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Titans Ideal First Two NFL Draft Picks

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Titans Ideal First Two NFL Draft Picks


Chad Reuter of NFL.com published a breakdown with his takes on each team’s ideal first two NFL Draft selections, including the No. 1 and No. 35 picks the Tennessee Titans hold.

Reuter’s two hypothetical Tennessee selections are listed below, and On SI put together some analysis of each projection.

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward

Dec 28, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) scrambles with the ball against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

If Tennessee picked Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter, it would be landing a potential future All-Pro, but it would be upgrading one defensive position by doing so while continuing to have a major quarterback issue. As you know, it’s the most challenging roster weakness to repair and sustain thereafter. 

In this hypothetical that, frankly, seems like a given at this point, although the Titans can’t be certain to get the major needle-mover an organization expects of a No. 1 overall selection, they have the opportunity, and the decision-makers simply have to give the quarterback position its best chance to succeed in 2025 and beyond. 

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“This was the best Pro Day performance I’ve seen in person, and it might not even be close,” CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Ryan Ward said, previously attending Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and other quarterbacks Pro Day events.

He can get a little too free with the ball, both in throwing into dangerous areas and while carrying the football, but the upside here is boundless if Ward’s young career stays on the tracks.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau

Sep 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau (44) celebrates a tackle during the first half of the NCAA Division I football game against the Toledo Rockets at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Ncaa Football Toledo Rockets At Ohio State Buckeyes / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Before the perception shifted to the Titans likely selecting Ward at the top of the draft, many argued that Carter should, and likely would be going No. 1 to Tennessee. There was no shortage of pertinent angles to that argument. 

Here are a few: The Titans defense finished second to last in pass defense last season. Only three teams recorded less sacks than Tennessee. Harold Landry is now a New England Patriot.

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Well, Carter is long gone by the time the second round rolls around in Reuter’s projection, but Tennessee snags a fantastic talent in national champion Buckeye JT Tuimlolau. At 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, the Washington native clocked a solid 4.62 at the combine, and his production in 2024 was excellent. 

61 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 12 ½ sacks along with three pass breakups and a pair of forced fumbles. And a bunch of those sacks came versus some of Ohio State’s toughest opponents in contests when the pressure was at its peak – the College Football Playoff. 

Tuimoloau notched two sacks versus Tennessee, two against Oregon, one-and-a-half versus Texas, and one in the title game versus Notre Dame. We can be fairly sure his consistent backfield terror would continue in Tennessee.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!



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What coach Tim Corbin said about Vanderbilt baseball, Tennessee confrontation after Game 3

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What coach Tim Corbin said about Vanderbilt baseball, Tennessee confrontation after Game 3


KNOXVILLE ― After the final out of Vanderbilt baseball’s 7-5 win against Tennessee on May 11, which clinched the rivalry series win for the first time since 2021, the teams had to be separated on the field after the benches cleared and several players appeared to exchange words.

A Vanderbilt program spokesperson said he was not aware of any ejections or suspensions stemming from the game.

“I didn’t know what happened really, until I was in the middle of it, but it was just two emotional teams that all played hard,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said. “You know that boys will be boys.”

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Tempers had flared all game. During the first inning, both teams were issued warnings after Vanderbilt catcher Colin Barczi took exception to Tennessee first baseman Andrew Fischer chirping at Commodores players while rounding the bases after a home run. Both Fischer and Barczi hit two home runs in the game.

“Rubber match, Game 3. Both have one win in the series. So, I mean obviously, both teams wanted it more than anything,” Barczi said.

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Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @aria_gerson.





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How Vanderbilt baseball underclassmen can create their own legacy against Tennessee

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How Vanderbilt baseball underclassmen can create their own legacy against Tennessee


KNOXVILLE ― Ethan McElvain took the mound for the ninth inning against Tennessee in a move that felt like it could go either very well or very poorly.

