Titans Plan to Take Best Player Available in Draft

The Tennesse Titans' fourth overall pick in this year's NFL Draft is set up to play a sizable part in the success of Robert Saleh's first season. The new head coach has a low bar to clear in his inaugural go behind the wheel, but getting off to an encouraging start is crucial all the same.

Following two straight 3-14 finishes, Titans fans are more than weary in the wait for improvement from their favorite franchise. Coming off one of the worst hires in the NFL in recent memory, Saleh was brought in to both find success and redeem the team's now maligned reputation.

At No. 4, the Titans have the rare opportunity to draft a team-leading player that could serve as the cherry on top of an uber-active offseason. Signing after signing has led to what could be a defining moment for the franchise for years to come. And, according to general manager Mike Borgonzi (per Jim Wyatt), the Titans are approaching the ordeal with a talent-first mindset.

Titans Going Talent-First

The long-tired debate between drafting for need and drafting for talent is perhaps the most common debate for any given fanbase in ruin, rebuild, or both. Does a team pass on a potentially best-in-class talent simply because his position is filled? The answer differs per franchise and due to circumstance.

For Tennessee, however, Borgonzi said that the Titans are in a position to take the best player available. From the outside looking in, Tennessee appears to have significant needs on either side of the ball; throwing the dart and hitting just about everywhere but quarterback is likely to help.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (RB11) | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

But who stands out above the rest? Offensively, running back Jeremiyah Love is putting up combine metrics akin to some of the league's most explosive names at his position (namely Jahmyr Gibbs). Yet he's not the only player in contention.

A Carousel of Names

Also on offense, wide receiver Carnell Tate is certainly hard to ignore due to his high scoring volume and dominant overall effort on the collegiate level.

Inversely, Rueben Bain Jr., Sonny Styles and David Bailey are projected around the Titans' top pick and all have their own cases for being the best available. It's a complex web and, in the end, will come down to who Saleh and his staff determine as the premier talent.

With now less than one month remaining until the draft, eager fans won't have to wait long to see who Tennessee reels in to pair (at least cosmetically) with Cam Ward in anticipated stardom.

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