Mike Borgonzi and the Tennessee Titans had a tough act to follow after their 2025 draft class delivered starters all over the field. That group produced contributors at quarterback, safety, tight end, wide receiver, slot cornerback and even a former All-Pro kick returner.
So yes, matching it was always going to be a heavy lift. But early in the 2026 season, Tennessee’s newest crop is already making a strong case.
Dane Brugler’s first-month All-Rookie team included four Titans, a clear sign that the class is off to a fast start. Carnell Tate was the lone Tennessee player to land on the first team, and the early returns suggest there may be more climbing ahead.
Even with the Titans off to a slow start, the fourth overall pick is only 20 receiving yards behind Denzel Boston, who leads all rookies. Tate has been getting open consistently, and after his breakout game, the connection between him and the offense should only grow stronger as the season moves along.
Anthony Hill Jr. came just short of first-team recognition, but Brugler’s placement made it clear how close the call was. In fact, Brugler opened his second-team linebacker breakdown with, " Being on the second team at this position is no slight."
For Hill, the next step is turning steady play into game-changing production. He’s been a reliable tackler and has filled up the stat sheet, but the real separator at linebacker is impact plays - tackles for loss, forced fumbles, interceptions, pass breakups and the like.
Hill has the tools to create those moments. Now it’s about patience and cashing in when those chances come.
Fernando Carmona was the Titans’ other second-team selection, and his placement says plenty about how good his brief run has been. He likely would have pushed for first-team status if not for the injury that knocked him out on the first snap against the New York Giants in Week 3. Considering he got this far after only two games, that’s a strong showing.
Keldric Faulk rounded out Tennessee’s group as an honorable mention, which fits the expectation around him from the start. He was drafted for what he can become, not just what he is right now, and he’s living up to that long-view bet.
Faulk is one of the youngest players in the NFL, and the flashes are coming more often each week. There’s no reason to think that trend is slowing down anytime soon.
The bigger picture is encouraging for Tennessee. Tate’s growth is real, the offensive line has become one of the best in the league by some metrics, and the defense has already posted notable results, including holding Derrick Henry to one of the worst days of his Baltimore Ravens career and limiting the total points it has allowed. The Titans still have to clean up the mistakes that keep showing up in critical moments, because right now those errors are costing them games.
Robert Saleh put it plainly when he said the team has to find ways not to lose before they can find ways to win. That’s the hurdle in front of Tennessee.
Once it clears that, this group could become a lot more fun to watch for the first time in half a decade. And if the early returns on this rookie class are any indication, a big part of that turnaround will come from the young players already starting to move the needle.
In Other News...
Titans Trade Talk Is Getting Real After This Brutal Start
A winless start has pushed the Titans into a familiar early-season conversation: whether to keep leaning on veterans or start thinking about the next move. Around the league, Tennessee is being viewed as a team that could listen on running back Tony Pollard and wide receiver Calvin Ridley, two players whose names naturally come up when clubs begin sorting out the trade market in October. Pollards contract status only adds to the intrigue, while Ridley remains a potential fit for teams looking to add receiving help.
At the same time, not every veteran is automatically in play. Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II is expected to stay put because of how he has played and how important he has become to the defense. For a Titans team trying to steady itself after such a rough opening stretch, the bigger question is whether this becomes a reset around the edges or the start of a broader selloff. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Backs Could Be Pulled Into A Packers Problem Fast
Matt LaFleurs frustration with his running backs after a game full of fumbles has only added to the sense that Green Bays backfield is suddenly a problem worth watching. The Packers are already last in the NFL in rushing attempts and yards, and with Josh Jacobs status still unsettled because of his legal issues and placement on the Commissioners Exempt List, the pressure to find answers has only grown.
For Tennessee, that kind of uncertainty can quickly turn into phone calls. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are both the sort of backs who could draw interest if Green Bay decides it needs help fast, which is why the Titans may find their backfield suddenly pulled into a bigger conversation than expected. It is the kind of situation that can move from frustration to urgency in a hurry, and the Packers may not have much time to let it sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Face A Week 5 Turning Point Against A Desperate Texans Team
The Titans head into Week 5 carrying the same uneasy record as the Texans, and it gives this AFC South matchup a different kind of weight than the calendar usually does in early October. Tennessee has a chance to reset the conversation around rookie quarterback Cam Ward, while Houston is trying to stop the slide before the season starts to feel like a salvage job.
Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans bring two defensive-minded coaches into a game where both teams have struggled on that side of the ball, which only raises the pressure on whichever group cleans up mistakes first. With both clubs sitting at 0-4, the margin for error feels thin, and turnovers may end up shaping whether this becomes a much-needed turning point or just another frustrating Sunday for a team still looking for its first win. [Read more 🡒]