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Final Tennessee Titans 7-round mock draft with a trade back

Shaun Calderon
·7 min read

We are just days away from the Tennessee Titans making their first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and there is about as much uncertainty around the NFL as ever before.

Usually by now we at least know who the first overall pick of the draft will be; however, this year even that is up for a valid debate as of right now.

The Titans enter the draft owning seven selections, including the 26th pick, which could be used on a handful of different players. Another avenue the Titans could explore is trading back and acquiring an extra pick or two depending on how far they decide to go.

In this particular mock, I traded out of the first round and gave up the right to a future fifth-year option in order to collect an extra premium pick. The trade values were based on the modern-day version of Jimmy Johnson’s infamous draft pick value chart.

Having said all that, let’s take a closer look at how this scenario plays out in my final mock draft that involves a trade back.

The trade

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TRADE: Titans trade picks Nos. 26 (223 points) and 131 (20 points) to the New York Giants for picks Nos. 36 (166 points), 67 (75 points), and a 2023 7th round pick (1-3 points).

Trade Rationale

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The Titans give up their right to select in Round 1, but they get an early second-rounder (No. 36), along with an early third-rounder (No. 67) in return.

For the Giants, they get aggressive with their embarrassment of riches to give Brian Daboll his quarterback of the future at a more reasonable spot than inside the top 10.

When it’s all said and done, the Giants still end up selecting three times in the first round (Nos. 5, 7, 26), once in the third round (No. 81) while still collecting another fourth-rounder from Tennessee (No. 131).

Now, a look at the picks, and then some analysis of the Titans’ haul after that.

Round 2, Pick 36: WR George Pickens, Georgia

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Round 3, Pick 67: TE Trey McBride, Colorado State

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Round 3, Pick 90: IOL Cole Strange, U-T Chattanooga

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

Round 4, Pick 143: RB Kyren Williams, Notre Dame

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Round 5, Pick 169: OT Matt Waletzko, North Dakota

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Round 6, Pick 204: WR Tyquan Thornton, Baylor

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Round 6, Pick 219: S Smoke Monday, Auburn

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Picks analysis

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With my first pick, I went ahead and selected one of the wide receivers I would have been tempted to take had I stuck at No. 26 overall.

Georgia’s George Pickens is one of the most underrated prospects in this entire draft class. Pickens has some of the strongest ball skills and most reliable hands in this class.

Pickens also possesses legitimate 4.4 speed at 6-foot-3, and he plays the physical brand of football that would fit in well with Mike Vrabel and the culture he’s built in Tennessee.

The Georgia product will immediately give the Titans a formidable wide receiver trio, along with A.J. Brown and Robert Woods.

My next pick then went to arguably the best tight end in the entire draft, Trey McBride. The Colorado State product has three-down potential as a blocker and a pass-catcher.

Last season, the Titans ran the majority of their offense out of 11-personnel (three wide receivers) and 12-personnel (two tight ends). Those first two picks ensure that those packages will be more dynamic and talented.

I concluded Day 2 by selecting one of the most athletically fluid interior linemen in this entire class, Chattanooga’s Cole Strange.

Strange would instantly join the starting competition at left guard with Jamarco Jones and Aaron Brewer, which ideally would also allow 2021 second-round pick, Dillon Radunz to solely focus on right tackle.

I then began Day 3 by giving the Titans a third-down running back with more overall upside than Dontrell Hilliard. Despite his limited athleticism, many believe that Kyren Williams has the best blend of pass protection, route-running, and pass-catching abilities out of all running backs in this class.

The Notre Dame product also offers legitimate upside as a runner and could develop into a complete three-down running back with proper guidance and patience.

I then went ahead and drafted an athletic offensive linemen with a massive 7-foot-1 wingspan who dominated his level of competition in Matt Waletzko. The North Dakota product possesses all the traits that you look for in a project tackle. He is worth the shot there in Round 5.

I concluded the draft by adding two players in Round 6 who could contribute to special teams and either offense or defense.

Tyquan Thornton is a dynamic athlete whose speed and versatility would be a valuable asset to the Titans’ wide receiver room and special teams units as a potential returner.

Lastly, I give the Titans a physical presence on defense and special teams that they can develop.

Smoke Monday is a passionate tone-setter in the run game, and with the Titans being in the same division with Jonathan Taylor, it’s smart to have someone who can physically enforce things in the box.

Plus, as an added bonus, Monday has the coolest name in the draft and his addition would continue the Titans’ recent trend of picking players with cool names in the sixth round, like Brady Breeze and Racey McMath.

More 2022 NFL draft coverage

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Titans among teams getting least value from picks

Every No. 219 pick since 2012

Final Titans mock draft round-up

Top 5 prospects at Titans’ positions of need

What Robinson, Vrabel said in pre-draft presser

Every team’s biggest needs going into draft

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