With the 2024 NFL Draft about 48 hours away, most Tennessee Titans fans probably already know which prospects they're rooting for the Titans to select.
Tennessee owns the 7th overall pick in the draft and there are a number of ideal ways the draft board could play out that would result in the Titans landing an elite prospect at a position of need.
But as we know, the draft is an unpredictable beast. And I wouldn't be surprised if the "worst case scenario" ended up becoming a reality.
In my perfect world, the Titans would be able to get either OT Joe Alt or WR Malik Nabers with the seventh overall pick. These two prospects made my 2024 NFL Draft wishlist and would be immediately impactful players at a position of need. I have been pretty firm in my stance that I'd go for Nabers over Alt, but either one of those results would be a big win for Tennessee.
In order for that to happen, four quarterbacks need to go somewhere in the first six picks. If we're assuming Marvin Harrison Jr. is a lock to go Top 5 (which I am), four quarterbacks going before the Titans are on the clock ensures that at least one of Alt or Nabers are still there for No 7.
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels seem like slam dunks to be the first two players taken, but Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy are less of a certainty. Despite what is being leaked, I still believe the Patriots are going to end up taking a quarterback with the third overall pick. But does someone trade up for the odd man out?
Here's the worst case scenario for the Titans: Williams, Daniels, and either Maye OR McCarthy are the first three picks. The Cardinals take Marvin Harrison Jr. at 4. The Chargers grab the first offensive lineman with Joe Alt. The Giants take Malik Nabers off the board.
Because the Falcons (8th), Bears (9th), and Jets (10th) are not viewed as threats to draft a quarterback with their first round picks, there may not be a ton of interest from teams like the Vikings (11th), Broncos (12th), or Raiders (13th) in trading up as far as 7.
That would mean no Alt, no Nabers, and maybe no good trade down options for the Titans at 7. They could be stuck taking the second best offensive tackle with the 7th overall pick without adding future draft capital in the process.
If it's Alt, Nabers, or even Rome Odunze, most people will be happy with the outcome. If the Titans trade back for an additional Day 2 selection and get a second-tier offensive tackle, most people will be happy. But if the board just so happens to play out this way, there's a world where a lot of fans are underwhelmed by the pick.
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