Ranking Titans' Best Draft Classes: No. 2 The 2016 Group Anchored By Derrick Henry

We're down to the top two all-time Titans draft classes, and our No.2 class isn't necessarily the strongest top to bottom, but two of the three leading players in that class elevate it to this lofty ranking. One of those two players has put together a Hall of Fame-type resume.

Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

NASHVILLE - The No.2 class in our all-time Titans draft class countdown is the class of 2016. It's not a class that produced a lot of outstanding players; in fact, the first-round selection left town after his rookie contract. 

However, two players who stuck around for their second contract have been so strong that they alone elevated this class to No.2 all-time. Those two-player, Derrick Henry and Kevin Byard, have become invaluable parts of the Titans offense and defense and have multiple Pro Bowls between them.  

Henry and Byard have been so good that many have named them the best players at their position in the league. As for Henry, he's putting together a potential Hall of Fame career after winning a Heisman Trophy in college. 

Some might not know that Henry is the only player in the history of American football to have a 2,000-yard rushing season in high school, college, and the NFL. No other back, including Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, or Jim Brown, can say the same.  

Here's a look at the 2016 draft class and its impact on the team. 

Jack Conklin, offensive tackle

• Round: 1
• Pick: No. 8 overall
• College: Michigan State
• The skinny: The Titans first pick in 2016, Conkling was a big, physical mauler who Tennessee wanted to bookend opposite Taylor Lewan. Conklin was every bit the first-round value for four seasons, as he stepped into a starting role his rookie season and was selected as an alternate to the 2017 Pro Bowl. In year three, Conklin missed eight games, recovering from ACL surgery and a concussion. He returned in 2019 and started all 16 games before signing a free-agent deal and leaving for Cleveland. In all, Conklin started 57 of 64 games as a Titan.   

Kevin Dodd, defensive end

• Round: 2
• Pick: No. 33 overall
• College: Clemson
• The skinny: Dodd was drafted with high expectations to be the next great pass rusher for the franchise. However, that never happened. Dodd was a bust, partly because of an injured foot that required two surgeries and sidelined him for part of his rookie season, and other issues that saw him fail to report to training camp in 2018. Dodd played in 18 games for the Titans over two seasons. He collected 20 tackles and one sack in those games and started once before being released. He was considered the biggest bust of the Jon Robinson era until Isaish Wilson supplanted him for that title. 

Austin Johnson, nose tackle

• Round: 2
• Pick: No. 43 overall
• College: Penn State
• The skinny: At 6'4" and 314 lbs, Johnson was drafted as the man in the middle of the Titans defensive line. However, he was never able to become a regular starter. He served as a backup during his rookie season, playing in 10 games. He remained in that role during his final three seasons in Nashville. Johnson played in 58 of his 64 games as a Titan, notching 83 tackles and 2.5 sacks. 

Derrick Henry, running back````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

• Round: 2
• Pick: No. 45 overall
• College: Alabama
• The skinny: It should be considered a crime that the Titans took Johnson over Henry or that Henry was still on the board at No.45 of the second round. As it's worked out, the Titans were lucky and made the right choice. As a Titan, Henry has lived up to his Heisman status, including rushing for 2,000 yards in a single season and tying the league record for longest run from scrimmage at 99 yards. In his seven seasons, he's rushed for 8,335 yards and 78 touchdowns. Add to that another 1,244 receiving yards and three more touchdowns, and it's easy to see that Henry is making his case for a place in Canton.        

Kevin Byard, safety

• Round: 3
• Pick: No. 64 overall
• College: Middle Tennessee State
• The skinny: If not for Henry, Byard would be the crown jewel of this class. As it is, he's a mighty good runner-up. In his seven seasons with the Titans, Byard has produced both statistically, but perhaps most importantly as a leader and a player other teams must gameplan around. Durability is one of his biggest attributes, having started all 105 games since he took over the starting role 8 games into his rookie season. His 627 tackles and 27 interceptions show his production. Add to that his post-season production of 43 tackles and another pick, and it's clear why Byard is considered one of, if not the top safety in the league. Byard has been named first-team All-Pro twice and has the same number of Pro Bowls to his credit.   

Tajae Sharpe, wide receiver

• Round: 5
• Pick: No. 140 overall
• College: UMass
• The skinny: Sharpe became a starter during his rookie campaign, starting 10 games and recording 41 receptions for 522 yards and two touchdowns. Not a bad rookie season considering his fifth-round status. He would miss his second season with a foot injury. He returned in year three to post a pedestrian 26 receptions for 316 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games, 13 of those as a starter. In his final season in Nashville, Sharpe provided 25 receptions for 329 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Sharpe signed a free agent deal with the Vikings following the '19 season but never played a down in Minnesota, as he was cut before the season.  

LeShaun Sims, defensive back

• Round: 5
• Pick: No. 157 overall
• College: Sothern Utah
• The skinny: Sims spent four of his five NFL seasons with the Titans, appearing in 56 games, starting 11, and collecting 115 tackles and two interceptions. He was a solid backup but never became more than a role player. However, considering his draft position, he filled that spot with his play.  

Sebastian Tretola, offensive guard

• Round: 5
• Pick: No. 193 overall
• College: Arkansas
• The skinny: What might have been could be said about many draft picks across the league, and it certainly applies here. Considered a player who potentially could develop, Tretola played in just one game in his only season with Tennessee. He was released days after he was shot in the leg in an incident in Nashville. 

Aaron Wallace, outside linebacker

• Round: 7
• Pick: No. 222 overall
• College: UCLA
• The skinny: Wallace played in 13 games as a backup over his three years with the Titans. His best season was his rookie year when he collected 14 tackles and a sack. From there, is was all downhill for the former Bruin. 

Kalen Reed, defensive back

• Round: 7
• Pick: No. 253 overall
• College: Southern Miss
• The skinny: "Mr. Irrelevant," Reed came to the Titans with the distinction of being the last player taken in the 2016 draft. He spent part of his rookie season on the practice squad after being cut during camp, but he made it to the active roster and collected 3 tackles, and one pass defended. He s cut the following season.   

Titans Hits In 2016 

Obviously, Derrick Henry and Kevin Byard made this class No. 2 in our rankings, and throw in Conklin, if only for four very solid seasons, and this class earned its ranking. However, we can also add Sharpe and Sims as guys who lived up to or exceeded their draft position in this group. This class is short on numbers considering only four of its ten players were hits, but two of the hits were grand slams. 

Titans Misses In2016

Dodd was the biggest miss, and it was one that hurt the franchise considering he was in a position of extreme need at that time. Johnson wasn't a total miss but wasn't worthy of his second-round selection, while Tretola, Wallace, and Reed, we hardly ever knew them.  

CONCLUSION

We could go on and on about Henry and Byard, but fans of the Titans, and anyone else for that matter who reads this, already know of Henry, and if they don't know about Byard, then they aren't that big of a football fan. As for Henry, we touched on some of his stats, but there's far more that could be said of him and what he has meant to this team as the face of the franchise in the last few seasons. He's a workhorse, and fan favorite that will be revered for the rest of team history. 

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