Top Draft Analyst Mocks Familiar Face to Titans

The Tennessee Titans have a ton of needs to address this offseason and one prominent draft analyst has them doing just that with a name Titans’ fans have seen a lot this draft cycle.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans' offseason is in full swing and with that also comes ‘mock season.’ Mock drafts, while being somewhat of a crapshoot, are incredibly fun, but also give us a general idea of where certain players are valued and what certain teams could be looking for. In terms of what the Titans are looking for, it is no shock that offensive line will be at the top of the “needs” list.

Todd McShay, one of the top draft analysts for ESPN, seems to agree. McShay released his second mock draft of the draft cycle and has the Titans addressing their glaring concern on the offensive line with Paris Johnson Jr., the Ohio State offensive tackle. A name Titans' fans should be familiar with by now.

A majority of mock drafts will have this pairing for the Titans. Partly due to the Titans’ obvious need at left tackle and because Johnson Jr. makes sense, value-wise, at pick 11. He would be a potentially perfect prospect to take over for Taylor Lewan with the potential to be a starter for the foreseeable future.

McShay had this to say about the selection, “Johnson is such an easy mover and allowed only three sacks over 26 starts since the start of 2021. He's versatile, too, moving over from right guard to left tackle this season and not missing a beat. The Titans' 49 sacks allowed tied for fifth most in 2022, and Taylor Lewan(turning 32 years old) is entering the final year of his contract while coming off a right knee injury. Johnson would help keep Ryan Tannehill -- or whoever ends up being the quarterback over the next few seasons -- upright while also opening up lanes for Derrick Henry and the run game. And Johnson could perhaps eventually line up opposite Nicholas Petit-Frere, his former teammate at Ohio State whom he replaced at left tackle this past season.”

Hard to argue with McShay whether it be about the Titans’ situation or the player that Johnson Jr. is. He would be an ideal fit in the Titans’ offense as an athletic mover with great size(6’6” 315 LBs.). Johnson Jr. does a great job resetting his base if things don’t work out as the play begins and has shown the ability to get up to the second level to get his body on linebackers in the run game.

While it is far too early to know what the Titans will do with their first pick in the draft, if the board falls the way McShay predicts when the selections start flying in 10 weeks, the Titans should be sprinting up to the board to select Paris Johnson Jr. They can move forward knowing they have secured someone who could hold down the quarterback’s blindside for the next decade.

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