ESPN Names North Carolina Wide Receiver as “Best Fit” For Titans in NFL Draft

The Tennessee Titans are in desperate need of wide receiver help in the 2023 NFL draft and ESPN recently paired the Titans with a dynamic slot receiver out of North Carolina in Josh Downs.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans will certainly be looking at wide receivers in the NFL draft in April and may even need to select two of them. Yes, the Titans need to take receivers just from a numbers standpoint to fill out the roster, but finding the best fit for the offense will be even more important if the Titans want an impact player from day one. ESPN’s Matt Bowen recently paired up some playmakers in the draft with their best team fit and we saw Josh Downs from North Carolina named as a match for the Titans.

Downs is a smooth route runner with explosive ability. He is expected to work out of the slot in the NFL, but has some potential to work as an outside receiver as well with time. Downs would be a complementary skillset to Treylon Burks. Burks is 6’2” and plays with physicality and strength. In theory, the pairing does make sense. Bowen talked about why Downs would be a great fit for the Titans.

“This Titans' offense needs more playmakers and overall juice in the route tree, so I like fitting Downs with them in the second round. He's an explosive slot receiver who can be schemed as a motion/movement player.”

Downs on his own is a fine prospect, but again, everything is about fit. Bowen went on to describe how he think Downs could fit into the Titans’ offense and why, despite being a run-first team, Downs could still make a major impact.

“Yes, as long as Derrick Henry is in the mix, the Titans will tend to be more run-heavy on the call sheet. I get it. But adding Downs to pair with 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks will boost the pass game for quarterback Ryan Tannehill,” Bowen explained. “This is where the Titans can expand their route system -- especially on dropback throws -- and create stress on opposing defenses at multiple levels with two targets who have catch-and-run ability. Tennessee only threw the ball 435 times last season, 29th-lowest in the NFL, so adding a dynamic receiver who caught 11 TD passes in 2022 should help improve that part of the offense.”

Bowen also points out that the Titans could most likely draft Downs in the second round at pick 41. That would be good value for the Titans and allow them to draft offensive line in the first round. However, I remain skeptical about Downs’ fit with the Titans. Downs is 5’9” and while he may have some outside ability, will primarily be a slot in the NFL due to his size. The Titans have Kyle Philips, the fifth rounder out of UCLA, on the team still and Philips dealt with injury last year, but Downs would be a 100% overlap in skillset.

Not to mention, it is a skillset that has a minimized role in the offense. The Titans love multiple tight end sets and play with a ton of two receiver looks. Would Downs really be able to play on the outside? I have my doubts. I think the Titans need more of an outside receiver with some size, and of course some speed, that makes more sense in the teams’ most used offensive personnel groupings.

Downs could end up on the Titans though and if he does, it would indeed be a boost of speed the Titans desperately need. According to Bowen, that’s exactly what they need to target.

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