Jalston Fowler to Tennessee Titans: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The Tennessee Titans are definitely doing their own thing in this draft. Fullbacks typically don't get selected this high, unless they're rare talents.

Jalston Fowler is not a rare talent, so this is too high for him. I think the Titans could have easily traded down a few spots and selected him later in the round, assuming they had a willing trade partner.

That said, this isn't a pick I hate. Fowler is the consensus best fullback in the class, so the Titans are getting a top player; he's just a top player at a position of very low value.

Fowler is a stocky fullback with tree trunks for legs. His muscular build shows in his weight (254 lbs at only 5'11"). He's not particularly fast (4.94-second 40-yard dash), but straight-line speed isn't much to a fullback.

Fowler has good vision, finds his blocks well and has a ton of lower-body strength, which he can use to drive his blocks.

However, his best asset, and probably the biggest reason the Titans took him this early, is his hands. It doesn't show up that much in his numbers, but Fowler has some quality mitts.

Fowler only caught 11 passes in 2014, but those passes added up to 129 yards and two touchdowns. That sounds like very little, but when you share a team with Amari Cooper and your head coach is all about the run game, the fullback won't get thrown to often.

In 2013, Fowler was more of a red-zone target; five of his seven receptions went to the end zone.

I don't expect Fowler to be one of the Titans' biggest passing threats, but what he will do is give Marcus Mariota a reliable dump-off target when things go badly.

He'll also be a big boon to Bishop Sankey, who was less than impressive in his rookie season, and he can be used as an extra blocker in special packages.

I expect the Titans' scheme to change a lot with Mariota coming in at quarterback, so there's a good chance that they plan on using a fullback more often than they did in 2014.

Furthermore, the Titans have needed a true fullback for some time. In 2014, they put a Band-Aid on the need by making Jackie Battle their fullback, but there were mixed results.

Having a true fullback, finally, may allow the coaching staff to do some things with the running game that weren't possible last year.

Lastly, this pick provides a little security. Up until this point, most of the Titans' picks have been big risks: Mariota is a spread quarterback who will have to learn a lot; Dorial Green-Beckham comes with a lot of red flags; Jeremiah Poutasi and Angelo Blackson are likely transitioning positions.

Fowler, on the other hand, is pretty universally viewed as a good fullback prospect. He looks "safe" and gives the Titans some certainty. The question with Fowler is whether he'll be used enough to justify being selected so high.

If he makes it a little easier for Mariota to transition to the NFL, then the answer is a definite yes.