Ranking Titans' Best Draft Classes: No. 4 is 1999 Group Anchored "The Freak"

The No.4 class in our Titans draft class countdown is the class of 1999. When talking about this class, it starts with "The Freak' himself, Jevon Kearse, who almost singlehandedly powered the Titan's defense in their run to Super Bowl XXXIV.

George Walker IV / The Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC

NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Titans 1999 draft class played a significant role in the team making it to the Super Bowl in their first season in their stadium after spending their first season in town playing at Vanderbilt Stadium. 

Back then, Adelphia Coliseum, as it was named at the time, was rocking on game days to the tune of "Who Let The Dogs Out" when rookie sensation Jevon Kearse hammered opposing quarterbacks. Nicknamed "The Freak" for his otherworldly athleticism, and extraordinary length, Kearse was the piece that pushed the Titans' defense to the top of the league and all the way to Atlanta, where the Titans would fall to the St. Louis Rams 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV.     

Here's a look at the 1999 draft class and their impact on the team. 

Jevon Kearse, defensive end

• Round: 1
• Pick: No. 16 overall
• College: Florida
• The skinny: "The Freak" was selected at No.16 in the first round and became an instant celebrity and megastar for Titans fans. His speed (4.43-second 40-yard dash) and 86-inch (220 cm) wingspan, coupled with a 37-inch (94 cm) vertical jump, led to his nickname, and he lived up to it for the Titans. Kearse spent seven seasons in Nashville, with five coming in his first stint after being drafted. He left the Titans in free agency for Philadelphia from 2004-07 before returning to Nashville for the 08-09 seasons. As a Titans, Kearse electrified a fanbase and the league in his rookie campaign, where he tallied 57 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles. Though his sack numbers never reached that mark during the remainder of his time here, Kearse was a focal point for offenses, yet he maintained double figures over the first three seasons before injuries cost him all but four games of the 2002 season. As a Titan, Kearse collected 47.5 sacks in his first five years and just 4.5 in his final two seasons, where he was a shell of his former dominant self.   

John Thornton, defensive tackle

• Round: 2
• Pick: No. 52 overall
• College: West Virginia
• The skinny: Thornton was the other defensive lineman the Titans took in this draft. While Thornton never gained the stardom or recognition his fellow drat mate earned, he was a substantial and essential part of the team's '99 success. He played in all 16 games in three of his four seasons, with injuries costing him all but three games in 2001. As a Titan, he collected 118 of his 303 career stops (the rest with the Bengals after leaving the Titans in free agency before the 2003 season) and 12 sacks. In 2002, Thornton started every game for the Titans and was part of the defensive unit that allowed opponents just 89.0 rushing yards per game.     

Zach Pillar, offensive guard 

• Round: 3
• Pick: No. 81 overall
• College: Florida
• The skinny: A college teammate of Kearse, Pillar became a vital member of the Titans as a starting guard for eight games of his rookie season. He would start 53 games for the team and play in 87 overall. Injuries took their toll on him in his later years, as he managed just 20 of those starts over his last three seasons, missing all but one game in 2004 and playing in just three in his final season of 2006. Pillar was a gritty, tough, old-school lineman who exceeded his draft-day status.  

Brad Ware, defensive back

• Round: 4
• Pick: No. 114 overall
• College: Auburn
• The skinny: Selected in the fourth round, Ware never appeared in a single game for the Titans or any other league team. 

Donald Mitchell, defensive back

• Round: 4
• Pick: No. 117 overall
• College: SMU 
• The skinny: Mitchell was one of the solid contributors from this class. Though he never became a regular starter, Mitchell spent four seasons in the league with the Titans, where he carved out a niche as a core special teams player and capable backup. In 2022, Mitchell stepped into the starting role at corner, replacing an injured Samari Rolle, and started nine games. That season, Mitchell posted 51 tackles, one interception, 8 passes defended, 2 quarterback pressures, 11 special teams tackles, recovered three fumbles, and forced one. 

Kevin Daft, quarterback

• Round: 5
• Pick: No. 151 overall
• College: UC Davis
• The skinny: Daft spent one season with the Titans, serving as the third quarterback behind Steve McNair and Neil O'Donnell in 1999. He would be cut but returned to the Titans roster for a short stint in 2000 and again in 2002. 

Darran Hall, wide receiver 

• Round: 6
• Pick: No. 186 overall
• College: Colorado State
• The skinny: Hall never played a down as a Titan outside of some preseason action in 1999. He did stick with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL for two seasons. 

Phil Glover, linebacker

• Round: 7
• Pick: No. 222 overall
• College: Utah
• The skinny: Glover spent the 1999 season on the Titans roster but recorded no stats. He was allocated to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe, where he played before returning to the NFL with Indianapolis.   

Titans Hits In 1999

Kearse was enough of a hit alone to have placed this class in our top ten, and it should be hard to argue how much he brought to the Titans from the second he arrived at Baptist Sports Park. Pillar became a starter for the team, including starting in the Super Bowl and throughout the majority of his Titans career. Thornton was also a key rotational piece of the team's defense during his career, as well as Mitchell.

Titans Misses in 1999 

Ware, Daft, Hall, and Glover provided almost nothing to this class, which is partly why it only managed to fall into the No 5 position. 

Conclusion 

The hits were big, specifically Kearse, who elevated it despite the misses at the bottom of the class. The play of Pillar, Thornton, and Mitchel, even as rookies, along with Kearse, place this Titans draft class at No.5 in our all-time draft class countdown.   

Top Ten Ranking Class No.6 can be found here. 

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