The Titans made some big improvements to the roster during the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Tennessee Titans didn’t have the most picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, however, they made the most of what they had. They didn’t make many trades, if any, and somehow were able to fill multiple needs on the roster. Tennessee ensured the offensive line to protect Will Levis, improved the defense, and potentially found multiple starters.
This roster was in a dire state at the beginning of the offseason. The previous general manager failed to acquire depth before being fired and now the new general manager, Ran Carthon, has put together a group the fanbase can be excited about.
The Titans had a solid Draft that’s flying a bit under the radar. The roster is in a substantially better state as the team continues rebuilding. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out but Tennessee is building a great group of players. With that said, here are the three biggest moves the Titans made during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Protecting Will Levis
Tennessee made a splash pick early in the first round after selecting JC Latham seventh overall. Coming out of Alabama, Latham proved to be a menace on the offensive line. He’s extremely powerful and plays with violence which is going to go a long way in the Titans offense. The offensive line has been one of the worst in the league for several seasons now and Latham can fix that problem immediately.
JC Latham played right tackle in college but he’ll be moving to the left side in the NFL. Typically, it’s difficult for offensive tackles to switch from one side to the other. However, the Titans’ offensive line coach, Bill Callahan, who is regarded as the best offensive line coach in the NFL, has a history of converting college right tackles to left tackles. Additionally, Latham was Callahan’s favorite prospect in the entire draft. Will Levis has some great protection coming which should help him develop at the pro level.
Improved defense
With that said, there are some red flags regarding T’Vondre Sweat. He was slapped with a DUI earlier in April and that’s potentially part of the reason why he fell into the second round. Despite that, the Titans vetted him out and trust he’ll be just fine in Tennessee. They also made sure to acquire former Texas teammate Keondre Coburn to serve as a leader.
On top of that, the Titans were able to address their glaring hole at inside linebacker. Somehow Cedric Gray fell into the fourth round and Tennessee snagged him immediately. He’ll compete for a starting role but his ability to help defend the run and pass game makes him a potentially valuable asset. Additionally, Gray is a candidate to wear the green dot and serve as a leader for this defense right away.
Drafted multiple impact players
Ran Carthon just absolutely nailed this draft. JC Latham is going to be the starting left tackle. Meanwhile, T’Vondre Sweat is going to start on the defensive line. The fact the Titans picked up two immediate starters in the first two rounds is great news for this franchise. However, the remaining players the front office selected have a chance to make an impact during their rookie years.
As mentioned, Cedric Gray has a chance to be one of the starting inside linebackers alongside Kenneth Murray. That’s impressive considering he was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. On top of that, the Titans made a great pick in the fifth round after selecting Jarvis Brownlee Jr. out of Louisville. Brownlee is an incredibly physical cornerback who has the potential to become a star one day. He’s a raw prospect but Brownlee is in line to compete for the fourth cornerback spot on the roster behind L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, and Roger McCreary.
Then again in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, the Titans somehow landed Jha’Quan Jackson out of Tulane. Jackson can play the slot and is extremely dangerous with the ball in his hands. He’ll be competing for the slot receiver role, however, Jackson should make an impact on special teams. Jha’Quan Jackson is a solid return man, which is something Tennessee has been missing for several years now. Overall, Jackson’s addition to the team helps out the special teams unit in a big way.
