Titans Should Draft Undeniable Defensive Prospect for Robert Saleh

Robert Saleh's reign with the Tennessee Titans has only just begun, but the head coach's penchant for stating his policies, and preferences, loud and clear is already a staple of his tenure.

At this year's NFL Combine, in his first appearance therein as the Titans' leading man, Saleh went out of his way to compliment potential Titans draftee Rueben Bain Jr. ahead of his expected participation in the event.

“With a young man like Bain, I don't know if his testing has come in yet, but his tape is undeniable," Saleh said.

In his most recent, national runner-up campaign with the Miami Hurricanes, Bain leveled 9.5 sacks, one forced fumbled, and one interception.

A Fast and Violent Defender

Calling him one of the best defenders on the collegiate level would be an understatement and, as a defensive-minded coach, Saleh's interest in him isn't remotely surprising. Not to mention Tennessee's own needs on the edge, with the defensive line being consistently posited as a point of emphasis in mock draft as of late.

New Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"You know, he's an unbelievable football player," Saleh continued. "He plays with great violence. His football IQ is off the charts. So you trust that a guy like him and his makeup is going to translate the way it needs to.”

"Fast and violent," was Saleh's desired description of the Titans, newly led under his wing. If Bain fits that exact vision, as Saleh seems to suggest, Tennessee pouncing on his availability at No. 4 overall seems like a no-brainer (or "no-Bainer") for the rebuilding unit.

Bain is a No-Brainer

Bain certainly fits the baseline description of the sort of player Saleh is looking to build his defense on from the beginning in Tennessee, and although he isn't the only prospect the Titans will keep tabs on from now until draft night (see EDGE David Bailey), he could now be considered the favorite.

Either way, given Saleh's comments on Bain and the long-standing expectation that Tennessee would focus their fourth overall selection on defense, that latter conviction seems more evidenced than ever.

Not to mention the separate, free agency rumors about the Titans filling their offensive gaps via that more expensive method; from the outside looking in, Saleh's defensive is coming onto the scene with a draft-first mentality.

Still, a lot can happen in the time between now and the draft in April. So long as Saleh's standards remain in-tact for fast, violent players, Titans fans can rest easy that he'll get the defense where it needs to be by kickoff this fall.

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