The Tennessee Titans are already staring down the 2027 NFL Draft with a clear picture of where things could go next.
At 1-7 entering Week 10, Tennessee is currently lined up for the No. 2 overall pick. And after general manager Mike Borgonzi sent Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker away at the deadline for more 2027 and 2028 picks, the message was impossible to miss: the Titans are leaning all the way into the tank.
The top spot is widely expected to belong to Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, with the winless Los Angeles Chargers currently holding that selection. That leaves Tennessee in the range where Borgonzi could have some real options if the board falls a certain way.
If the Titans wind up picking anywhere from No. 2 to No. 4, three names stand out as natural fits.
One of the clearest possibilities is Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons. Tennessee’s biggest need is easy to spot: EDGE.
Robert Saleh is a defensive-minded head coach, but he does not have a dominant pass rusher right now, especially after the Simmons trade. Jermaine Johnson has not lived up to expectations and is on an expiring contract, while Keldric Faulk and Femi Oladejo are still in the developmental stage.
Simmons has been the most impressive pass-rushing prospect in college football this season, bringing the burst and athleticism teams want off the edge. Jacob Martin has been a pleasant surprise, but Simmons would fill the long-term need for a true difference-maker.
Another name that fits the Titans’ defensive needs is Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore. Tennessee does not have either of the two things every above-average defense usually needs: a dynamic pass rusher or a shutdown corner.
The cornerback spot is especially in focus after the team misread Alontae Taylor’s ability to play boundary cornerback when it signed him to a $58 million contract. Moore has emerged as college football’s elite cornerback prospect, and some evaluators view him as the No. 2 overall player in the class behind Jeremiah Smith.
His shutdown upside would give Tennessee a major piece to build around.
Then there is South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who may be the more naturally gifted pass rusher of the two top EDGE options. He is bigger and longer than Simmons, and Saleh has generally favored that kind of body type for his primary edge players because it requires less projection.
Stewart also brings elite burst and finishing speed. The concern, as the source notes, is character after an in-season suspension, and Borgonzi has been known to steer away from those questions during his tenure.
For a Titans team already positioned near the top of the draft order, those three prospects could become the early favorites if Tennessee stays in the No. 2-4 range.
In Other News...
Mike Borgonzi Just Put The Titans On A Very Different Path
The Titans spent the trade deadline taking a far more aggressive route than most of their AFC South neighbors, and the front offices latest moves have made the direction of the rebuild impossible to miss. Under general manager Mike Borgonzi, Tennessee dealt away Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker, turning two established defensive pieces into a haul of draft capital that stretches across the next two years.
Around the division, the reaction was much more measured. The Jaguars and Colts chose different paths with their own trade decisions and returns, while the Texans were quieter overall, even parting with a second-round pick for Marvin Harrison Jr. Borgonzis approach leaves Tennessee with more flexibility and more long-term swing potential, but it also signals a roster reset that will be judged by what those picks eventually become. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Just Gave Titans Fans Another Reason To Feel Disrespected
Jacksonville is already treating this week like a transition period, and that matters for Tennessee because the Jaguars are making roster moves with the Titans right in the middle of the schedule. Coach Liam Coen said new defensive additions Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates will not play in the upcoming matchup, with the team citing player safety, time to learn the system and the timing of the trades as reasons for keeping them out.
Davon Godchaux, another recent acquisition, will be available, so the Jaguars are not sitting all of their fresh faces. Still, for Titans fans looking at a divisional opponent that can afford to ease in key pieces while preparing for Tennessee, it is another reminder of how much the AFC South race can hinge on timing, health and how quickly a team can absorb change. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Lost Two Key Pieces Before A Brutal Jaguars Test
The Titans are heading into a tough Week 10 matchup with Jacksonville short-handed in two important spots, after placing offensive guard Peter Skoronski and punter Tommy Townsend on injured reserve. Both moves will keep them out at least four games, and they come at a time when Tennessee can least afford more instability up front or on special teams.
Skoronskis absence takes another piece out of an offensive line that already has plenty to sort through, while Townsends loss forces the Titans to adjust the kicking game against a Jaguars team that has been a difficult test. For a roster trying to steady itself in a divisional stretch, losing two contributors at once only sharpens the challenge ahead. [Read more 🡒]