Laying The Groundwork – Tennessee Titans 2024 NFL Draft Grades

The Tennessee Titans have finalized their draft picks and now look forward to the next phase of their offseason. Over the span of three days, the Tennessee brass chose six players to dawn two-tone blue to start their young careers. Ran Carthon, Brian Callahan and company went all hands on deck to build this roster in their vision.

 

Here is how they fared. 

 

Round 1, Pick 7. 

J.C. Latham, Tackle, Alabama

Joe Alt was off the board and Tennessee took the tackle with the best pair of hands in the draft. Latham will come in and be the starting left tackle solidifying the left side for the Titans. Bill Callahan will be like a kid in a candy store coaching this stud.  

Grade: B+

 

Round 2, Pick 38. 

T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas

Tennessee received multiple offers for the 38th pick but chose to stick and pick arguably the best nose tackle in the entire class. Sweat was the Outland Award winner in 2023, following the footsteps of many NFL mainstays before him. Pairing Sweat and Jeffery Simmons gives Tennessee a fearsome duo for years to come.

Grade: A

 

Round 4, Pick 106.

Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina

The Titans needed a “green dot” linebacker and they found one of the best here. Gray is not only one of the best coverage linebackers in the draft but one of the best run defenders as well. He is a perfect fit for a scheme that is going to lean on the linebackers a lot. 

Grade: A+ 

 

Round 5, Pick 146. 

Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville 

Brownlee Jr. is a inside/outside cornerback that will develop into a plus starter at the next level. His ability to knock receivers off balance with strong punches at the point of attack is invaluable. Tennessee has struggled with corner depth for years and Brownlee Jr. could be the remedy for that.

Grade: B-

 

Round 6, Pick 182. 

Jha’Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane

Jackson is undersized, standing around 5’10 1/2″ tall, but is lightening in a bottle. Jackson comes from a pro-style offense in Tulane and should push for snaps in the slot and as a returner. This is the Titans lone “boom or bust” pick of the draft. 

Grade: C+

 

Round 7, Pick 242. 

James Williams, Safety/LB, Miami

Ran Carthon goes for the 2-for-1 special here with James Williams out of Miami (FL). Williams has the speed and vision to play strong safety and the physicality and size to play linebacker in the NFL. The ceiling for Williams as a linebacker could be Telvin Smith and as a safety, Kam Chancellor. The floor is a solid sub-package tweener. 

Grade: B-

 

Round 7, Pick 252. 

Jaylen Harrell, Edge, Michigan

This is a diamond in the rough that was founded by Ran Carthon and his staff. Harrell had 31 quarterback pressures over the last two seasons and totaled 30 career starts in his collegiate career. This kid could end up being a steady force for Tennessee for years to come.

 

Grade: A-

 

Overall Grade: B+

Tennessee came in with a stout game plan as to how they were going to attack this draft. They came away with six players that could be the foundation of the future of this football team and at least five of them will be early contributors. 

They showed poise and confidence in their scouting, standing pat the entire draft and still getting their guys. Tennessee filled a plethora of needs while also getting ahead of the curve as far as the future of the roster is concerned. Overall, this was a solid draft that didn’t have any sexy picks, but great foundation builders moving forward.