Titans 2016 Draft Class Among Best Ever

The Tennessee Titans' 2016 draft class paved them on a path towards success.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) speaks after defeating Jacksonville Jaguars 28-20 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA

The Tennessee Titans went into the 2016 NFL Draft with the No. 1 pick, and while they didn't end up picking at that spot, they selected a group of players that would end up shaping the team for years to come.

The Titans traded down with the Los Angeles Rams, who took Cal quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick. Tennessee moved down to No. 8 to take Jack Conklin, who became an All-Pro in his first season and played four good years for the Titans.

Even though Conklin left for the Cleveland Browns in 2020, he still proved to be a promising pick.

But the biggest reason why Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski named the Titans' 2016 class the fourth-best in last 10 years was their selection of Alabama running back Derrick Henry.

"Henry turned out to be a superstar, of course. Questions about whether he had the short-area quickness or lateral movement to succeed in the NFL were quickly squashed. He went on to win Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 and captured two rushing titles," Sobleski writes. "Even at age 29, King Henry finished second leaguewide with 1,167 rushing yards last season despite playing behind the league's worst offensive line. He's well on his way to cracking 10,000 rushing yards after signing with the Baltimore Ravens this offseason."

Henry is one of the league's best running backs of the entire era and he should be well on his way to Canton after he hangs up his cleats for good.

But the Titans weren't done after taking Henry. In the third round, the Titans selected defensive back Kevin Byard, who went to two Pro Bowls in eight years in Tennessee. The Titans just traded Byard in the middle of the 2023 campaign to the Philadelphia Eagles after being the longest-tenured player on the roster next to Henry.

With Henry and Byard leaving, it marks the end of an era for the Titans, who made the 2019 AFC Championship game large in part because of how successful this draft class was.

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