McElvain has a 7.33 ERA this season, but the potential has always been evident with his mid-90s fastball. He gave up at least one run in his first nine outings of the season and multiple runs in seven of those, and though he was originally in the weekend rotation, Vanderbilt baseball moved him to the bullpen after five weeks.

Facing the top of the order, McElvain retired all three batters he faced, including striking out Andrew Fischer with a 97 mph fastball to close out the 10-6 win on May 10 and force a rubber match in the series.

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Vanderbilt (35-16, 15-11 SEC) has dealt with inconsistent performances all season in part because of a young roster that has faced growing pains. But as the regular season comes closer to a conclusion, those same players have stepped up.

In the series opener, it was Brodie Johnston, who hit a ninth-inning home run in a 3-2 loss and made several key defensive plays. In Game 2, it was McElvain and sophomore Braden Holcomb, who had a home run and three RBIs.

“I think we’re as talented of a group as there is,” Holcomb said. “I think once, when we play with confidence, and we just go out there and let it go, I think we’re one of the best teams in the country.”

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Holcomb has been rounding into form of late, with six extra-base hits in his past seven games. Most notably, he hit two home runs in a game against Alabama, including a walk-off to clinch the series for Vanderbilt. He is part of a formidable middle-of-the-order core with Johnston, Riley Nelson and Colin Barczi.

Younger pitchers have come in handy, too. Luke Guth got the Game 2 win with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts.

“I just trust him,” Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said of McElvain. ” . . . I think he’s really improved over the past couple ofweeks. I like where his mind is. I like where his delivery is. I like where the ball is going. I like his intent. It’s good. He wants to pitch. We’ve got to get him out there.”

Corbin says his teams typically tend to improve after exams are over before hitting a late-season peak. One game against the Vols doesn’t necessarily make that the case this time, but several players are showing positive indicators.

The win also erased some of the previous demons of Lindsey Nelson Stadium, where Vanderbilt got swept in 2023. Just two players who played in Game 2 were on the 2023 team, and only one was on the 2022 team that was swept at home by the Vols, starting what would eventually become a nine-game losing streak in the rivalry.

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Now a younger group has the chance to create its own legacy in a series Tennessee has dominated of late.

“I wasn’t here (in 2023), but there’s a lot of guys on the team that were here, and I’m sure that feels really good,” Holcomb said. “Coming in this environment, getting a win, that’s going to set us up in the long run. So that’s good, and that’s important.”

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @aria_gerson.





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Preliminary 4.1 magnitude earthquake jolts Tennessee, parts of Georgia and North Carolina

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Preliminary 4.1 magnitude earthquake jolts Tennessee, parts of Georgia and North Carolina


An earthquake of 4.1 preliminary magnitude jolted parts of the southern U.S. on Saturday morning.

The quake hit about 13 miles from Greenback, Tennessee, which is about 30 miles south of Knoxville, the U.S. Geological Survey said, around 9 a.m. local time.

Residents in Atlanta and parts of western North Carolina reported on social media feeling the tremors.

The map shows community reports of the 4.1 magnitude earthquake that struck in Tennessee on May 10, 2025.

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U.S. Geological Survey


The USGS initially reported the earthquake as a 3.5 magnitude quake before increasing it to 4.1.

There were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries.

Gabriela Reilly was making waffles with her husband when they felt their entire home shake in Braselton, Georgia, which is northeast of Atlanta.

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“Our ceiling fan started shaking for about 10 seconds,” she said. “I thought a giant aircraft had flown low right over the neighborhood, but my husband said, ‘No, that was definitely an earthquake!’”

Earthquakes are not uncommon in the region. The Eastern Tennessee seismic zone is one of the most active in the Southeast and extends across parts of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.

Two tremors struck in December 2018. One was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Decatur, Tennessee, which is south of Knoxville. It shook homes as far away as Atlanta.

Another earthquake struck a few days later with a magnitude of 3.0. Its epicenter was about two miles (four kilometers) southeast of Mascot, near Knoxville. It also was felt in parts of Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina.

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