Missed Opportunities: Who Could the Titans Have Picked?

The Tennessee Titans selected offensive lineman Peter Skoronski in the first round, but there were other options on the board that could have been great options for the Titans as well.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans made what some are calling a "safe" pick with Peter Skoronski in the first round. That may be true, but it stands to wonder what else was on the table if the Titans didn't play it "safe" with the first rounder out of Northwestern? Here are the other logical directions they could have gone.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State wide receiver 

Actual Pick: 20 to the Seattle Seahawks

The Titans' wide receiver room is one of the least talented in the NFL, so any receiver you could add here would have made sense. At this point in the draft, no wide receivers had been selected. The Titans had their pick of the litter and decided to pass.

The Titans had some reported interested in Boston College receiver Zay Flowers as well, who ended up being selected by the Baltimore Ravens at 23. He could have been ranked higher than Smith-Njigba on the Titans' board, but it obviously didn't make a difference in the decision. No matter who was ranked higher, neither were the pick.

The Reason to Pass: The Titans do have a need at wide receiver, but if Skoronski was ranked higher on the Titans' board and considered a "blue player," then it only makes sense not to force a need and draft a guy who you have lower on the board. The first wide receiver taken was nine picks later. The Titans weren't alone in not wanting to force it.

The good news is there are a lot of good options still remaining for the Titans on day two of the draft at pass-catching positions, but there aren't a lot of "blue" offensive linemen. While the Titans' need at wide receiver is concerning, the offensive line still needed help as well.

Christian Gonzales, Oregon cornerback

Actual Pick: 17 - New England Patriots

Sadly, third-year player Caleb Farley can't get his body to cooperate long enough to get the reps he always needed to develop. The Titans got beat last year consistently down the field and on the sideline because they didn't have that long, physical corner to win those matchups. Gonzales is that style of corner without the injury concerns of Farley. You could see how the Titans might be interested.

Also, Kristian Fulton has had spurts of great play for the Titans, but he is going to be a free agent after the season and Mike Vrabel called him out by name at the end of the 2022 season, along with former Titan linebacker David Long, as a "repeat offender" on soft tissue injuries. Long left the Titans and it stands to reason Fulton may be on his way out as well, so the need may be more pressing than people realize.

The Reason to Pass: The draft has a good group of long, physical cornerbacks. The Titans have a chance to grab one if they really want to on day two. The Titans also signed Sean Murphy-Bunting this offseason and with Murphy-Bunting still being young at 25 years old, maybe the team is higher on his potential than we realize.

Will Levis, Kentucky quarterback

Not Selected Yet

Will Levis was a player some people connected to the Titans as an option in the first round. The Titans have a lame-duck situation at quarterback with Ryan Tannehill and the team appears to be in transition. Maybe this was the time to snag the quarterback of the future and interject some hope into the organization.

The Reason to Pass: Well, first, Levis hasn't been selected at this point. The Titans, at minimum, from a value standpoint, didn't overpay. Add in some of the issues with Levis' game and you can see clearly why it was smart to pass. Levis struggles with his footwork and it leads to inaccuracies. He makes some poor decisions with the ball. He did play in a pro-style system in college that matches the Titans to a degree, but playing the system well has to matter too.

Ultimately, Skoronski was the right selection for the Titans. He is one of the top players in the class and has the potential to be a starter for a long time. This class has more options to offer at the Titans' need spots, especially wide receiver, throughout the rest of the draft, so securing Skoronski sets the Titans up to have a smart draft to kickoff the Ran Carthon era.

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