Rookie Class Offers Hope For Titans

The Tennessee Titans are hoping to add some optimism with their rookie class.

Cam Ward fields questions after being introduced as the Tennessee Titans first-round pick. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Titans had Cam Ward as their headliner for their draft class and the two wide receivers, Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, as exciting pieces as well.

The team also had some ancillary adds, and ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had high praise for them.

"On defense, the Oluwafemi Oladejo pick makes a lot of sense after Harold Landry III was a cap casualty during free agency. Tennessee finished with 32 team sacks last season, tied for the third fewest in the NFL," Kiper wrote.

"Oladejo -- my No. 42 prospect -- is a versatile defensive lineman who plays with burst and intensity. I love his tape. And then safety Kevin Winston Jr. is worth the midround flier. He's a tough evaluation because he missed most of last season because of an injury, but the value is great. I ranked him 49th, and he hung around until No. 82. I also think Jackson Slater could develop into the center of the future, and Kalel Mullings is a powerful runner who can slam through the pile. Oh, and Tennessee brought back a friend of Ward, signing receiver Xavier Restrepo as an undrafted free agent. That's basically another good late-round pick."

The Titans have hope and potential, and that makes things exciting for the future.

There's a lot of different directions the new members of the rookie class can go in, and the coaching staff will have ample opportunity to develop them both in practice and with reps on the field throughout the entire offseason. That should make every rookie hungry with a path towards competing for the Titans.

The rookie class will have a chance to get acclimated with the Titans when they bring all of their first-year players and other non-roster invitees to minicamp early next month.

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