The 2020 NFL Draft is officially in the books.
The first round was rumored to be full of chaos in terms of trades, but in the end, we were given a quiet first night with really only 1 pick that completely caught us off guard.
For the Titans, it was a draft that started off with a couple questions, but ended with many once again praising Jon Robinson for the talent he came away with.
I’ll admit, this class is looking mighty fine.
Let’s grade this draft class shall we?
Round 1: OT Isaiah Wilson/Georgia
Initially, I criticized this pick a great deal.
I didn’t understand the thought process behind this pick, other than developing a your future starting right tackle, while releasing yourself from the shackles of potentially starting Dennis Kelly for much longer than you’d like.
I have no problems with Kelly, but he isn’t some bookend tackle you want to throw out there consistently, he’s just not at that level.
But he’s good enough to hold up, especially in the offensive system the Titans currently run.
Combine that with the Titans’ status among the AFC as somewhat of a contender, and this pick makes even less sense.
Why draft a developmental tackle prospect over corner prospect that’ll potentially be ready to contribute right away?
It didn’t make sense, and it would make even less sense if the Titans missed out on one of the top corner prospects on day 2.
Luckily for them, they ended up nabbing a corner the next night(more on that next), effectively ending any sort of extreme criticism the pick had.
The long term payout of the pick might work wonders, but boy Isaiah Wilson needs some work on the technical aspect of his game before you can even begin to think about his potential future impact.
I’ll stick with my original grade for this pick, but if the Titans didn’t come away with a promising corner in round 2, this grade would’ve been a lot harsher.
Grade: C+
Round 2: CB Kristian Fulton/LSU
Good grief were the Titans lucky to have Fulton fall into their laps in the 2nd round.
Fulton came into the draft as one of the best corner prospects available. Although not at the same level of Jeff Okudah, C.J. Henderson, and maybe even Jeff Gladney, Fulton’s past success at LSU provided a picture of how his juicy potential could pan out in the NFL.
I’m sure it was a nerve wracking hour and a half or so for Jon Robinson, hoping and praying that his approach of staying patient would work out, and in the end, it did.
Fulton’s ability to slide inside and play some slot corner will give him the chance to earn snaps from day 1 as a starter, but with the way this off-season is slated to be affected by the pandemic, it’s going to be harder than ever for rookies to showcase their stuff early on for their respective coaching staffs.
Combined with Malcom Butler, Adoree Jackson, and the addition of Fulton, the Titans’ corner group looks like one of the best in the AFC South on paper.
All in all, a great selection by Jon Robinson.
Grade: A
Round 3: RB/WR Darrynton Evans/Appalachian State
Another impressive pick from the Titans.
The need for a back capable of spelling Derrick Henry skyrocketed after the departure of Dion Lewis. There were some intriguing options on the board for the Titans as high as round 1, but in the end, they addressed it in round 3 in the way of Darrynton Evans.
First off, Darrynton Evans is explosive.
His 4.41 speed will give this offense another element of big play ability, only adding to the amount that currently comes from both A.J. Brown, Jonnu Smith, and Derrick Henry.
Evans can also line up in the slot as a wide receiver, adding some versatility that can be exploited in more ways than you can count.
Count in the fact that Evans has found success in a zone running scheme at Appalachian State, and it’s easy to see why Jon Robinson wanted to get his hands on this guy.
Titans OC Arthur Smith must be giddy at the thought of being able to involve Evans’ skill set in the offense week after week, whether that’s putting him in the slot in some occasions, or using some creativity to throw a new wrench into the offense.
The possibilities are endless for this young man, I haven’t even gotten into his potential impact in the return game.
Grade: B
Round 5: iDL Larrell Murchison/NC State
In round 5, the Titans turned addressed the defensive side of the ball.
The first thing that comes to mind when reading about Larrell Murchison, is his extreme versatility along the defensive line.
Murchison can play all over the defensive line 💪
Snaps by position in 2019:
NT: 72
DLT/DRT: 65
LE/LEO: 210
RE/REO: 253#Titans https://t.co/NYGHVrOvtP— PFF TEN Titans (@PFF_Titans) April 25, 2020
Front multiplicity is the name of the game for Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel, as the ability to switch around and play multiple positions along the defensive line gives Mike Vrabel a lot leeway to run his defense the way he wants.
Murchison will slide into a iDL group that’s headlined by 2nd year standout Jeffery Simmons, and a veteran in DaQuan Jones, but behind those 2, there isn’t a lot of stand out talent ready to contribute.
With that in mind, Murphison could have a shot at earning some snaps once training camp and the pre-season rolls around.
Side note: Murchison’s measurables are eerily similar to ex-standout Titans DT Jurrell Casey.
Grade: B-
Round 7: QB Cole McDonald/Hawaii
There was a question on whether the Titans would go after a quarterback in the draft.
Why?
Logan Woodside is the only other quarterback on the roster besides Ryan Tannehill. Woodside showed some promise for the Titans in camp and in the pre-season last season, but it was hard to see the Titans not give Woodside some competition for the backup quarterback role.
It’s too early to say if Cole McDonald will be the only competition for Woodside, since there’s a couple useful veteran options still on the market.
But it’s reasonable to assume the Titans will add a veteran quarterback between now, and the start of training camp
Back to McDonald, it’s hard to not get excited to watch Him.
He lit up the scoreboard at Hawaii, gaining some obsessive fans along the way. But questions surrounding the offense he thrived so well in, along with his funky throwing mechanics, led to McDonald being seen as a late round pick at best.
His athleticism is a plus though, and should make the process of making plays a teensy bit easier during his transition to the NFL.
McDonald will need a lot of coaching in able to maximize whatever potential he has, and he’ll most likely face a lot of trials & tribulations early on during his career.
It’s the 7th round, so drafting a developmental quarterback prospect can’t hurt.
Grade: C
Round 7: CB/S Chris Jackson/Marshall
Chris Jackson rounded out the Titans’ 2020 draft class.
If you were a little thrown off earlier by Jackson’s labeled position as a safety, hold your horses, Jackson said earlier today that he mostly played corner during his time at Marshall.
Jackson, if he impresses, will get chances at receiving some snaps on defense later on this fall. But where he’ll most likely get some playing time is on special teams.
That’s the name of the game for late round skill players.
Jackson does bring some added versatility at safety, as I mentioned above, which is an added bonus.
Grade: C
Overview
This draft started out cold, but ended with a bang.
I like the additions of Fulton and Evans from day 2, with both potentially having the chance to contribute a great deal during this upcoming season.
Murchison’s versatility along the defensive line will be something to monitor during training camp, as he just might have a shot at getting some playing time this fall.
Cole McDonald won’t get any sort of playing time this season, but his play during the pre-season will be fun to watch.
All in all, it was a good overall draft for Jon Robinson.
EDGE remains a need for the Titans, but with no attention being paid towards the position in the draft, and with Titans being a rumored favorite Jadeveon Clowney, more big additions to the team aren’t impossible.
In fact, I’d say they’re more likely to happen than not.
Overall Draft Grade: B+
