NASHVILLE — Talking about drafting the best football player available sounds good. Trying to snap a skid of four straight losing seasons requires players that fit a team’s needs.
The Tennessee Titans tried their best to do just that for new coach Robert Saleh.
“Obviously you want to take the best player, but you’re trying to marry up value with need,” general manager Mike Borgonzi said Saturday night. “But I do think we did fill some needs.”
The Titans made Carnell Tate of Ohio State the first receiver drafted this year at No. 4 overall Thursday night, providing another playmaker for new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and second-year quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft. Veteran receiver Calvin Ridley is coming off a season-ending injury and will turn 32 late in the year.
They also traded up twice, adding defenders to a unit already revamped heavily in free agency around All-Pro tackle Jeffery Simmons. The Titans took lineman Keldric Faulk of Auburn at No. 31 near the end of the first round, then moved up into the second to get former University of Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. at No. 60.
Tennessee wrapped up the draft Saturday with five selections, including a pair of offensive linemen who will have a chance to compete for playing time immediately in Fernando Carmona of Arkansas (fifth round, No. 152 overall) and Indiana center Pat Coogan (sixth round, No. 194 overall).
They took Penn State running back Nick Singleton (No. 165) in the fifth round, Baylor defensive lineman Jackie Marshall (No. 184) in the sixth and converted tight end Jaren Kanak of Oklahoma (No. 225) in the seventh.
The Titans signed receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency, but their top two in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions last season both were rookies (Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike). Tate will compete to start for a team that had six rookies start five or more games last season.
Saleh, who will be calling the defense this season, plans to use eight to nine linemen per game on that side of the ball so that nobody plays more than 60% of snaps and hopefully stays fresh as a result.
The Titans’ free agency haul added defensive tackle Solomon Thomas and defensive ends Earnest Brown IV, John Franklin-Myers, Malik Herring and Jacob Martin. They also traded tackle T’Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets for end Jermaine Johnson II.
Faulk brings some versatility that will help him bounce around as needed.
“We see him outside on early downs and (will) kick him inside on pass downs,” Saleh said. “And we think he’s got an elite trait to rush the passer on the inside, and (the) combination between him, Jeffery, John Franklin-Myers I mean, that’s a pretty lethal combination between the three of them.”
Drafts usually results in mentions of which pro a player resembles most. With Saleh’s background as the former defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, Arik Armstead and four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner both surfaced in connection with Faulk and Hill.
Borgonzi called Hill “the prototype linebacker” in this defense. Warner’s name came up when the GM was asked if the Titans would use Hill’s pass-rushing skills. Hill had 17 sacks in three seasons at Texas, and Borgonzi said Saleh has schemes using linebackers such as Warner to blitz.
Hill said he’s excited to play for Saleh knowing his resumé.
“I know what he did with other linebackers,” Hill said, mentioning Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Bobby Wagner.
On the offensive line, the Titans need two new starters after releasing veteran center Cushenberry in February and with right guard Kevin Zeitler a free agent. They used their first pick Saturday on Carmona, who likely gets his first chance at right guard.
Coogan started his career at Notre Dame and was part of Indiana’s national championship run last season, when he was honored as the Rose Bowl offensive MVP in the Hoosiers’ rout of Alabama in that College Football Playoff quarterfinal. He met with the Titans at the start of last week, and he’s now reunited with Tate, someone he used to ride with to morning practices at Marist High School in Chicago.
He planned to have a video call with Tate after talking with reporters.
“I am happy to be his teammate again,” Coogan said. “He is an unbelievable football player.”