Quarterback Roulette: Could Young Land On Titans

Now that the dust has settled on the quarterback portion of the NFL Scouting Combine, the roulette wheel for quarterbacks is spinning faster than ever. What once looked improbable just days ago now appears possible for the Tennessee Titans.

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE - Bryce Young and CJ Stroud, CJ Stroud, and Bryce Young. Those two names have long sat atop the projected rankings for quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL Draft. However, a few things happened on the way to the dance. 

One, Young and his team made the decision not to workout at the combine but rather to wait for Alabama's Pro Day to showcase his abilities where he will be throwing to young receivers he spent the last year playing with, rather than a group of unfamiliar wideouts he's never thrown with before. 

Two, former Florida Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson showed out. There was no doubt going into Indianapolis that the size, speed, and athleticism were there. Still, during the onfield workout portion, Richardson was slinging the ball almost effortlessly 60 yards down the field and dropping dimes on streaking receivers.   

Three, Former Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Will Levis showed off his 59 mph cannon. For reference, Levis's throw speed was faster than that of Patrick Mahomes during his combine workout.  

While Young is not the first player to opt out in Indy, and this decision will most likely not impact him, it has opened the door for Richardson and Levis to pass him in the pecking order, as NFL executives and scouts must now sit and wait to see him throw in shorts and t-shirts to receivers working against air rather than defenders.  

According to unconfirmed reports, Stroud is viewed by the Titans as the top guy on their board. Still, unless general manager Ran Carthon and head coach Mike Vrabel are willing to pay a king's ransom to move from No.11 to No.1 in a trade with Chicago, the odds of Stroud landing in Nashville seem all but impossible.  

So, if the Titans want a quarterback in round one, that leaves three options. 

The question is, who do the other quarterback-needy teams prefer among the remaining three possibilities? 

Remember that Young's height has been an issue, and it's true that most teams prefer the taller, stronger, bigger arms, which could mean that if Stroud goes off the board as the first quarterback, those in the market for a passer could land on either Richardson or Levis as opposed to Young.   

A lot depends on Chicago and the possibility that someone trades up. Still, it appears that Indianapolis, Houston, Carolina, and Las Vegas are all in the market for a signal-caller, so the Titans might be left out of the top four unless they decide to make a move up, which has been speculated to be possible in a deal with Detroit to climb to No.6 overall.      

Should Young slip to No.4, the Titans would have to make the deal with the Lions to get to No.6, one spot ahead of the Raiders, who will likely select the remaining player. 

Of course, all this speculation comes before free agency, and we learn where guys like Aaron Rodgers and other veteran players land. Those additions could seriously impact the draft day moves of some teams selecting ahead of the Titans.   

In short, there is a chance that the Titans could end up in the position to draft Young- who is still ranked as the top QB by most "draft experts'- at No. 11, though that seems a long shot. They could move to No.6 to nab him or be left out of this quarterback roulette entirely. 

While the scenarios are almost endless at this point, one where Young actually ends up in Nashville doesn't seem probable. One of the teams higher up the draft order won't be swayed by height or the flash of the bigger, less proven arm. 

One thing that seems all but guaranteed is that this chaos will continue until draft night, and the weeks leading up to it will be entertaining.   

Carthon Comments at Combine: Tennessee Titans' new general manager Ran Carthon spoke at the 2023 NFL Combine about a number of topics including Ryan Tannehill’s status, his relationship with head coach Mike Vrabel and his meeting with Jeffery Simmons. CLICK HERE

Titans Combine Preview: It's NFL Combine week, which is one of the largest events of the entire offseason for all 32 teams around the league. With the combine kicking off this week, what should Titans fans be looking out for in days the ahead? CLICK HERE

Titans' Assistant Bolts for Chicago: The Tennessee Titans made some serious changes to the coaching staff earlier this offseason. It appears one coach was not happy with the changes and decided to find a new job with the Chicago Bears. CLICK HERE