Robinson Willing to Sit Out First Round

Tennessee has made at least one first-round selection each of the last 15 years.

NASHVILLE – Jon Robinson does not think it would be the end of the world if the Tennessee Titans did not start the 2020 NFL Draft until the second round.

With the No. 29 overall pick, the Titans are in prime position to trade back several spots in a deal that almost certainly would add to their total number of selections throughout the seven rounds of the selection process. As it stands right now, Tennessee has seven picks.

If it happens, it will be the first time since 2004 that they do not pick in the first round. That year they traded No. 27 overall as part of a package that netted one additional choice.

“We’re just trying to make the football team better,” Robinson said in a virtual press conference Monday. “We tell these players when we hang up the call with them – it really doesn’t matter whether you go in the first round or the second round or the third round. I mean, it does from a compensation standpoint on their rookie contract to say they were a first-round pick, but what matters is that they help the football team win.”

Last year, Indianapolis dropped back from No. 26 to No. 46, Seattle gave up No. 30 overall and slid back to No. 37 and the L.A. Rams parted with No. 31 and picked up No. 45, which they also traded.

So, it is clear that the Titans are in a spot that will allow them to make a move, if that is ultimately what they want to do. At the end of the regular season, Tennessee held the No. 22 overall pick. Their run to the AFC Championship game shuffled them back to No. 29.

“If we’re able to acquire some picks by moving around, I think we’ve proven that we’re more than open for business when it comes to navigating around the draft board and positioning ourselves to get as many picks as possible,” Robinson said.

This will be Robinson’s fifth draft in charge of the Titans. Each of the first four included at least one first-round selection. In 2017, he had two first-round choices and made them as scheduled – wide receiver Corey Davis at No. 5 and cornerback Adoreé Jackson at No. 18.

However, in 2016 Robinson dealt away the first overall pick for a package that included No. 15 overall. Then he made another move that got Tennessee to No. 8 overall where he selected tackle Jack Conklin. In 2018, he moved up three spots, from No. 25 to No. 22, in order to get linebacker Rashaan Evans.

“We’ll just kind of see how it goes,” Robinson said. “We have to sit there and weather 28 picks. When we’re on the clock, it’s no different than any other draft where if the phone rings you take down the potential trade and you kind of value that relative to the player you’re thinking of picking. Can you get that player if you have to slide back seven, eight, nine, 10 spots? Do you think that player will be there or is there somebody similar that you like? Or are you better off just taking the player and not risking losing him?”

The 2020 NFL Draft takes place Thursday through Saturday. It will be conducted virtually due to restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.