a receiver and the team's primary return man on punts and kickoffs.
As a receiver, Mason accounted for 6,114 yards and 38 touchdowns. As a returner, he amassed 4,924 yards and three scores. It was the 2000 season when he solidified himself as a star and a starting wideout. He was on the receiving end of 63 passes for 895 yards and five scores while also having 662 yards on punt returns and a whopping 1,132 kickoff return yards.
Dennard Walker was arguably the number two player in this draft, as the former LSU standout stepped into a starting role in the secondary at a corner and played solid football. Walker got his first career pick-six against Arizona as a rookie and was a stalwart of the defense for four years before departing in free agency to Denver in 2001.
Kenny Holmes immediately stepped into a starting role in 1997, but it was his play, along with rookie defensive end Jevon Kearse, during the 1999 season that fans will remember most. Those two were a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks en route to the Super Bowl. That pair also led the way for the Titans' defense to be the top-ranked unit in the league in 2001. For his career with the Titans and New York Giants, Holmes finished his career with 38.5 sacks. He is currently serving as the defensive line coach for Florida Atlantic University.
While never becoming a starter or playing many valuable minutes, Sanderson was a solid backup and worthy of being considered a solid selection as part of this class.
Titans' Misses In 1997
It was Kent who, unfortunately, was the biggest miss. Had he been able to reproduce his college glory, he and Mason might have been part this team's history as Super Bowl champs.
The bottom portion of this class was filled with players in Lyons, McCullough, Stallings (a solid special teams player), and Willams who barely saw the field outside of the preseason and left little marks on the franchise for their time on the roster.
CONCLUSION
Mason was the gem, with Walker and Holmes adding significant contributions. Throw Sanderson in for good measure, and their class is a solid member of our top ten classes.
AllTitans reached out to Mason, who shared his thought on his class.
"I thought it was a really good class. We got three starters out of that class, and if Pratt hadn't gotten into that car accident that ended his career, he would have played a significant role as well. D.Stall (Dennis Stallings) was a really good special teams player. That whole draft class played a significant role in helping build that Super Bowl team."
Coming Tuesday: A look at our No. 9 choice.
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