For nearly two months now the Tennessee Titans have been on the clock. So naturally, there has been a lot of speculation on what they are going to do with the number one over all pick in the draft. While some people are predicting that the Titans will trade the top pick, gaining as much value as possible for it, I believe this would be a mistake.
In last year’s NFL draft the Titans used the number two overall pick to select Marcus Mariota, the Heisman winning quarterback from Oregon. By every indication, this was a great pick for Tennessee. As a rookie, Mariota threw for 2,818 yards, 19 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, with a completion percentage of 62.2%. The only real negative to Mariota’s rookie season was that he missed four games due to injury.
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Mariota was sacked 38 times last year, ninth most in the NFL, despite missing a quarter of the season. This failure to protect Mariota was cited as part of the reason that the Titans parted ways with head coach Ken Whisenhunt midseason. If new head coach Mike Mularkey is going to have a lasting reign with the Titans then he has to figure out a way to protect his franchise quarterback.
More than just trying to shield Mariota from harm, Mularkey needs to create an identity for this team. The new head coach already has some ideas in mind on how he wants the Titans to play. To summarize his vision in one word, physical. Mularkey and his staff want to add physicality and toughness to the team, as opposed to the finesse system that Whisenhunt used to run. This will involve creating a team atmosphere and bringing in players with a nasty, on the field attitude.
Enter Laremy Tunsil. The offensive tackle from Ole Miss is the top left tackle prospect in the draft and one of the top prospects overall. He shows quick feet and a natural ability to slide to his left and mirror his man in pass protection. He also has prototypical NFL length which will allow his to use his arms and keep defenders away from his chest and out of the backfield. If there was a man in this class to protect Mariota, it would be Tunsil.
Nearly as important as his pass protection, Tunsil is a nasty run blocker. He brings that aggressive, physical attitude that the Titans say they’re trying to instil in their team. This addition to the running game will help the entire offense, with a stronger rushing offense opening up more opportunities in the passing attack.
The real beauty about this pick is the depth it will provide the Titans on the exterior of their offensive line. Taylor Lewan, the eleventh overall pick in the 2014 draft, has struggled on the left side of the line. If Tunsil were to come in and play left tackle, Lewan could move to right tackle where he played most of his college career. This would put first round picks in the trenches, one on the right and left side of the offensive line. In short, with this one pick the Titans would be able to upgrade at both offensive tackle positions.
They say that in the NFL you should always draft for talent and not to just fill a need on the roster. In this case, Laremy Tunsil would be both. He is arguably the very best player in this class and just so happens to play a position that the Titans desperately need to upgrade at. In what he brings in protecting the passer, paving the way in the running game, and in his aggressive nasty attitude, Tunsil is a slam dunk pick for Tennessee. If the Titans are true to their word, then this pick should be a no brainer.