Titans NFL Draft Daily (Feb. 14): Tennessee Selects WR Rome Odunze in ESPN Mock Draft

The latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft from ESPN has the Tennessee Titans making an interesting selection at No. 7. Analyst Field Yates believes the Titans take Washington receiver Rome Odunze. He hauled in 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Huskies in 2023.

It didn't take long for one NFL Draft expert to mix things up for the Tennessee Titans. ESPN's Field Yates is projecting that the team will pass on an offensive tackle with its first-round pick and, instead, will take Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. 

Receiver is another major position group the Titans need to address in the offseason. However, because of the struggles at left tackle last season, many draft analysts believe general manager Ran Carthon and coach Brian Callahan will fill that void with either Notre Dame's Joe Alt or Penn State's Olu Fashanu with the No. 7 pick.

Yates explained why he believes Odunze — one of the top receivers in this year's draft class — would be an excellent fit in Nashville.

"The Titans have a clear and obvious need at wide receiver, and if the board plays out like this come April 25, I'd be floored if they pass on Odunze," Yates writes. "The wideout hardly has a flaw in his game. He's a pristine route runner, incredible after the catch, terrific in contested catch situations and Mr. Reliable with his hands. Quarterback Will Levis would love this pick, as Odunze led the country in receiving last season (1,640 yards)."

In addition to his 1,640 receiving yards, Odunze also had 13 touchdown catches on 92 receptions for the Huskies last season.

Tennessee needs to provide Levis with some playmakers. DeAndre Hopkins was the only receiver to put up numbers in 2023, finishing the year with 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns on 75 catches. Chris Moore, the team's second-leading receiver, totaled just 424 receiving yards.

Hopkins will also be on the second of a two-year deal with the Titans. So, there's a possibility that the 2024 season could be his last in Nashville. That puts an even higher emphasis on Carthon and Callahan looking at receiver.

Adding Odunze in the first round certainly wouldn't be a bad move for Tennessee. But because of the glaring concerns on offensive line, the expectation is that they'll address that need first.

What about Alt and Fashanu?

Part of the reason Yates is projecting Odunze will land with Tennessee is because he's also predicting that Alt will get picked up prior to the No. 7 selection. The ESPN analyst has the Notre Dame All-American going No. 5 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers.

As for Fashanu? He'd still be available for the Titans in the first round, as Yates projects the former Nittany Lion star heading to the New York Jets with the No. 10 pick.

So, while receiver may be a position of need for Tennessee, it's hard to believe the team would pass on Fashanu if available. Then again, perhaps the depth along the offensive line in this draft class is a reason why the Titans would be better suited to pursue a playmaker with their first-round selection.

Last week, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said that this year's draft class had plenty of talented linemen available to help teams restructure in the trenches.

"If you need to remake your offensive line, this draft is going to provide that opportunity," Jeremiah wrote. "Talent and depth is there to make a major impact next year."

There's a good possibility that, if Tennessee does bypass the offensive tackle in the first round of the draft, the Titans will still be able to pick up a talented player at the position later.

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