Titans' 2019 Draft Class Ranks Among Best in Recent NFL History

Even without wide receiver A.J. Brown, four starters -- led by first-round pick Jeffery Simmons -- are firmly entrenched for 2022.

Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

NASHVILLE – When the Tennessee Titans’ expected starters take the field in training camp later this month, the 2019 draft class will be well-represented.

And that’s without Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown, the second-round pick and 2020 Pro Bowler who was traded to Philadelphia last April.

Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (first round) has turned into one of the NFL’s best at his position. Guard Nate Davis (third round) will prepare for his fourth season as a starter. Safety Amani Hooker (fourth round) is set for his second year as a starter, and inside linebacker David Long (sixth round) is expected to become a full-time starter after excelling last year.

Just how impressive was the Titans’ 2019 draft class, which only featured six selections?

Pro Football Focus this week named it the sixth-best NFL draft class of the PFF era, which began in 2006. The analytical website’s top-rated class during that stretch was New Orleans’ in 2017, which featured cornerback Marshawn Lattimore, tackle Ryan Ramczyk, safety Marcus Williams, running back Alvin Kamara and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson among others.

“This was general manager Jon Robinson’s version of when Josh Hamilton hit four home runs and a double in one game,” wrote PFF’s Michael Renner.

Titans fans might argue that the team’s 2016 draft class – Robinson’s first – was underrated here, considering it produced tackle Jack Conklin, running back Derrick Henry and safety Kevin Byard among others. But keep in mind the Titans had 10 selections in the draft, allowing almost twice as many opportunities for success as the 2019 six-pack.

Here’s another way to gauge the current impact of the Titans’ 2019 draft class.

As mentioned, that group appears likely to feature four starters this season, a total that would have been five before Brown was traded.

The Titans’ preceding five draft classes (2014-18) provided four expected starters for this year: tackle Taylor Lewan (2014), edge rusher Harold Landry (2015), Henry (2016) and Byard (2016). Similarly, one the three draft classes since 2019 have delivered four expected starters for this year: cornerback Kristian Fulton (2020), cornerback Caleb Farley (2021), right tackle Dillon Radunz (2021) and wide receiver Treylon Burks (2022).

The impact of the Titans’ 2019 class is one reason the team has excelled over the past couple of years despite minimal contributions so far from the 2020 and 2021 draft classes.

It appears Fulton will be the lone significant producer of the 2020 draft, as neither first-round tackle Isaiah Wilson nor third-round running back Darrynton Evans are even on the roster. The 2021 class is still full of questions due to injuries that slowed Farley, linebacker Monty Rice and edge rusher Rashad Weaver, along with Radunz’s slow start.

But there is no uncertainty about that 2019 class.

Any way you want to judge it, the Titans’ haul that year – especially given the number of selections – appears likely to go down as one of the best in franchise history.