The Tennessee Titans organization hasn’t made a selection at No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft since the Houston Oilers took Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell in 1978.
The Titans hold the No. 1 selection in 2025, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will make the first pick.
Could the Titans Trade Back From No. 1 Overall?
The No. 1 overall pick is the best spot to land the next great quarterback prospect. That’s what the Titans need heading into 2025.
But there’s a problem. Tennessee doesn’t sound sold there’s a signal caller worthy of the No. 1 pick this year. For that reason, ESPN’s Dan Graziano proposed the possibility of the Titans trading back from No. 1 overall this spring.
If they did that, the Titans would fill their need behind center with one of the young signal callers set to be available in free agency.
“There is still a long way to go until April’s draft and a lot of evaluations to make before then, but I’ve talked to multiple people who think the Titans could trade out of the top pick and look for their QB solution elsewhere. That could mean either another shot for Will Levis or adding young free agent such as Sam Darnold or Justin Fields,” wrote Graziano.
“The thinking is that the Titans’ roster needs are so extensive that, unless they’re absolutely sold on one of the quarterbacks as a franchise-changer, they’re better off seeing what teams would be willing to offer for the pick.
“If they moved back to No. 2 [Cleveland Browns] or No. 3 [New York Giants] — or even to No. 6 [Las Vegas Raiders] or No. 7 [New York Jets] — they could still land a franchise cornerstone player in the first round and be in position to address QB in next year’s draft if necessary.”
Signing Darnold or Fields would make a lot of sense. Both played well during an opportunity with a new team in 2024, but it’s still unclear if either will be a long-term solution behind center.
The Titans could sign either to a shorter-term deal. If they perform well, Tennessee may easily consider either its future quarterback. But if that doesn’t happen, then the Titans could address quarterback during a draft class with more impressive prospects behind center.
After trading back from No. 1, the Titans would have more future draft capital to fill the quarterback need in 2026. They also would still grab a player in the top 10 to fill a different need this spring.
No. 1 Overall Pick Trades in Recent NFL History
The Titans have actually traded back from No. 1 overall previously. In 2016, Tennessee held the No. 1 pick, but the team dealt the selection to the Los Angeles Rams.
In return, the Titans received No. 15 overall in 2016, two 2016 second-round picks, a 2016 third-rounder, a 2017 first-round choice and a 2017 third-rounder. After moving up to No. 1 overall, the Rams selected quarterback Jared Goff.
Since then, the No. 1 pick was moved through a trade one other time. The Chicago Bears traded the top selection in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers. In return, the Bears received wide receiver DJ Moore, the No. 9 pick in 2023, a 2023 second-rounder, a 2024 first-round selection, and a 2025 second-round pick.
If the Titans traded the No. 1 pick in 2025, they would presumably receive a lot of draft capital in return as well.
In both 2016 and 2023, the team that gave up the No. 1 overall selection hoped they already had their franchise quarterbacks on the roster. The Titans, though, don’t have that hope with Levis and Mason Rudolph.
Neither Titans quarterback finished higher than 26th in PFSN’s QB+ metric.
Darnold and Fields scored a better QB+ grade in 2024. However, there’s a risk to turning to a journeyman quarterback.
For that reason, PFSN’s Ben Rolfe still predicted the Titans to turn to the draft to satisfy their quarterback need. On Feb. 17, Rolfe projected Tennessee to select Miami quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall.
Whether that prediction comes to fruition could depend on what the Titans decide to do behind center in free agency.
