Titans Don't Crack Top 20 of 2020 NFL Draft's First Round

Tennessee is currently scheduled to pick first among this year's playoff teams, which is 22nd overall

NASHVILLE – If the Tennessee Titans want to pick in the top 20 of the 2020 NFL Draft, they are going to have to make a deal.

The NFL released the first-round order for next year’s draft, and the Titans are slotted at No. 22, last among the three teams that finished 9-7 (Philadelphia and the L.A. Rams are the other two) but first among the 12 playoff teams.

A loss Saturday at New England combined with a Philadelphia victory Sunday against Seattle would move Tennessee to No. 21, but that is as high as it can get without making something happen.

In 2018, the Titans selected linebacker Rashaan Evans at No. 22 overall. That year, though, they reached the divisional round of the playoffs and entered the draft with the 25 overall pick. They traded with Baltimore to move up three spots and select Evans, who led the team in tackles this season.

Prior to that, Tennessee had a top 20 overall pick in eight straight years and was in the top 10 four times in five years from 2013-17.

A rundown of the Tennessee Titans’ first pick in each of the last 10 NFL Drafts:

2019: Jeffery Simmons, DL, 19

2018: Rashaan Evans, LB, x-22

2017: Corey Davis, WR, 5

2016: Jack Conklin, T, x-8

2015: Marcus Mariota, QB, 2

2014: Taylor Lewan, T, 11

2013: Chance Warmack, G, 10

2012: Kendall Wright, WR, 20

2011: Jake Locker, QB, 8

2010: Derrick Morgan, DE, 16

Cincinnati has the first overall pick by virtue of the fact that it finished with the NFL’s worst record (2-14). Washington (3-13), Detroit (3-12-1), N.Y. Giants (4-12) and Miami (5-11) round out the top five.

Among the other teams in the AFC South, Jacksonville (6-10) will pick ninth and Indianapolis (7-9) will pick 13. Houston is currently slotted at No. 25, pending how it does in the playoffs, but that pick was traded to Miami earlier this year in a deal that sent starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Texans.

The 2020 NFL Draft is set for April 23-25 in Las Vegas.