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What I liked, didn’t like about Tennessee Titans’ 2024 NFL Draft class | Estes

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What I liked, didn’t like about Tennessee Titans’ 2024 NFL Draft class | Estes


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This pivotal offseason remains an ongoing project, but the Tennessee Titans can be optimistic about the direction. They are better than they were a few days ago.

And they’re a lot better than they were a few months ago.

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The Titans’ seven-player 2024 NFL Draft class, after an eventful run in free agency, was another step in rebuilding and reshaping a roster and a team that’ll look much different under a new coaching staff led by Brian Callahan.

“I feel really good about the draft class and what these guys are going to be able to come in and do,” Titans general manager Ran Carthon said. “I think we have some guys that are going to come and compete to start, and I think we have some guys that’ll compete for spots and make us a team with some depth.

“I know there’s still some holes to fill, and we’re going to get to it.”

The Tennessee Titans’ 2024 NFL Draft class

1st round (No. 7): JC Latham, OT, Alabama2nd round (No. 28): T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas4th round (No. 106): Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina5th round: (No. 146): Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville6th round (No. 182): Jha’Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane7th round (No. 242): James Williams, LB, Miami7th round (No. 252): Jaylen Harrell, EDGE, Michigan

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What I like about this class

Not a lot of risk-taking here, and that’s good. The Titans didn’t need boom-or-bust players. They needed reliable draft picks they could depend on to immediately step in and bolster a subpar 53-man roster.

To that end, they leaned toward physically mature players who were productive and durable in college. With their first few picks, the Titans put the 2023 Outland Trophy winner (Sweat) with a tackling machine (Gray) and a proven, trusted player (Latham) for Nick Saban at Alabama. Yes, Latham will have to change positions, but no matter what, you’d expect him to be in the starting five on the O-line.

What I dislike about this class

There were too many needs on this roster for the Titans to be able to address them all with seven selections, yet they never traded down to add more picks. And they probably could have done it without many of these names being different. Undrafted free agency, once again, looms important for a team still searching for contributors.

Best value pick

In 2021, Williams was a five-star high school prospect and the nation’s No. 15 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite rankings. To see why, go find highlights from his time at Miami and enjoy him flying to the football and punishing ball carriers. A seventh-round flier for that type of talent? Heck, yeah.

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Worst reach

Even before Sweat’s recent arrest, opinions varied on where the big man should be projected. Taking Sweat six picks into the second round was an expensive price for a prospect The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had with a Day 3 grade as the draft’s 10th-best defensive tackle.

Biggest question

Whether Latham can make the switch to left tackle after playing right tackle at Alabama. If not, that’ll mean the Titans used back-to-back picks in the top 11 on offensive linemen they don’t trust to protect Will Levis’ blind side at one of the sport’s most premium positions.

Estes: Titans drafted a project in JC Latham because of trust in Bill Callahan

Recommended: Titans first-round pick JC Latham’s journey an example of ability to embrace change

The Titans improved the most on . . .

The defensive front seven needed a boost in the draft and got it with Sweat and Gray, who Carthon said was capable of handling calls for the defense. That’d be a big deal with Azeez Al-Shaair now in Houston. Grabbing a linebacker like Williams and last season’s sack leader for national champion Michigan (Harrell) in the draft’s final picks didn’t hurt, either.

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The Titans didn’t improve enough at . . .

Several spots. Tight end and safety jump out as the most troublesome positions after the draft, and while veteran free agents will be available to help, that’d be plugging holes rather than building for the future.

I’m higher than the experts on . . .

Williams. There are good reasons why he wasn’t a highly coveted draft pick. He’s the classic linebacker/safety tweener who is often undervalued in the pros, and as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote: “While it’s fun watching him run and strike from high safety, it is much less fun watching his coverage confusion.”

But the talent is there, and after sitting on his couch for three days, Williams got emotional while describing what it meant to him to get that late call. I think the Titans may have something with Williams. At the very least, he should be fun to watch on coverage units.

I wasn’t as enamored with . . .

Jackson has playmaking potential that could make him a late-round steal. But the Titans had all kinds of opportunities to grab an impactful wide receiver in this draft, and they waited until the sixth round to take an undersized slot receiver/punt returner with injury concerns. Those guys are a dime a dozen in the NFL, and the Titans already have Kyle Philips and Kearis Jackson. Is the new guy better and more physically reliable than those two returning slot receivers? The new coaching staff must think so.

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I’m intrigued by . . .

This line about Brownlee from Brugler’s profile: “(He) makes it a point to get in the head of receivers and beat them up physically and mentally.” Hmmm. I’m eager to see how that’ll go in practice against DeAndre Hopkins.

Most likely to start Week 1

Latham. If he doesn’t play left tackle, the Titans don’t have a left tackle.

Bottom line

This class didn’t move the needle very far in terms of star power, but it’s tough to find many problems with it. The Titans checked as many boxes as they could with the picks available. Above all, they got stronger on both lines of scrimmage and added seven players who should all be capable of at least making the team out of training camp.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.



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4-Star Tennessee Lineman Drawing Clemson Interest, Planning Visit

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4-Star Tennessee Lineman Drawing Clemson Interest, Planning Visit


Clemson is showing interest in this Volunteer State lineman, and the standout two-way prospect is planning a visit to Tiger Town in the near future.

Last week, new Clemson offensive line coach Matt Luke stopped by the school of Jefferson County (Dandridge, Tenn.) four-star Nic Moore, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound rising senior in the 2025 class.

