Titans Stay on Pace for Potential No. 1 Overall Pick After Loss to Jaguars

After losing 21-13 to division rival Jacksonville on Thursday night, the Tennessee Titans fall to 2-13 on the season and have moved even closer in the race with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. 

The Buccaneers stand at 2-12 ahead of their matchup with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, and even though the Packers are playing on the road after a stinker of a loss in Buffalo, it would be surprising to see Tampa Bay pull off the upset. 

That means that the race for the No. 1 draft pick could well come down to Week 17, in which the Buccaneers will face NFC South rival New Orleans, and the Titans will square off against the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Oakland Raiders (2-12) could also contend for the No. 1 pick.

If the Buccaneers and the Titans both finish the season at 2-14, Tampa Bay will have the tiebreaker due to an easier strength of schedule. 

Assuming the Titans do earn the first pick next April, how might they use it? CBSSports.com's Jared Dubin listed quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver and outside linebacker as Tennessee's top draft needs, and they all are viable options. Let's break down a few potential scenarios that could play out on that first day. 

1. Ken Whisenhunt thinks Zach Mettenberger is the QB of the future and drafts a lineman for him

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Mettenberger played seven games in 2014 before hurting his shoulder against the Houston Texans and then re-injured it against the New York Giants in Week 15. He threw for 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns, for a completion percentage of 59.8 with seven interceptions and four fumbles. 

But perhaps the most important stat of his season is that under him, the Titans didn't win a single game. 

It's unclear if Mettenberger will return in 2014, and his status for 2015 is even murkier. But there's a chance he could be Whisenhunt's guy. When asked if he thought Mettenberger had shown enough this season to make a decision going forward, he said the following, per Joe Fann of TitansOnline.com:

"

He’s done a lot of good things for us. I've been pleased with how he’s progressing. Probably what we’ll do is take it from his first game to where he was at the last game and look at a number of different things – checks, protections, communication, footwork, decision making, and all those things.

"

If Mettenberger is the future, he'll need a better offensive line. The Titans grade out 31st in the league in pass blocking, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Left tackle Michael Roos, currently on injured reserve, is in a contract year and may not return, meaning Tennessee could be looking for a tackle come April. Even if they bump Taylor Lewan into the starting left tackle job, they also lost Michael Oher for the season in early December to a toe injury and will want to shore up the position. 

With the No. 1 pick, they'd have their choice of Iowa's Brandon Scherff, Stanford's Andrus Peat or Texas A&M's Cedric Ogbuehi. Scherff, at 6'5" and 320 pounds, is the No. 1 offensive tackle in CBS Sports' rankings. Analysts Dane Brugler and Rob Rang praised his upper body strength and light feet. 

The guard play hasn't been stellar this season, and Tennessee could also go that route. 

2. The Titans go all-in on a rookie signal-caller

Steve Dykes/Associated Press

It sure seems like it would be difficult for a team without a clear franchise quarterback on the roster to pass up Oregon's Marcus Mariota. Tony Dungy has compared him to Aaron Rodgers, while Rang lauded his intelligence, work ethic and ability to make challenging throws into tight spaces. 

Mariota is such an intriguing player because of his multi-threat talent; he can kill defenses with his legs as well as with his arms. Oregon's scheme doesn't require much in the way of decision-making from him, however, which is one reason why Mariota's NFL career may look quite different than the cerebral Rodgers'. 

Also, if Tennessee spends a top pick on a mobile quarterback, it will likely have to spend the very next one on a top-notch offensive lineman. A quarterback who can run will put even more pressure on a line that is already struggling behind Andy Levitre and Brian Schwenke. 

Tennessee could also consider Florida State's Jameis Winston or UCLA's Brett Hundley, but neither would be a practical No. 1 pick. 

3. Tennessee decides to beef up its pass rush first and foremost

Richard Shiro/Associated Press

Perhaps if the Titans decide Mettenberger is the future and choose to wait until the second round for an offensive lineman, they'll look to the defense at the No. 1 spot.

Derrick Morgan is really the only factor on the Titans pass rush that could keep opponents looking over their shoulders; even though the Titans have 34 sacks on the season, the thought of taking a star like Washington's Shaq Thompson or Clemson's Vic Beasley to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks is enticing.  

Moreover, 31 of those sacks came in the first 11 games of the season. Then, the pressure was dialed way down. 

Pro Football Focus ranks Tennessee's pass rush 23rd in the league; effectiveness is about more than total sacks. As John Glennon of The Tennessean pointed out, the Titans let Ryan Fitzpatrick and Eli Manning run rampant. They registered zero sacks on Fitzpatrick in the loss to the Texans and hit him just three times. 

Glennon noted that defensive coordinator Ray Horton has been dialing back blitzes and rushing four. In that case, those four players need to be stars. Adding a talent like Beasley, who leads the country with eight sacks, would make an immediate impact.