Tennessee Titans General Manager Mike Borgonzi fields questions from the media. Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Titans Go Defense in Latest Mock Draft

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 3:00 PM ET

With a 1-11 record, the Tennessee Titans are the likeliest team to end up with the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

This would mark the second straight year the Titans have held the top selection after using it on Miami quarterback Cam Ward back in April. This year, the Titans are more likely to go with a top defensive prospect. CBS Sports writer Ryan Wilson conducted a recent mock draft in which the Titans selected Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese.

"An explosive, high-motor LB with a versatile skill set that includes elite closing speed vs. both the run and the pass," Wilson wrote of Reese.

"He is a terror coming downhill, showcasing his strength and athleticism to shoot gaps, shed blocks, and collapse the pocket. Reese is a wrap-up tackling machine who consistently plays with an aggressive edge and the versatility to line up across the front seven. One of the biggest risers over the first month of the college season."

Titans Take Arvell Reese in Mock Draft

Reese, a junior from Cleveland, Ohio, was part of the Buckeyes' national championship defense a year ago, and he is one of the top performers for the unit in 2025. So far this season, Reese has 61 tackles (10 for loss) and 6.5 sacks for the Buckeyes.

Reese represents a safe pick that the Titans can put in the lineup in Week 1 without question. The Titans are lacking many defensive cornerstones aside from defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, so adding Reese would give them something they have been missing.

Reese is in contention to be the top defensive prospect selected in the draft next to Clemson defensive lineman Peter Woods, Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Out of these prospects, Reese makes the most sense for the Titans because it could give them a No. 1 pass rusher with versatility in both the pass and run game.

The Titans could also look into trading the number one overall pick because other rivals may be looking to draft a quarterback. Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Oregon's Dante Moore, and Alabama's Ty Simpson are among the top quarterbacks available in the 2026 draft class.

The Titans almost certainly won't be picking one of them, so general manager Mike Borgonzi could trade back in the first round to acquire more picks to aid him in the rebuild.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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