While the 2024 campaign continues into next week for roughly half of the NFL, the other 18 organizations have seen draft season kick into high gear. And for the Tennessee Titans, they are officially on the clock after clinching the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft following a loss to the Houston Texans.
This year’s draft is a pivotal moment for a franchise in transition. After a rough first campaign under head coach Brian Callahan littered with inconsistency and lack of progression at the most important position in sports, the Titans now find themselves in a position to reset their trajectory under the leadership of general manager Ran Carthon. The top pick now offers the organization a rare opportunity to select a potential foundational talent, or a chance to orchestrate a blockbuster trade back to add heavy draft capital in an attempt to accelerate a rebuild.
With franchise quarterback questions lingering and holes to fill across the roster, Carthon will face high expectations to nail this offseason. Here's a look at a few options that should be on the whiteboard of possibilities for Tennessee in a monumental process for the organization.
Draft Cam Ward
Per a team source, the Titans are high on the Miami quarterback and Ward would immediately become Tennessee’s face of the franchise. While his aptitude to create off-script and put the ball in precarious scenarios is a worry for teams, Ward’s confidence, poise, and fundamental talent will see his name come off the board early in April.
The back-and-forth on his game is similar to how a lot of conversations have gone about a lot of other QBs and other positions in the class, but someone is going to take a shot on Ward’s talent in April. If Tennessee can reel in Ward a tick and the young gunslinger can fine-tune the nuances of his game, they’ll have their guy for the future no matter who is on the outside.
Draft Shedeur Sanders
The two headliners of the 2024 class both hail from the Colorado program. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Heisman winner in Travis Hunter, but it’s going to be really interesting to see where Sanders ends up, especially if he doesn’t fully compete in a pre-draft showcase or limits his exposure to teams in any way over the next few months. He still has questions to answer (athleticism and anticipation are a few), but his natural-given ability as a passer is overwhelmingly evident.
The final in-season impression for scouts wasn’t great (16-28, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) in a 22-point bowl game loss to BYU, but Sanders enters the process as one of the draft’s elite at the position. He’s very similar to Ward in his ability to win as a pocket passer, and continued evolution in his pocket maneuverability and discipline with the football should see Sanders produce quickly on Sundays.
However, there remains a long list of questions for both Ward and Sanders when it comes to hitching your organizational wagon to them, an act that coincides with the No. 1 overall pick. Which leads me to option 3.
Trade Back
Unless the Titans see Ward or Sanders as a locked-in, bonafide, no question No. 1 overall pick, trading back to acquire assets could be in the cards for Carthon. In a 2025 draft class that has an abundance of questions still to be answered in regards to how boards will finalize, the only thing to expect in late April is the unexpected.
If Carthon isn’t sold on a quarterback at No. 1 and eyes a move potentially with a QB-hungry team (more than them) in their rearview mirror (Cleveland, New York, Las Vegas…), he could be a spot to move back and potentially add our top player in the class here at The Draft Network, Hunter. There’s still much to play out, as the pre-draft cycle will force boards to adjust as pre-draft showcases, the combine, pro days, and 30 visits commence, but adding capital while approaching the top of the draft with a best player available approach could be a good plan of action.
