Tennessee Titans Draft Big Board: Position-by-Position Rankings

It's no secret that the Tennessee Titans have a lot of holes. Unfortunately, you just can't fix every problem in a single draft, so the Titans are going to have to prioritize.

There are some needs that clearly outweigh others, but as the Titans showed last year with the selection of Taylor Lewan, they're more than willing to just take the best player available, which is what the best teams do.

That said, you still have to strike a balance between needs and the best-player-available strategy, so the Titans will be going into the draft looking specifically to fix a few key positions.

Although I think it's likely they'll end up just drafting Marcus Mariota with the second pick, their public gushing of Mariota, per Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com, makes it seem like they're still flirting with trading the pick.

If the Titans end up trading down, there's no telling where they'll land, and any position could be addressed. Here's a big board for each position the Titans will be looking to shore up this year, ranked by need.

Quarterback

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Yes, Zach Mettenberger showed some ability, but he didn't show nearly enough to stop the Titans from upgrading the position. After all, it is the most important position on the team.

1. Jameis Winston, Florida St.

It's almost a foregone conclusion that Winston will be the first overall pick. However, in the unlikely event that the Buccaneers shock the world and take anyone else, the Titans will be all over Winston.

Winston is the prototypical pocket quarterback that Ken Whisenhunt would like in his offense, and unlike Mariota, Winston's ability to make anticipatory throws and throws into tight windows isn't an unknown.

Throw in Winston's high football IQ and his impressive resume as a college quarterback, and you can see why he's so coveted, despite more than a few off-field red flags.

2. Marcus Mariota, Oregon

I'm pretty confident this will be who the Titans end up picking, but I'd also bet that he's no higher than No. 2 on their big board.

There are a lot of things to like about Mariota, such as his impressive college career, his low interception percentage and his athletic ability.

3. Brett Hundley, UCLA

I like Hundley a lot more than most and think he's firmly a high-second-round prospect, but he's still firmly behind Winston and Mariota.

On paper, Hundley looks like a poor man's Mariota. He's a Pac-12 guy who can run but has some questions about his ability to read defenses and play as a pocket passer.

Hundley, however, had to deal with a lot of pass rush in his last two years, and I think he mostly did a good job with it. The big problem with Hundley is that he can be two different players.

There are games such as Arizona State, where Hundley was absolutely dominant, with five total touchdowns and a completion percentage of 78.3, but then there are the Stanford games, where he was barely over 50 percent and threw just one touchdown.

He's too inconsistent to be taken higher than late in the first, but for the most part, I liked what I saw.

4. Garrett Grayson, Colorado St.

Garrett Grayson is this year's Blaine Gabbert: He's the player scouts and analysts really want to like, but there's not really much there.

Grayson had a standout year at Colorado State, but he brings little in the way of athleticism and doesn't have the ability to progress through reads that pocket passers need.

He also spent a lot of time throwing short passes to receivers that added a lot of yards after the catch.

If the Titans really are ready to roll with Mettenberger and want a good long-term backup to develop, Grayson could be just what they're looking for. Short of that, he ought not to be on the radar.

5. Bryce Petty, Baylor

Bryce Petty is an interesting prospect. He ran quite a bit at Baylor but didn't look athletic at all in the 40-yard dash (4.87 seconds). He then turned around and had fantastic performances on the vertical jump (34 inches), broad jump (121 inches), three-cone drill (6.91 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.13 seconds).

He does come with some injury concerns, though, and worst of all, he comes from an offense that does not translate to the NFL. He's nowhere near as impressive as Robert Griffin III was in college, and RG3 didn't exactly turn out like the Redskins had hoped.

If it weren't for his back being a potential problem, he'd probably jump up a spot, but he comes with too many risks to be higher than a fourth-rounder.

