INDIANAPOLIS -- It's no secret that the Tennessee Titans will need to make some significant additions to their secondary over the course of the next few months. Whether it be through free agency or the draft, the Titans need players. Talented ones, at that.
But given the simultaneous need for help at wide receiver and offensive tackle, it's possible the Titans are not going to be able to address the secondary until the later rounds of the draft. After all, they do not currently have a third round pick.
One player who I've spent a lot of time watching and speaking with at the Senior Bowl in Mobile and the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart. Hart is a prospect that may still be available when Tennessee is on the lock with pick 107 and I believe can be just what the Titans need at cornerback.
Freak athlete
Cam Hart is a freak athlete. He told me on Thursday that he believes he is the most athletic cornerback in the draft class and looks forward to proving it with his testing this week.
Hart was one of three cornerbacks that cracked the Top 20 on Bruce Feldman's 2023 Freak List. A well earned designation for recording a 134-inch broad jump, 38-inch vertical, and hitting 23.01 MPH on the GPS prior to the 2023 college football season.
A 134-inch broad jump would have been the best number recorded by a DB at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine and 3rd among DBs at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
The drill that Hart is looking forward to the most? "The 40, of course. I think some guys don't think I'm the fastest out here, so I'm excited," Hart told me on Thursday.
Ability in man coverage
Hart's speed and athletic ability paired with his his long frame helps him excel in man coverage. He can run with wide receivers, track the ball downfield, and flip his hips fluidly,
That showed up on tape against Ohio State when Hart helped limit Marvin Harrison Jr. to 3 catches and 32 receiving yards in September.
The only established cornerback currently under contract with the Titans is Roger McCreary, who is at his best in the slot. Sean Murphy-Bunting and Kristian Fulton are both about to hit free agency, so acquiring a cornerback who can play on the perimeter and thrive in man coverage is paramount.
Dennard Wilson's defense is going to be big on bringing pressure. In order to do that, you need cornerbacks who don't get beat in man coverage or over the top.
I like the idea of the Titans signing an established free agent like Chidobe Awuzie, bringing back someone like Sean Murphy-Bunting, and adding a late-round sleeper like Hart to add depth on the perimeter.
Leadership
While I'm rattling through all the things I love about Hart's game, I have to mention the leader he was at Notre Dame.
When Hart was asked by media what he was most proud of from his time in South Bend, he immediately went to being named a captain of the team. "Becoming captain. That's a great honor. It's player voted. Having some of those guys trust me to be a leader and be a spokesman for them is a great honor," said Hart.
Hart would later tell me about how much he values building personal relationships with his teammates. That's his "leadership style", if you will. It's also something Titans GM Ran Carthon values greatly.
I got the overwhelming sense that Hart would not only be a scheme fit for Tennessee's defense, but also the type of person the Titans are looking to add. He may come off the board before Tennessee is up in Round 4. But this is a no-brainer that fills a need if he's there.
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