Glennon's Seven-Round Titans Mock Draft

Tackle Bernhard Raimann is the first of seven proposed selections, which begin with three straight on offense.

NASHVILLE – In much the same way the Tennessee Titans dove into the 2021 offseason searching for help on the defensive front, they’ve turned their attention to offense so far this offseason.

The big addition to date has been high-profile wide receiver Robert Woods, but the signing of tight end Austin Hooper provided a good all-round upgrade at that position as well. In addition, offensive lineman Jamarco Jones should at least bolster depth and at best compete for the vacant starting position at left guard.

It’s easy to believe the offensive makeover will continue at the NFL Draft (April 28-30). The Titans still look needy at offensive line, wide receiver and tight end.

There’s also the possibility they might decide they can’t pass up a potential quarterback of the future in the first round.

Here’s my first seven-round Titans mock draft of the year, featuring offensive selections with the first three picks – and with four of the seven picks overall:

FIRST ROUND

Overall pick: 26th

Player: Bernhard Raimann

Position: Tackle (6-6, 303 pounds)

School: Central Michigan

What’s to like: If you want both athleticism and strength in a tackle, Raimann is a great place to start. The native of Austria actually played tight end in his first two seasons at Central Michigan – catching 20 passes -- before switching to tackle for his last two years. Despite that lack of experience on the offensive line, Raimann earned Pro Football Focus’ second-highest grade of any offensive lineman this season. He allowed one sack in 690 pass-blocking snaps over the past two years, and Raimann didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure in his final six games, per Pro Football Focus. Raimann balanced that with an 88.7 run-block grade, so he’d be fine opening holes for Derrick Henry. PFF compares him to Lane Johnson, the Eagles’ three-time Pro Bowler. The assumption would be that Raimann would switch from left to right tackle in the immediate future, as Taylor Lewan remains on the left side. But Raimann projects as a starting NFL left tackle – and has plenty of upside – so he could eventually move into Lewan’s spot.

THIRD ROUND

Overall pick: 90th

Player: Wan’Dale Robinson

Position: Wide receiver (5-8, 178 pounds)

School: Kentucky

What’s to like: Those who don’t like smaller receivers will mock this mock pick right away. But let’s face it: In A.J. Brown, Robert Woods, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Dez Fitzpatrick, Racey McMath and Cody Hollister, the Titans have plenty of size and strength. What they need is a complement to that group, a player who can add both vertical speed and shiftiness to the room. Enter Robinson, who ran a 4.44 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine after a 2021 season that saw him catch 104 passes for 1,334 yards (12.8-yard average) and seven touchdowns. In three college seasons – he spent his first two at Nebraska – Robinson also showed the ability to be an all-round player, carrying the football 141 times for 691 yards and four touchdowns. NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein writes that Robinson is “much lighter than Deebo Samuel, but the competitiveness, acceleration and run-after-catch talent could have teams eyeing a somewhat similar usage for Robinson in the future.”

FOURTH ROUND

Overall pick: 131st

Player: Jelani Woods

Position: Tight end (6-7, 259 pounds)

School: Virginia

What’s to like: As a long-suffering yet devoted Virginia football fan, I watched almost every game Woods played last season. He did a great job using his giant frame to shield smaller defenders, and he was an absolute load to bring down. Woods made 11 contested catches (eighth in the country among tight ends, per PFF) last season and forced 11 missed tackles (tied for eighth among tight ends). Those numbers were part of a huge breakout season for Woods, who’d been used sparingly as a pass-catcher in three years at Oklahoma State. In 11 games last season, Woods caught 44 passes for 598 yards (13.6-yard average) and eight touchdowns. He only helped his cause at the NFL scouting combine, running a 4.61 40-yard dash and totaling 24 reps on the bench press, best among tight ends. Analysts feel Woods could improve in the run-blocking department, but with his size and toughness, has room to grow.

FOURTH ROUND

Overall pick: 143rd

Player: Marcus Jones

Position: Cornerback (5-8, 174 pounds)

School: Houston

What’s to like: Jones may well be gone at this point, but there are a couple of things that might make him still available – his size and the fact he’s coming off two shoulder surgeries. Otherwise, what’s not to like about Jones, an athletic and electric special-teams player with the skills to make an impact on defense as well? In his last two seasons with the Cougars, Jones returned 20 kicks for 612 yards (30.6-yard average) and two touchdowns. He returned 43 punts for 711 yards (16.5-yard average) and three touchdowns. Talk about productivity. Defensively, Jones, who’s played both outside and in the slot, made five interceptions and also posted 16 forced incompletions – the second-highest total among all cornerbacks. His speed and coverage ability would add great depth to the corner position, and his return ability would be a treat to watch.

FIFTH ROUND

Overall pick: 169th

Player: J.T. Woods

Position: Safety (6-2, 195 pounds)

School: Baylor

What’s to like: The Titans need to add depth at the safety position following Dane Cruikshank’s departure, and Woods looks like the kind of player who could fill a similar role – athletic and versatile. At the NFL scouting combine, Woods opened some eyes with a 4.36 40-yard dash and a 39.5-inch vertical, a couple of numbers that should boost his draft stock and add to his special-teams value. He moved around the field a lot as well for the Bears last season, playing 359 snaps at deep safety, 217 in the box and 212 in the slot. And Woods was productive defensively, totaling five interceptions. He averaged almost 22 yards per return on those picks, taking one to the end zone. His run-game defense and his tackling need to get better, but Woods would offer a lot if he’s still around at this point.

SIXTH ROUND

Overall pick: 204th

Player: Hassan Haskins

Position: Running back (6-2, 228 pounds)

School: Michigan

What’s to like: One of the reasons the Titans were able to survive the loss of Henry halfway through last season was the relief performance of D’Onta Foreman, who answered the bell with 133 carries for 566 yards and three touchdowns. Haskins strikes me as having some similar characteristics as Foreman following a hugely productive final season at Michigan, one that saw him carry 270 times for 1,327 yards (4.9-yard average) and 20 touchdowns. He doesn’t have breakaway speed, but Haskins’ size and physical running style can wear down defenses, evidenced by his 825 yards after contact last season – the 18th-highest total in the country. Haskins showed a decent ability to catch passes last year, with 18 receptions for 131 yards. And he’s earned praise for his physical pass-blocking as well.

SIXTH ROUND

Overall pick: 219th

Player: Darien Butler

Position: Linebacker (5-10, 221 pounds)

School: Arizona State

What’s to like: Butler’s size would be the largest impediment to him playing a significant role on the defense. But at this point in the draft, grabbing a linebacker who could excel on special teams and play a spot role in pass coverage wouldn’t be a bad thing. A three-time captain, Butler gets high praise for the kind of intangibles – desire, hustle, physicality – that produce quality special-teamers. He posted some good stats for the Sun Devils as well – totaling 68 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, sacks, three interceptions and three passes defensed in 10 games last season. Butler’s size and quickness really helped him as a pass defender – perhaps along the lines of former Titans linebacker Jayon Brown. He posted an 87.7 PFF grade in pass coverage, and allowed a quarterback rating of just 43.3 when targeted.