Offensive Tackle

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The Titans may have taken Taylor Lewan in the first round in 2014, but the other tackle position was horrific, and Byron Bell is probably more of a Band-Aid than a permanent fix. If a good tackle falls to Tennessee in the second or third round, it'll be taking him for sure.

1. Ereck Flowers, Miami

Flowers checks all the boxes for an NFL tackle. He's got height (6'6"), arm length (34.5"), strength (37 reps on the bench press at the combine) and a great career behind him. He even played through an injury in 2014 and continued to look great.

Flowers can block effectively in both the passing and rushing game, and he was a big part in Miami running back Duke Johnson's big season.

2. Brandon Scherff, Iowa

Scherff might be the best offensive lineman in this draft class, but he's a better fit at guard than anything else and is almost certainly limited to the right side if he plays at tackle.

Scherff had a little trouble against Tennessee's speedy edge-rushers in Iowa's bowl game, but short of that, he's had a stellar college career in both pass and run blocking.

The Titans would only be looking for a right tackle, and Scherff can probably play that position, even if he is a better fit at guard.

3. La'el Collins, LSU

Collins has had a great offseason and has been steadily moving up draft boards after a superb combine performance. Collins was nearly flawless in drill after drill, and although he's a little shorter than teams would prefer (6'4"), that's not a kiss of death.

Collins spent his career facing the toughest defenses in college football in the SEC West, so his abilities aren't in question. Still, with his limited length, he's probably only a fit as a right tackle or a guard. Luckily for the Titans, that's exactly what they're looking for.

Collins may have recently found himself in hot water off the field, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, but until more details about that come out, he's a top prospect.

4. Andrus Peat, Stanford

Andrus Peat has been climbing draft boards recently. He's got tremendous length (6'7") and is a stud in pass protection.

However, I have him lower on the list because the Titans aren't looking for a left tackle. They're looking for someone to play on the right, and that's not what Peat does best.

5. Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M

Ogbuehi has played at guard, right tackle and left tackle while at Texas A&M. He seemed like a probable first-rounder until an ACL tear in the bowl game against West Virginia dropped his stock.

The only problem with Ogbuehi is that he may not be his old self after rehabbing his knee. He also might not be ready to start immediately, so the Titans would have to have a backup plan in case he can't be ready by the beginning of the 2015 season.

Outside Linebacker

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The Titans managed to re-sign Derrick Morgan and added Brian Orakpo, but they're still woefully shallow at the position, especially with Orakpo's injury history.

1. Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida

Dante Fowler has been mocked to the Jaguars on most draft sites for some time, and there's good reason. Fowler is as athletic as they come, can play in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 and was a pass-rushing monster at Florida.

In 2014, Fowler had 8.5 sacks and a whopping 17 quarterback hurries. He can also play against the run, as he showed racking up 15 tackles for loss and 60 total tackles the same year.

Fowler would be ready to start right away and would instantly give the Titans a fierce rotation of pass-rushers.

2. Vic Beasley, Clemson

It's hard to not like Vic Beasley. Written off as an undersized speed rusher during his time at Clemson, he proved that he's ready for the NFL by showing up to the combine at a meaty 246 pounds.

He then proceeded to have the best combine performance of the year with a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, a 4.15-second 20-yard shuttle, 35 reps on the bench, a 41-inch vertical jump and a 130-inch broad jump.

The bench press and 40-yard dash were the best of the year for linebackers.

Beasley also had a productive career at Clemson, with 25 sacks and 44.5 tackles for loss over the last two years.

3. Alvin Dupree, Kentucky

Alvin "Bud" Dupree was another combine star, turning in a 4.56-second 40-yard dash, a 42-inch vertical jump and a 138-inch broad jump.

He was a little less productive than Beasley, but his 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 74 tackles are nothing to sneeze at.

Dupree is still a little rough around the edges and won most of his matchups with his speed and athleticism, but he has a very high ceiling and could be coached into a superstar. However, since he lacks polish, he's not as close to a sure thing as Beasley or Fowler.

4. Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA

Odighizuwa definitely wins this year's award for the name most difficult to spell, but he's also a great outside linebacker. Odighizuwa has steadily improved in his time at UCLA and racked up six sacks in his senior season.

He's not the best pass-rusher, which hurts his stock, but he's great at defending the edge against the run, and considering that he missed all of 2013 with an injury, there's reason to think he could continue to improve as he gets further from surgery.

He's also got the size at 6'3" and 267 pounds to play either a 4-3 end or a 3-4 linebacker.

5. Shane Ray, Missouri

Ray was one of the top prospects at the position, along with Randy Gregory, until both derailed themselves on the field and off.

Ray suffered an injury that prevented him from participating in most of the combine, then added to his woes with a marijuana arrest on Monday, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's website (h/t SB Nation).

He's still a top edge-rusher, but if the injury wasn't enough to push him down draft boards, the arrest will.

Safety

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Safety may be a bigger need than outside linebacker, but the draft class is so weak, it'll be tough to address it this year in any meaningful way. For now, the Titans still have Michael Griffin and Da'Norris Searcy, but the future at the position is bleak.

1. Landon Collins, Alabama

Another year, another highly touted Bama prospect. Landon Collins is the best safety in the class but is more likely a strong safety than a free safety.

The Titans could use either position, of course, but with Griffin declining and nearing the end of his contract, the need for a free safety is a little more dire.

Collins still has good speed (4.53-second 40-yard dash) and has had some dominant performances in 2014, but he also showed some cracks in the games against Ole Miss and Auburn.

2. Damarious Randall, Arizona State

Randall is the closest thing to a ball-hawking free-ranging safety as this class offers. He had three interceptions and eight broken-up passes in 2014, where he also played at corner.

Randall has great speed and had a solid week at Senior Bowl practices as well. He's not the perfect height (5'10"), but short of that, he looks like a starter-quality free safety.

3. Byron Jones, Connecticut

Jones had an abbreviated season because of a shoulder injury but still managed an insane 44.5-inch vertical jump at the combine. That, along with his experience playing corner, makes him a pretty intriguing safety prospect.

He's got better height (6'1") and straight-line speed than Randall, but because of the shoulder injury, I have him ranked slightly lower.

4. Quinten Rollins, Miami (OH)

Rollins may have played at a lower level of competition than those ranked ahead of him, but he put up some impressive numbers along the way, with nine passes broken up and seven interceptions.

He's not the fastest safety in the class (4.57-second 40 time), and he struggled in the Senior Bowl, but the MAC Defensive Player of the Year looks like he could still be an eventual starter at free safety in the NFL.

5. Jaquiski Tartt, Samford

Samford is as small as small schools get, but the Titans have struck gold there before with Cortland Finnegan, so maybe they can catch lightning in a bottle twice.

Tartt had a good week at the Senior Bowl, and for his size (6'1", 221 lbs), he's pretty fast (4.53-second 40).

Tartt is a strong safety at the next level, and he'd require some coaching before he was ready to start, but he could be a very good value in the middle rounds.

Corner

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The Titans aren't hurting that badly at corner, with Jason McCourty and Perrish Cox as the presumed starters. But behind them, Blidi Wreh-Wilson has been a disappointment, and Coty Sensabaugh took a step backward in 2014, so the position could use addressing.

1. Trae Waynes, Michigan St.

Waynes is the consensus top corner in the class for good reason. He checks the boxes in all categories.

Great college career? Check. Waynes had 10 passes broken up and three interceptions in 2014, and he showed he can keep receivers from separating consistently.

Size? Check. Waynes is 6'0" with 31-inch arms, although he is a little light at 186 pounds.

Speed and strength? Check. Waynes had a blistering 4.35-second 40 at the combine and put up 19 reps on the bench.

He also doesn't come with any off-field concerns.

