"2025 Titans Draft Requirements, Selections, Optimal Matches, and Past Records"
Seeking a package of top-100 selections and reiterating the message in media sessions that the team is "open for business" did not result in a flood of trade offers for the Tennessee Titans.
So, are the Titans, who are in the process of rebuilding, without a trade partner for the first overall pick?
Not necessarily.
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The franchise holds the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and while most signs point to them selecting Miami quarterback Cameron Ward, nothing is set in stone at the number one spot due to the uncertain track record of the new decision-makers in the Titans' hierarchy.
Other options being considered, such as playmaker and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and pass rusher Abdul Carter, may be better suited for a team with an established roster that is closer to contending.
Does Ward fulfill the team's pressing need at the quarterback position? Arguably, he does, as he is the only top 20 quarterback in the draft according to Field Level Media's composite rankings.
Head coach Brian Callahan knows firsthand the value of a franchise quarterback, having helped develop Joe Burrow, the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, while also drawing from his experience as a QB coach and coordinator to assess the potential for Will Levis to improve after a shaky first year together.
Burrow's main struggles at the NFL level have been due to taking too many sacks (196 in his young career to date), which can be attributed to a weak offensive line, and the resulting injuries from the constant hits (knee, calf, wrist).
General manager Mike Borgonzi was with the Kansas City Chiefs when they drafted Patrick Mahomes 10th overall in 2017 and has witnessed his brilliance in every season since, before joining the Titans in January. The only two meaningful games that Mahomes has lost in his career were largely due to a porous offensive line.
Borgonzi is determined to avoid a similar scenario in Tennessee.
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His predecessor, Ran Carthon, left the team with a solid foundation by selecting two offensive linemen in the top 11 picks - Peter Skoronski in 2023 (11th overall) and JC Latham in 2024 (seventh overall) - and Borgonzi further strengthened the group by signing left tackle Dan Moore from the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency.
Team needs:
Pass rusher
While the interior pairing of 2024 second-rounder T'Vondre Sweat and Jeffery Simmons provides a strong foundation, the Titans' 3-4 defense cannot function without a dominant pass rusher. Harold Landry has relied more on technique and persistence rather than explosiveness and agility, which is what defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is looking for.
Quarterback
Having Will Levis on the roster serves as a backup plan in case the Titans receive a lucrative offer similar to the Herschel Walker or Ricky Williams trades in the days leading up to the draft. However, the starting job will ultimately go to a rookie and Cameron Ward's maturity, character, and strong arm make him a promising candidate for the role.
Wide receiver
The team lacks a true number one receiver and is in need of playmakers, despite their optimism about Calvin Ridley.
Top prospects:
QB Cameron Ward, Miami
OLB Abdul Carter, Penn State
Edge Jalon Walker, Georgia
DE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
2025 draft picks by round:
Total picks: 8
By round (pick in round, overall pick):
1: 1, 1
2: 3, 35
4: 1, 103
4: 18, 120 (from Seattle Seahawks)
5: 3, 141
5: 29, 167 (from Kansas City Chiefs)
6: 2, 178
6: 12, 188 (from Dallas Cowboys)
History Lesson:
-The last time the franchise held the first overall pick was in 1978 when they selected Texas RB Earl Campbell as
