A Way-too-Early 2027 Mock Draft Expects Great News for Titans Fans

Another year, another round of NFL mock drafts. Yet, we're only just now four months removed from the actual draft itself. This is way-too-early mock season, and as usual suspects at the top of the board, the Tennessee Titans are at the forefront of this conversation.

Although, in the release of ESPN and Jordan Reid's first-round prediction, Tennessee isn't in the exact same spot that they were earlier this year. In fact, Reid has the Titans falling two spots, down to the sixth pick. That means he expects Tennessee to improve to some extent, even if just slightly. I do too.

But that's not the only win for the Titans in this mock. With that sixth pick, Reid has Tennessee adding another piece to Robert Saleh's defense in the form of South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart. Stewart's film has long been passed around as proof of his invisible ceiling on that side of the ball.

Nobody on planet earth moves like Dylan Stewart pic.twitter.com/d0twJ8qyGN
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) April 27, 2026

The Titans landing Stewart ahead of Saleh's second year might be the big defensive draft they need to get that unit to the next level. That's impossible to predict at this point, but it at least seems possible.

Dylan Stewart is Perfect for Robert Saleh's Defense

Stewart, through two seasons with the Gamecocks, has leveled 11 sacks and 56 tackles in total. He also forced six fumbles in that time. The standout aspect of Stewart's game is just how well he moves off the edge, exhibiting a unique ability to slip blockers and get to the quarterback in just a few steps.

Tennessee has already invested on the edge recently, even trading up to take Keldric Faulk this past April. That's not even considering the trade before that which saw EDGE Jermaine Johnson land in Nashville.

Yet, as Reid notes, "Few edge-rush prospects have ever possessed Stewart's blend of upfield acceleration, bend and closing speed." This is a one-of-one prospect that a defense-first head coach simply doesn't pass on.

The Titans Would Draft Talent-First

That's a talent-first selection, compared to drafting for fit or need. Yet, after swinging heavily for the offense with Carnell Tate in the 2026 draft, turning the tables and going in on the best defensive prospect on the board seems like a natural progression.

Stewart, according to this mock, would be the first defender to go. In an expectedly QB-heavy pool, it's plausible that the Titans can both get better this season and take a best-in-class defender next year.

The Cleveland Browns picked sixth in this year's draft, which was the result of a 5-12 record. Is there a Titans fan on the planet that doesn't take a potentially generational defender on top of a two-win improvement?

I know we want more, but it's a slow, arduous climb to the top. A progression like that one would have to be seen as a positive trend for Coach Saleh's regime.

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