Titans' Brian Callahan Prepared for NFL Draft Thanks to 'Heavy Involvement' with Bengals

Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan says he's comfortable with the NFL Draft process, even as a first-year head coach. He gave a lot of credit to Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals, saying he was heavily involved with draft conversations as offensive coordinator.

INDIANAPOLIS — There are a lot of things Brian Callahan will be learning as a first-year head coach with the Tennessee Titans. When it comes to the NFL Draft process? Callahan has plenty of experience thanks to his time on Zac Taylor's staff with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Callahan was the offensive coordinator for the Bengals from 2019 to 2023. He was part of a staff that selected quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 and receiver Ja'Marr Chase with the No. 5 selection in 2021.

Because the Bengals organization welcomed input from the entire staff during the draft process, Callahan feels comfortable with that aspect of the job.

"Obviously coming from Cincinnati, heavily, heavily involved in the draft process," Callahan said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday. "That's how they've operated for a long time. I think that's been a huge benefit to me. Being involved in that process the way we were, being in all those draft meetings, in the draft process, that's an area I feel I've really grown over the years.

"I think it's a huge help to me currently, being involved in that."

Tennessee has the No. 7 pick in this year's draft. The primary thought is that the Titans address offensive tackle, but wide receiver has been mentioned as a potential option as well.

Before the Titans make a final decision, Callahan plans to get plenty of feedback from scouts, coaches, and other staffers. Much like his experience in Cincinnati, he plans to have an inclusive discussion when it comes to the draft.

"We have more people in Tennessee than we did in Cincinnati, and so I'll lean on those guys heavily as we get started. But our coaching staff will be involved, we're gonna have great conversations," Callahan said. "It's still gonna be a collaboration, because a lot of times, coaches see things differently than scouts. It allows you to make sure you're evaluating the whole picture and selecting the right player.

"You want the coaches' input, you want the scouts' input. You want them to feel like their opinions are being heard and being discussed."

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