Draft Prep: Ten Names to Know

The 2020 NFL Draft happens this week, Thursday through Saturday.

To help you get ready, we offer this look at 10 players who, for various reasons, could end up as one of the Tennessee Titans’ seven selections.

CORNERBACK

It is a virtual certainty that the Titans will select at least one cornerback, and it’s a good bet that their first choice will be at this position. One or more of the following three players are likely to be available with pick No. 29, or even early in the second round if general manager Jon Robinson trades out of the first.

Kristian Fulton, LSU (6-2, 200): Fulton, No. 24 on SI.com’s Big Board, has the size, speed and athleticism that will convince virtually every team that his technique flaws are correctable. He does have issues that will concern some. A 19-month suspension for using another person’s sample for a drug test caused him to miss all of his sophomore season and a foot injury ended his junior season early.

Jeff Gladney, TCU (6-0, 183): A four-year starter at college and a three-sport athlete in high school, Gladney, No. 38 on the SI.com Big Board, has the background and productivity the Titans tend to prefer. He played through a torn meniscus that bothered him most of his senior season and then had surgery to correct it shortly thereafter. He has the attitude and skill set that will allow him to play in the slot or on the outside.

A.J. Terrell, Clemson (6-1, 190): A starter for two of his three seasons at Clemson, Terrell, No. 37 on the SI.com Big Board, is particularly adept at running with receivers in man-to-man coverage, even on the short, quick routes. He is no slouch in zone coverage either. It is easy to see him start his career as a slot corner and then develop into an every-down player before long.

TACKLE

Jack Conklin, the starter at right tackle for the past four years, is gone. Long-time backup Dennis Kelly was re-signed with the idea that he would replace Conklin and free agent Ty Sambrailo was signed to provide veteran depth. Those are short-term solutions. The Titans need to find their right tackle of the future, if possible.

Isaiah Wilson, Georgia (6-foot-7, 340): A massive human being, Wilson looked like the ideal target for Tennessee in the second round (No. 63 overall). He has the strength to match and figures to be a dominant run blocker at right tackle. Recent reports, however, suggest that he has moved up numerous teams’ draft boards and could go late in the first round.

Josh Jones, Houston (6-5, 311): Jones, No. 28 on the SI.com Big Board, is a guy who needs time to develop, despite the fact that he was a four-year starter in college. However, he has a lot of natural ability and a willingness to work on his technique, which leads some to believe the sky is the limit for him. With a quartet of elite tackles certain to go early in the first round, a team that needs a tackle won’t have to reach for Jones.

Trey Adams, Washington (6-8, 314): If the Titans get to the third day and still haven’t drafted a tackle, this guy becomes a real factor. He is big, strong and smart but has endured several serious injuries during his college career. Adams effectively could take a redshirt year on injured reserve and see what he can do beginning in 2021.

DUAL THREATS

General manager Jon Robinson spent more than a decade in the front office of the New England Patriots, a team that values players who can do more than one thing. And late last season we saw offensive plays that featured two quarterbacks, Ryan Tannehill and Marcus Mariota, on the field at the same time. So, it is easy to imagine someone who could add variety to things would figure prominently in the plans.

Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky (6-1, 199): When injuries to numerous quarterbacks forced Kentucky’s coaches to get creative last fall, they turned Bowden into an option quarterback. He rushed for 1,468 yards and 13 touchdowns and averaged 7.9 yards per carry. The previous year he caught 67 passes for 745 yards and five touchdowns. He also has experience as a kick returner. This is a guy Tennessee can find ways to use.

Zach Baun, OLB, Wisconsin (6-3, 240): He went to Wisconsin as a dual-threat quarterback but transitioned to linebacker and showed steady improvement. He is not necessarily a guy who can line up and one spot and win over and over. But he still thinks like a quarterback and can execute in numerous capacities as a result. If asked, he no doubt could contribute on offense as well.

Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton (6-5 251): Although he had to learn to play tight end in college, he became Dayton’s all-time leading receiver with 178 receptions for 2,295 yards with 14 touchdowns – and his numbers improved every year. There are concerns about the caliber of competition he faced playing in the FCS but no questions about his athleticism.

KICKER

Not many teams draft kickers and there are only four who rate as potential draft picks this year. After the debacle the Titans experienced with their kicking game in 2019, this might be the time for a reboot at the position.

Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern (5-10, 175): He was a kickoff specialist as a freshman and the full-time kicker each of the next three years. For his career, he made 79.4 percent of his field goal attempts (54 of 68) and nearly two-thirds of his career kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. If you’re going to draft a kicker, you might as well get one who can do it all.