The 2025 NFL Draft is approaching and the Tennessee Titans have the 1st pick. This is a breakdown of their team needs and potential players they could select in the Draft.
State of the Union
The Titans are in a tough spot as a franchise. This offseason is pivotal to the future of their organization. The Titans have the #1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft but there are plenty of options available to them. Unlike in past seasons where there was a consensus #1 pick in the draft or even an obvious position for the team to target, the Titans could go many different directions. There is no truly elite QB1 that is clearly worthy of a #1 pick. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are both highly touted prospects but not necessarily as highly thought of as players like Caleb Williams, Bryce Young and Joe Burrow who went #1 overall in recent seasons.
The Titans used a draft pick on Will Levis two seasons ago, but it seems clear that he is not an NFL franchise quarterback. The Titans would likely prefer to move on from Levis but it might not be with the #1 pick. The Titans could pick a player like Abdul Carter with the top pick and then sign a franchise quarterback in free agency or use a later round pick on a quarterback. The Titans could also just roll with Will Levis for another season since he comes so cheap and continue to invest in the rest of their roster, then draft a quarterback in 2026.
Potential Departures
OL Dillon Radunz – Radunz was drafted by the Titans in 2021 and his rookie contract is now up. Radunz hasn’t performed great for the Titans but the entire offensive line was an issue for Tennessee last season. If the Titans can bring Radunz back cheap, it could be worth having him as depth or even starting in a guard spot.
WRs Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tyler Boyd – The Titans signed Tyler Boyd to a one-year contract, seeing if he could handle a bigger role after being a WR3 in Cincinnati over the past couple of years. Boyd ended up having the worst season of his career and the Titans are likely to let him walk. The slack was picked up by Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who was the team’s second-leading receiver behind Calvin Ridley. Westbrook-Ikhine was a great deep ball threat and led the team in receiving touchdowns. If the Titans can get him on a hometown discount, he would be great to keep around as that deep ball threat.
LB Jerome Baker – The Titans traded for Jerome Baker in the final year of his contract in October of 2024. The Titans knew that they couldn’t pay Ernest Jones and decided to send him away for the fourth-round pick that came along with Baker. It seems like Baker was just a placeholder for last season and the Titans will likely let him walk this summer.
Team Needs
Quarterback – The obvious need for the Titans is at quarterback. They took their shot on Will Levis in the 2023 NFL Draft but it’s clear that Levis will not be a high-end starter in the NFL. The Titans can start Levis if they want for another year, while he is still on rookie money, but at some point they need to find a long-term starter. The Titans have a lot of flexibility with the #1 pick and could select Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. They could also look for a veteran in free agency if they don’t like any of the prospects in the draft.
Wide Receiver – Calvin Ridley was a 1,000-yard receiver and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine showed flashes of being a good deep-play threat. However, Westbrook-Ikhine is set to be a free agent. Even if they do bring him back, they need a more consistent possession receiver to pair with Ridley.
EDGE – The Titans are building a great defensive line with Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat. However, they need an elite EDGE pass rusher to take this defense to the next level.
Offensive Line – While Will Levis is clearly not a high-level NFL starter, his life is not made easier by the bad offensive line play in Tennessee. Levis was often running for his life and forced to make quick throws which often led to turnover issues. The Titans might choose to invest in the offensive line before bringing in a franchise quarterback.
Potential Draft Picks
QB Cam Ward (Miami) – Cam Ward is the (largely) consensus QB1 in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, unlike Caleb Williams, Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow in past seasons, there is a question around whether the QB1 is worth a #1 overall pick. Ward would likely have been the QB4 in last year’s draft, not a #1 overall pick. However, if the Titans are ready to dive into the deep end and take their chances on another quarterback, Ward would be the choice in this year’s draft.
EDGE Abdul Carter (Penn State) – If the Titans want to take the best player in the draft, that is likely Abdul Carter. Carter has all of the physical traits and the proven production to be an elite EDGE pass-rusher at the next level. Outside of quarterback and potentially offensive tackle, EDGE has become the most important position in football. The Titans have already invested in their defensive line and Carter could take them to the next level, allowing them to then turn their attention to the offense.
WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) – The Titans will almost certainly take either Ward or Carter if they use their #1 pick. However, there are reports that they are shopping the #1 overall pick. If they decided to trade back in the draft, they could go after Tet McMillan. McMillan is a potential NFL superstar at wide receiver. He has tremendous hands and a great catch radius. Along with Calvin Ridley, they could form a great 1-2 WR duo for whoever starts at quarterback next season.
OT Will Campbell (LSU) – Another option available if the Titans decide to trade back from #1 is OT Will Campbell. Campbell is likely going to be the first tackle taken in the draft and the Giants are one of the teams potentially looking to trade up to the top pick. If the Titans trade back to #3, they will be able to grab Campbell and have a franchise tackle to protect whoever they start at quarterback next season.
If I were the GM of the Titans, I would trade back with somebody who thinks that Cam Ward is worth a #1 pick. Then, select a potential franchise-changing player like McMillan, Campbell or Mykel Williams. If they are lucky, Jaxson Dart will make it to their second-round pick (#35) and they can take Dart there. Then, they can have an open competition between a rookie quarterback and Levis for QB1 while still getting a game-changer somewhere in the top ten.