“Coach Luke has called me and told me that he was interested in me as a prospect,” Moore told The Clemson Insider. “He said he apologized for being late to the game, but he just got there to Clemson, so he saw me on the board and said that he liked me. Me and him have kept in a fairly decent communication stream recently. He’s been to my school, and we’re trying to set up a visit for me to go to Clemson.”

It will mark the first trip to Clemson for Moore, who expects that visit to take place sometime toward the end of this month.

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While the Tigers are looking at Moore as an offensive lineman, he is being recruited as an O-lineman or as a D-lineman by various schools, depending on need and so forth.

Per Moore, there’s plenty that Luke and the Tigers like about him as an offensive lineman.

“They said that they like that I’m a very mobile player,” Moore said. “They said I could more than likely play three positions. They like my speed and they like my intelligence, from what I gather. They said I am a little bit undersized, but they’d rather have undersized athletes than people who are above-average height and weight who can’t move at all.”

The interest between Clemson and Moore is mutual, as he is high on Dabo Swinney’s program from what he knows about it.

“I’ve been hearing from Coach Luke, it sounds like Clemson has a very personable team and they’re really family oriented, faith oriented, and they don’t really change what they do because what they do works, and I completely respect that,” Moore said. “I feel like Clemson has a really respectable program, and Coach Swinney has obviously done a lot for the program since he’s been there. So, I like the program from what I’ve seen so far.”

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Moore currently has a couple of official visits planned to Vanderbilt and West Virginia.

Along with those schools, his offer list includes Tennessee — which offered him on Friday –as well as schools such as Indiana, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Wake Forest and Louisville.

Moore said he would ideally like to make his commitment decision in mid-July.

“With a college commitment and me going to go play football, it really has an impact on my schedule for school, whether I need to stay for a full year or I leave early for that program,” he said. “So, I think the best time would probably be around maybe July 15th-ish. But obviously I can’t force anything to happen, so I’m just going to play it by ear until then.”

An offer from Clemson, should Moore receive one moving forward, would figure to have a significant impact on his recruitment.

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“I would be very blessed and thankful for an offer from Clemson,” he said. “Clemson has a great program and they’d probably be on the top end of the programs that have been recruiting me so far. With all the things that I mentioned earlier about them being a very personable team and a great team, family oriented, and they’re not too far away from where I live – I think it would mean a lot and it would be a pretty big consideration in the game for me.”

–Photo courtesy of Nic Moore on X (@nica48188)

A limited number of signed footballs from Clemson’s 2022 class are still available.  Get yours while supplies last!  Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online! 



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Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Vanderbilt: Vols face Commodores in SEC series

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Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Vanderbilt: Vols face Commodores in SEC series


Tennessee baseball is trying to score its third straight sweep against in-state rival Vanderbilt.

The No. 1 Vols (40-9, 17-7 SEC) face the Commodores (33-16, 11-13) in a weekend series starting Friday at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field.

Tennessee has won seven straight games against Vanderbilt, a streak that dates back to the first game of the series in Nashville in 2022. The Vols swept that weekend before beating Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament then sweeping it again in 2023.

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Vols coach Tony Vitello has a 10-6 record against the Commodores.

MORE: Watch Tennessee baseball live vs Vanderbilt with Fubo (free trial)

What channel is Tennessee baseball vs. Vanderbilt on today?

Streaming: Friday, SEC Network+

TV: Saturday on SEC Network, Sunday on ESPN2 (Watch on Fubo)

Tennessee baseball vs. Vanderbilt start times

  • Friday, May 10: 7 p.m. ET
  • Saturday, May 11: 3 p.m. ET
  • Sunday, May 12: 3 p.m. ET

Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt probable pitchers

  • Game 1: Tennessee’s Chris Stamos vs. Vanderbilt’s Bryce Cunningham
  • Game 2: Tennessee’s Drew Beam vs. Vanderbilt’s Carter Holton
  • Game 3: Tennessee’s Zander Sechrist vs. TBA

Tennessee baseball live score updates vs Vanderbilt

Tennessee baseball schedule 2024

Tennessee baseball’s next five games after the series:

  • Tuesday, May 14: vs. Belmont, 5 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Thursday, May 16: vs. South Carolina, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Friday, May 17: vs. South Carolina, 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Saturday, May 18: vs. South Carolina, 1 p.m. (SEC Network+)
  • Wednesday, May 22: vs. TBD at SEC Tournament

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Analyst Proposes Titans, Steelers Trade

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Analyst Proposes Titans, Steelers Trade


The Tennessee Titans added Tyler Boyd to their wide receiver room, making the group even stronger after already signing Calvin Ridley earlier in free agency. Now, the question is what will they do with Treylon Burks?

The team has held strong that the third-year wideout is going to carve out a place for himself within the offense. That being said, not everyone is convinced Burks sticks around for longer than this offseason, likely finding a new home via trade.

FanSided’s John Buhler predicts that trade will happen with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And he predicts it’s in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick.

“This trade is just about perfect when it comes to overall compensation. There is only like a $3,000 difference in assets changing hands. For Pittsburgh, they get a once-promising wide receiver on the cheap, while the Titans get another bite at the apple after squandering their first-round pick two springs ago. If Burks was drafted to be in an offense akin to what Smith runs, put him on Smith’s team,” Buhler writes.

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The Titans have been linked to the Steelers for a trade with Burks throughout the offseason. Pittsburgh needs a wideout next to George Pickens and Tennessee seems to have an abundance of them.

So, maybe a fourth-round pick is a decent exchange for the former first-round pick.

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



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