The Tennessee Titans hold the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Between now and the draft, there will be much speculation about what the Titans should and will do with that pick.
Many believe that the team will be in the quarterback market, as the team struggled mightily with the combination of Will Levis (No. 34 with a D- rating in PFN’s QB+ metric this past season) and Mason Rudolph under center and would have their pick of the quarterbacks in this year’s class.
However, recent comments from the president of football operations, Chad Brinker, suggest that may not be the direction the team goes in this year’s draft.
Could Travis Hunter Be Atop the Titans’ Big Board?
While Brinker will not be the one making the selection, as president of football operations, it can be assumed he will have a say in who the Titans select with the first overall pick.
“We won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick in the NFL Draft,” Brinker said. “We won’t do that.” The top prospect on the PFN’s 2025 NFL Draft Big Board is Travis Hunter out of Colorado.
Here is what PFN’s Dalton Miller had to say about the Heisman Trophy winner:
“Travis Hunter is one of one. If we had allowed ourselves to split the player into a cornerback and wide receiver, he would have ranked first and 12th, respectively. He’s the top cornerback in the NFL Draft, and he’s the second-best receiver. His rare ball skills as a wide receiver translate to the other side of the ball, and he’s played with more physicality in 2024 than in 2023.
“He won’t play full-time on both sides at the next level. Teams must decide if he’s more valuable to them as a full-time defensive or offensive player. In my opinion, it would be malpractice to take away a potentially generational defensive prospect from that side of the ball entirely. A ‘best of both worlds’ scenario would be playing 80-100% of the team’s defensive snaps while also playing 10-20% of the offensive snaps.”
While there is a need for the quarterback position, Brinker’s words signal that if a quarterback is not the top player on their board, the Titans will not reach for one. While it’s possible that they view a quarterback like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders as a “generational talent,” based on scouting reports, Hunter is the player who most likely fits that bill.
Titans GM Mike Borgonzi Pushes Back on the Titans’ Draft Plans
While Brinker’s comments may have let it slip that Hunter is the top player on the team’s board, general manager Mike Borgonzi kept things much closer to the vest.
“We’re very early in those discussions,” Borgonzi said about the No. 1 overall pick. “I’m coming into this with an open mind. We’re going to evaluate every situation to make the best decision with that pick.”
Mike Borgonzi on this idea. #Titans https://t.co/TqvFjVBqCB pic.twitter.com/PyVr9IZeun
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) January 22, 2025
Borgonzi’s comments pushed back on those made by Brinker. With the draft still nearly four months away, being less open about the team’s board and plans with the pick is understandable. What the team thinks now about the quarterbacks and the rest of the class could easily change between now and the draft.
While the team’s view on each player could change over the coming months, it is also not a guarantee that the team will stick and pick at No. 1. Borgonzi even hinted at the possibility of trading down.
“That’s always the goal: to get as many picks in the top 100 as you can,” Borgonzi said, adding that “draft picks are our biggest form of currency.”
In addition to discussing the draft, Borgonzi was asked about the state of the roster as it is currently constructed, saying, “There’s some talent on this roster, but we’re a three-win football team right now, so that’s not good enough.”
The team added Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, L’Jarius Sneed, Lloyd Cushenberry, and Kenneth Murray, among others, in free agency last year. They also have JC Latham, Peter Skoronski, Jeffery Simmons, and others as pieces to build around on the roster.
While the team will build its true foundation through the draft, they do have some cap space to work with. The Titans sit at No. 12 in the league in cap space, with $44,196,218, and could look to free agency to plug some of the other holes on their roster. Once free agency unfolds, there will be a clearer picture of what positional groups Tennessee will likely look to address in the draft.