2. Kevin Johnson, Wake Forest

Johnson is a cover corner with the same height and nearly the same weight (188 lbs) as Waynes, but he's not quite as fast or explosive, so he's a little less of a sure thing.

That said, Johnson is still a great prospect and has been an impressive corner on the field for three straight years at Wake Forest, making him a very safe-looking pick to play the position.

3. Jalen Collins, LSU

Collins has all the physical tools: prototypical size (6'1", 203 lbs with 32.5-inch arms), great speed (4.48-second 40-yard dash) and good numbers in college (nine passes broken up and an interception in 2014).

What Collins doesn't have is the look of an NFL corner. He's still pretty raw and would need coaching to become a solid contributor at the next level.

Because of that, he's a bit riskier, but he'd still be a great value at the top of the second round.

4. Marcus Peters, Washington

There's no question of Peters' talent. If the only thing in consideration were ability, Peters would be ranked second or maybe even first.

However, Peters comes with a slew of other problems. He was dismissed from Washington after repeated problems with the coaching staff, which is a huge red flag.

On the field, he's stellar, but his character concerns will make him vary wildly on teams' big boards.

5. Ronald Darby, Florida St.

The Seminoles fielded a great defensive backfield in 2014, and Darby was a big part of that with 43 tackles and four passes broken up.

He also ran a blistering 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine and looked good in field drills.

That said, Darby was part of a very talented group of defensive backs, which makes me wary of grading him too high, as he wasn't asked to do as much. He also had some games where he looked lost at times, such as Florida State's game against Clemson.

Wide Receiver

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The Titans just signed Hakeem Nicks, but even so, if they draft a quarterback, giving him another weapon would be helpful.

Justin Hunter has been a disappointment so far, Nicks has been wrecked by injuries, and Harry Douglas is 31, so a little new blood from the draft would be great.

1. Kevin White, West Virginia

Amari Cooper may be the safer pick, but White has the higher ceiling. White has superior size (6'3", 215 lbs) and speed (a 4.35-second 40), but he did have a less productive season, with 109 catches for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He was also on a less impressive team, and it's harder to do your job as a player when you can't always rely on the other players around you to do theirs.

White is a rare athlete, and if he lives up to his potential, he could be the best player in this draft class.

2. Amari Cooper, Alabama

I have White ranked higher but not by much. Cooper is a force to be reckoned with as well.

Cooper had 124 receptions for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns. He had games where he looked simply unstoppable.

Against Tennessee, Cooper had nine catches for a whopping 224 yards and two touchdowns. Tennessee, despite having a very good defense, simply had no answer for Cooper.

Cooper is also highly polished and looks ready for the NFL right now.

3. DeVante Parker, Louisville

Parker isn't the talent that Cooper and White are, but he's still a very good receiver with very few weaknesses. Parker is 6'3" and 209 pounds, and he has a respectable 40 time of 4.48 seconds.

Parker missed half the season with a foot injury but still managed 43 receptions for 855 yards and five touchdowns.

Like Cooper, Parker is polished and ready to play in the NFL; he just doesn't seem to have the high-end No. 1 receiver potential that Cooper does.

4. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State

Strong is a little sloppy with his routes, but he's very quick and has solid straight-line speed (4.44-second 40-yard dash). He's also big, at 6'2" and 217 pounds, so he can potentially win physical matchups with corners.

Strong had a very productive 2014, catching 82 passes for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also gave as good as he got against Marcus Peters, one of the better corners in the class, in their matchup, catching three passes for 55 yards.

5. Nelson Agholor, USC

Agholor has some problems with dropped passes, but he's a great route-runner with respectable speed (4.42-second 40-yard dash) and good size (6'0", 198 lbs).

Agholor looks like a slot receiver at the next level but could also contribute as a returner, giving him some additional value.

He just lacks that wow factor that the receivers ahead of him have in one way or another, but he'd still be a good pick early in Round 2.