Tennessee Titans Have Chance to Reshape Franchise in 2015 NFL Draft

The Tennessee Titans are the most nondescript team in the National Football League. This point is not up for debate.

Can you name five or more players on the Titans? Seriously. Without the aid of Google, could you really run down a number of notable contributors on Tennessee's roster?

If the answer (and let's be honest, it is the answer) is no, it's because the Titans have no juice. The Titans have no sizzle.

As of right now, the Titans have zero identity on either offense or defense. With that piece of information in tow, it should surprise no one that both units were awful in 2014—the offense ranked 29th and the defense 27th.

But the good news for Music City denizens is that the club's brain trust—spearheaded by coach Ken Whisenhunt and general manager Ruston Webster—has an opportunity to reshape the franchise in the impending NFL draft. 

The Titans hold the No. 2 overall pick and will have the luxury of selecting a difference-maker on either offense or defense. Regardless of the decision, they'll be getting a player who can help provide an identity—and help push the team back to the postseason (they haven't made it since 2008).

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Let's first examine the offensive side of the ball. The most glaring need is clearly at quarterback, where it's currently unclear if second-year passer Zach Mettenberger is capable of being "the guy." Mettenberger went 0-6 as the starter in 2014, but Aaron Rodgers probably couldn't have won with Tennessee's supporting cast. Mettenberger did throw eight touchdown passes against seven interceptions and has a howitzer attached to his right shoulder.

But the bottom line is that Mettenberger was a sixth-round pick in last year's draft and didn't prove himself to be a franchise savior. Luckily for the Titans, there are two top-level signal-callers at the top of this year's draft.

With the tea leaves seeming to point to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the first overall pick, that would leave Oregon's Marcus Mariota on the board when the Titans hit the clock. Whisenhunt made his affinity for Mariota clear in a recent interview with Don Banks of SI.com: "It's hard to not be impressed with what [Mariota] did in college. ... If he comes to us at No. 2, if we pick him at No. 2, then you definitely think he’s going to be the Day 1 starter."

Mariota is a true franchise talent who would inject much-needed hope and enthusiasm into a jaded organization and fanbase. And there's no question that the drafting of Mariota would give the team a clear identity. In his latest mock draft, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller projected the Titans to select Mariota with the second overall pick.

On defense, the consensus top player is USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who is the No. 2-ranked player on Miller's big board. If the Titans did select Williams, their defense would immediately transform into an imposing one.

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The defensive line already boasts Jurrell Casey, who finished 2014 ranked as Pro Football Focus' seventh-best 3-4 defensive end. Casey is a monster adept at stopping the run and getting at the opposing quarterback. If the ultra-talented Williams were to be added alongside Casey, there would be sleepless nights for quarterbacks and offensive coordinators around the AFC.

Webster deserves credit for the way he's addressed the pass rush in free agency. In an effort to add more oomph to coordinator Ray Horton's aggressive 3-4 scheme, Webster re-signed linebacker Derrick Morgan (who led the club with 6.5 sacks last season) and brought in former Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo. And while Orakpo only notched half a sack last year in an injury-hampered season, at 27 years old, it stands to reason that he still has time to get his career back on track.

If Williams—or one of the other top defensive players in the draft (think Florida's Dante Fowler, Clemson's Vic Beasley or Nebraska's Randy Gregory)—is the pick, Tennessee could fashion a strong defensive identity.

After the second overall pick, Tennessee can still add to its overall roster throughout the rest of the draft. The skill positions desperately need a shot of playmaking ability—the highest-rated player on Tennessee's offense last year, per Pro Football Focus, was tight end Delanie Walker. While Walker is a nice player—he caught 63 catches for 890 yards and four touchdown receptions—that speaks to the dearth of talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Last year, the team took running back Bishop Sankey in the second round, but he struggled through a middling campaign, scoring just two rushing touchdowns and averaging 3.7 yards per carry. The Titans could use another option to pair with him, and there are a number of good backs available in the draft. Boise State's Jay Ajayi would be fantastic.

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At wide receiver, Kendall Wright has proved to be a fine option, but presumed No. 2 Justin Hunter has been wildly inconsistent despite possessing incredible physical attributes. Last year, Hunter caught only 28 receptions for 498 yards and three touchdowns. That's simply not good enough. The Titans must get better at receiver, and while this class isn't as ballyhooed as last year's, there are competent options throughout.

Now, let's assume that instead of using the No. 2 overall pick to draft a player, the Titans decide to wield it as a trade chip. As Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean recently posited, the Titans could move for San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers or Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford. Could you imagine if the Titans dealt for Rivers and gained future picks in the process? It would certainly fashion an identity and a winning atmosphere in 2015, and it would give the Titans the opportunity to draft more talented players in the years to come.

No matter what happens when April 30 rolls around, one thing is clear: The Titans will help reshape their franchise and add a sorely needed identity.

And only then will they finally be able to shed that unfortunate moniker of most nondescript team in the NFL.