Ranking Titans' Best Draft Classes: No. 7 is 2009 Group Anchored by Jason McCourty

Counting down our top ten Titans draft classes, this is the fourth in our series and it's the 2009 class that included seven contributors. Of those seven, a sixth round pick turned into the anchor of the group.

George Walker IV, The Tennessean

NASHVILLE - Today, we continue counting down the top ten draft classes of the Tennessee Titans since their arrival in Nashville. It's the No.7 ranked class in our rankings and the 2009 class, anchored by a sixth-round selection in defensive back Jason McCourty.  

This class included seven players who contributed to the team at various levels, though none to the length and extent of Jason McCourty. 

 Here is the complete 2009 class, with the impact they had.

Kenny Britt, wide receiver

• Round: 1
• Pick: No. 30 overall
• College: Rutgers
• The skinny: Britt was a big (6'3" 223) wide receiver with all the physical attributes one wants in a receiver, including a 4.53 forty time. The Rutgers product played in all 16 games his rookie season, starting six and racking up 42 catches for 701 yards and three touchdowns. His best season of his five with the Titans came in 2010, where once again he collected 42 receptions, but for a Titans career-high 775 yards and nine scores.     

Sen'Derrick Marks, defensive tackle

• Round: 2
• Pick: No. 62 overall
• College: Auburn
• The skinny: Marks spent four seasons in Nashville, where he became a starter in his third campaign with the team. He was a large, friendly, funny guy whose biggest Titans accomplishment- besides some of his off-color lockerroom humor- was an interception of Eli Manning in a regular season game against the New York Giants. It was the only pick of his nine-year career. Marks was a solid rotational player along the defensive line. He signed with Jacksonville before the 2013 season. 

Jared Cook, tight end

• Round: 3
• Pick: No. 89 overall
• College: South Carolina
• The skinny: Cook spent 13 years in the league, four with the Titans, where his third season was his best. In 2011, Cook managed 49 receptions for 749 yards and three touchdowns, playing in all 16 games while starting five. Cook collected 131 passes for his Titans career, totaling 1,717 yards and eight touchdowns.   

Ryan Mouton, defensive back

• Round: 3
• Pick: No. 94 overall
• College: Hawaii
• The skinny: Mouton spent six seasons in the NFL, four with the Titans, where he appeared in 36 games and collected 78 tackles. While the stats aren't eye-popping, Mouton was a solid member of the Titans' secondary on some average overall teams.  

Gerald McRath, linebacker

• Round: 4
• Pick: No. 130 overall
• College: Southern Miss
• The skinny: A physical linebacker, McRath spent just four seasons in the league, all with the Titans, where he collected 120 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one interception. His projections were high after he posted a 4.59 forty time at the combine, and while he had some outstanding moments, he never flourished into long-term success as the coaches had hoped, though he did become a starter at times.   

Troy Kropog, offensive line

• Round: 4
• Pick: No. 135 overall
• College: Tulane
• The skinny: Kropog spent four seasons with the Titans as a reserve offensive lineman. He played in just seven games in his NFL career, that following his time with the Titans, included short stops in Jacksonville, Washington, and the New York Giants.  

Javon Ringer, running back

• Round: 5
• Pick: No. 173 overall
• College: Michigan State 
• The skinny: An undersized back, Ringer spent four seasons in the league, all with the Titans, where he carried the ball 120 times for 486 yards and three scores. He was a solid backup who played hard and ran with a physical style and determination.  

Jason McCourty, defensive back

• Round: 6
• Pick: No. 206 overall
• College: Rutgers
• The skinny: A college teammate of fellow draftee Kenny Britt, McCourty, a sixth-round selection, became the hidden gem and the most significant contributor of his class. McCourty spent the first eight of his 13 NFL seasons with the Titans, where he became a team captain and leader on the field and in the locker room. for his Titans career, he played 108 games, amassed 506 tackles, and had 13 picks. He was a fan favorite. After leaving Nashville, McCourty spent time with Cleveland, Miami, and New England, where he was a teammate of his twin brother Devin. 

Dominique Edison, wide receiver 

• Round: 6
• Pick: No. 206 overall
• College: S.F. Austin
• The skinny: Edison spent three seasons in the league, with only one season spent with the Titans. He was released by them in mid-2010. He recorded no stats during his time in Nashville.  

Ryan Durand, offensive line

• Round: 7
• Pick: No. 239 overall
• College: Syracuse
• The skinny: Durand spent five seasons in the league, four with Tennessee, where he appeared in one game. 

Nick Schommer, defensive back 

• Round: 7
• Pick: No. 242 overall
• College: North Dakota State
• The skinny: Schommer spent two seasons with the Titans and recorded one tackle. 

Titans Hits in 2009

The gem of the class was McCourty, who played longer than most sixth-round picks ever expect to be in the league. He was a consummate professional on the field as a leader, in the locker room with his teammates, and handling the media during the good and bad days of his tenure with the Titans. He might never make it to Canton, but he is in the Titan fan's hall of fame without a doubt.  

As for the rest of the hits in this class, Britt, though he underperformed his draft position, did have some positives and plays that were enough, in my opinion, to earn him as a positive for the class, though his production could, and should have been far more significant based on his athletic talents.  

Marks, Cook, Mouton, McRath, and Ringer all provided solid play despite some of their limited time on the field. Though certainly not spectacular, those men deserve a positive grade for their play.  

Titans Misses in 2009 

As in every single team's draft class each year, there will be a few players that, for whatever reason, don't make an impact. That was the case for Kropog, Edison, Durand, and Schommer.  

Conclusion

Some may question this class being top 10. Still, the inclusion of McCourty and his outplaying his draft position was enough for me, along with the contributions of those others mentioned as hits, to earn this class a spot in our subjective ranking.   

Up Next the No.6 Class In Our Countdown

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