Daily Mock Draft: Offense Only

Sticking to one side of the ball offers the opportunity to double up at a couple positions

The negotiating period for free agency is still days away, and signings won’t begin until two days after that.

Whatever plays out during that critical portion of the NFL’s offseason calendar will have a direct impact on what teams decide to do in the 2020 NFL Draft.

To help pass the time until then, we will serve up a daily mock draft with help from TheDraftNetwork.com’s rankings and mock draft program. Each will have a different theme, but when all is said and done, they should provide a little more insight into what might be available to the Tennessee Titans in this year’s draft.

Today: Offense only.

Tuesday: Defense only.

Monday: Best player available.

Admittedly, this is not a realistic approach because no team would ignore one side of the ball in the draft, but this is an exercise. Plus, at times it is a forces you to look a little deeper down the list of available prospects to find someone worthwhile on the proper side of the ball.

THE RESULTS

First round (29 overall): Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

Second round (61 overall): Ben Bartch, T, St. John’s

Third round (93 overall): Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU

Sixth round (174 overall): Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas

Seventh round (224 overall): Trey Adams, T, Washington

Seventh round (243 overall): Tyrie Cleveland, WR, Florida

Thoughts: This draft started and ended the same way Monday’s ‘best player available’ did, with running back Jonathan Taylor in the first round and wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland with the final selection.

Taylor (5-11, 219) would not be a change-of-pace back behind Derrick Henry. He would be more of the same, which defenses would not enjoy. And given all the work he has gotten (926 carries in three seasons), a light workload early in his NFL career would not be a bad idea.

Bartch (6-6, 308) is a bit of an unknown because he comes from a Division III program, but he started as a tight end so there is no question about his athleticism and movement skills, which would work well opposite Taylor Lewan. Adams (6-8, 314), in the seventh round, provides another option at tackle, one who has played against top competition. He has a bad injury history, which makes it likely he would start as a backup at both positions and then see if he could play himself into a regular role.

Moss (6-3, 225), the son of Randy Moss, is best at the point of attack and that would make him a nice complement to Jonnu Smith. He is not simply a blocker, though, which creates interesting possibilities particularly if Tom Brady, who has run dynamic two-tight end schemes at New England, is the quarterback.

Wide receivers Duvernay and Cleveland are not complete players but they have skill-sets that mesh well with the Titans’ attack – Duvernay is a run-after-catch machine and Cleveland is a deep threat who is a willing and capable run blocker.

Bottom line: With only six picks, it is not likely Jon Robinson and his staff will be able to double up on positions as we did here with tackle and wide receiver. So they’d better be right with the picks they do make, particularly at positions of need.

Chances are, they will take a tackle early because they will want someone who can grow up with right guard and 2019 third-round pick Nate Davis. Every team ought to come out of this draft with at least one wide receiver given the unprecedented number of quality prospects available at that spot. The Titans can afford to wait until the third day in order to get one they think will fit well with what they do.