The Titans have plenty of turnover with OC Arthur Smith off to Atlanta. With plenty of offensive turnover and a concerning defense, they have to hit with nearly every selection in the 2021 NFL Draft? Who were their picks, and what grades did they receive?
Tennessee Titans draft picks in 2021
- 22nd Overall Selection (R1-P22): Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
- 53rd Overall Selection (R2-P21): Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
- 92nd Overall Selection (R3-P28): Monty Rice, LB, Georgia
- 100th Overall Selection (R3-P36, compensatory selection): Elijah Molden, DB, Washington
- 109th Overall Selection (R4-P4): Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville
- 135th Overall Selection (R4-P30): Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pitt
- 205th Overall Selection (R6-P21): Racey McMath, WR, LSU
- 215th Overall Selection (R6-P31): Brady Breeze, S, Oregon
Who did the Titans draft on Day 1?
With the 22nd pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans selected Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley.
Tennessee Titans grades for 2021 NFL Draft
The Titans have a massive need at cornerback, and this one makes a ton of sense.
Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Farley’s injuries caused him to fall down the boards, but this is a home run in terms of talent. He’s a long, physical corner who immediately takes over the CB1 spot in Tennessee. They needed to fill in this spot.
The injury risk causes his grade to slip from me, but his talent is undeniable. If Farley stays healthy, this is a steal.
Grade: A-
Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
This is a good selection here for the Titans, who needed to add to their offensive line. I’d imagine Dillon Radunz will flip over to the right side as the replacement for Isaiah Wilson. Radunz is a great athlete who impressed many scouts in Mobile. I think there were better tackles on the board, but Radunz is impressive in his own right.
Grade: B+
Monty Rice, LB, Georgia
This is an…interesting pick. The team re-signed Jayon Brown, and they still have former first-round pick, Rashaan Evans. With Baron Browning and Jabril Cox still on the board, Monty Rice a puzzling decision to say the least.
Grade: D
Elijah Molden, DB, Washington
After a puzzling pick in Rice, the Titans rebounded and selected an excellent nickel corner/safety in Elijah Molden. Molden is a fluid, sticky, and instinctual coverage corner. It’s stunning he fell this far, but the Titans get their Desmond King replacement (upgrade?) with the 100th pick.
Grade: A+
Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Louisville
This is a puzzling pick. Dez Fitzpatrick was graded by many as a late, late Day 3 selection if he was drafted at all. He has good size and some pretty reliable hands, but there were better receivers on the board who do the same thing.
Grade: C
Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pitt
The Titans’ pass rush was among the league’s worst last season. After spending big on Bud Dupree, the team could use some depth to fill out their room. Rashad Weaver was incredibly productive at Pitt, and his technique and agility should translate well to the next level. I like the pick as a rotational piece on the edge.
Grade: A
Racey McMath, WR, LSU
The sultry algebra teacher, as dubbed by PFN Draft Analyst Matt Valdovinos, is the pick by Tennessee here. Racey McMath has only started six games in his career, primarily out of the slot. Tennessee needed to add receivers, and McMath is worth developing as a WR4 and special-teamer.
Grade: C+
Brady Breeze, S, Oregon
The Titans cut Kenny Vaccaro as a cap casualty, leaving behind 871 snaps on defense. The team added Molden, who could play safety but seems more like a nickel, and they return Amani Hooker. Still, they continue to build the safety room and add a great special-teams player with heads-up instincts.
Grade: B
Tennessee Titans Overall Grade: B-
The Titans made a few home-run picks with Caleb Farley, Dillon Radunz, and Elijah Molden, but also made a few head-scratchers with Monty Rice and Dez Fitzpatrick. It’s a risky class overall, however. Farley’s medicals are a huge red flag, Radunz will have to adjust to playing right tackle, and Molden didn’t test well.
Neither of Rice or Fitzpatrick were the best players available at their respective positions either. They did a solid job of rounding out their roster on Day 3 with Rashad Weaver, Brady Breeze, and Racey McMath, but none of them really move the needle. It’s a gamble of a class, but the potential reward bumped up their grade.
Team needs for Tennessee coming into the NFL Draft
With Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry in the backfield, the Titans have a solid foundation for a competing team.
Cornerback
The Titans are in rough shape in their secondary. Malcolm Butler, Desmond King, and Adoree’ Jackson are on new teams. 2020 second-round pick Kristian Fulton played just a hair over 200 snaps last season in six games and is coming off a knee injury. The team signed Janoris Jenkins in free agency, but that’s not a real fix. As such, I believe corner is going to be their highest priority in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Right Tackle
The Isaiah Wilson troubles opened up a hole at right tackle. The team signed Kendall Lamm as a potential stopgap, but that shouldn’t stop them from filling out this spot if the right value is there.
Wide Receiver
With Corey Davis in New York and Adam Humphries gone, the Titans need to revamp their receiver room. AJ Brown is one of the game’s brightest young stars, but he can only do so much by himself. With the 2021 NFL Draft’s deep wide receiver class, the Titans adding one or more to this room should be a priority.
Tight End
Arthur Smith is gone, and so is Jonnu Smith. Tight end has been an important position in the Titans’ resurgent offense, so the team must fill that TE1 void left behind by Jonnu’s departure.
Defensive Tackle
While the team boasts Jeffrey Simmons and recently-signed Denico Autry, the nose tackle spot in Tennessee is pretty open. They need some players in the middle who can control gaps and plug the run game up the middle.
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