Mike Borgonzi hasn’t gotten nearly enough credit for the young talent he’s brought into Tennessee over the last two seasons, and the Titans’ rookie pipeline keeps flashing signs that this thing is deeper than people realize.
Last year’s draft already produced five starters in Cam Ward, Kevin Winston, Gunnar Helm, Elic Ayomanor, and Marcus Harris. Chimere Dike has carved out a role as a special teams standout, while Femi Oladejo and Jackson Slater have given the Titans two useful depth pieces.
This season, the rookie class started making noise almost immediately. Fernando Carmona went from an under-the-radar name in training camp to winning the starting right guard job. Then Cedric Gray’s freak injury opened the door for Anthony Hill, who stepped in at linebacker and never gave the job back on his way to Defensive Rookie of the Month honors.
Carnell Tate has already grabbed the spotlight in a big way. In Week 4, he turned in a 145-yard receiving day, joining a short list of 21-year-old receivers to reach that mark in a game since 2020: Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Malik Nabers.
That kind of breakout is hard to top. But the Titans may have another rookie ready to break through, and the name to watch is Keldric Faulk.
Faulk is the forgotten first-round pick in some circles, with criticism still hanging around the fact that he hasn’t been on the field enough. But the snap count has been moving in the right direction, climbing from the mid-20% range to the low-30% range, and the Titans seem to be trusting their own timeline with him.
The important part is what Faulk is doing with those chances. He had a rough start against the run, but he’s improved every week. He still doesn’t have the anchor to consistently handle double-teams or stronger tackles, yet there are moments where he overwhelms pullers and tight ends, and that’s the kind of progress that matters.
Faulk is also one of the youngest players in the NFL, so Tennessee is being patient for a reason. His growth against the run should keep earning him more chances to attack the quarterback, and that’s where his upside starts to show.
The Titans have used a cage rush against mobile passers in Weeks 2 and 4, which limited Faulk’s opportunities to really get after the quarterback. The one real chance he had to pin his ears back came against the New York Giants in the rain, and that’s when he recorded his first career sack on a stunt against Andrew Thomas.
Now he gets a different kind of test. This week’s matchup is against C.J.
Stroud, who is not especially mobile and has already been sacked 12 times this season. If Faulk gets on the field in obvious passing situations, he should have a real chance to make something happen and show the length and versatility that made him such an intriguing pick in the first place.
In Other News...
Titans Executive Shakeup Leaves One Power Structure Looking Untouchable
The Titans have been in the middle of a notable business-side shakeup, parting ways with three executive vice presidents as the organization keeps reshaping itself behind the scenes. Among those who moved on was Erin Swartz, the executive who helped lead the clubs recent rebranding effort, a reminder that even the most visible off-field projects can quickly become part of a bigger reset.
Burke Nihill, who has been empowered to speak for owner Amy Adams Strunk, declined interview requests about the in-season personnel changes, leaving plenty of questions about what comes next. What is clear is that the Titans president and CEO remains in place, even as the rest of the executive structure continues to churn around him on the business side. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Put JC Latham In Spotlight For A Defining AFC South Test
The Titans head into Week 5 with an AFC South trip to Houston that already feels loaded, even before considering the standings. Both Tennessee and the Texans are still searching for their first division win, which puts a little extra weight on every snap for a Titans team trying to steady itself against one of the leagues most demanding fronts.
JC Latham is in the center of that challenge, with the rookie right tackle set to spend plenty of time dealing with Will Anderson Jr., who Pro Football Focus rates as the highest-graded defender in the NFL. Latham has shown noticeable growth in both pass protection and the run game this season, and this matchup will say a lot about how far he has come, and how ready he is for the kind of test that can shape a division race. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Trade Buzz Comes Down To One Titans Decision
The Seahawks interest in Tony Pollard has become one of the more interesting little twists around Tennessees roster as the Titans continue reshaping the backfield. Pollard has been productive over the past four seasons, but he also fits the profile of a veteran who could become available if Tennessee decides to keep leaning into its rebuild rather than holding onto short-term pieces.
For Seattle, the appeal is pretty straightforward. Pollard would bring proven production and give the offense another experienced option, though the fit appears more about depth and role than centerpiece status. What happens next comes back to Tennessees side of the equation, where the decision on Pollard could say as much about the Titans plans as it does about any possible move from the Seahawks. [Read more 🡒]