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

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.

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

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.