Draft dispatch: Should Titans go defense at No. 4?
The latest as we await the NFL Draft.
We’ve almost arrived.
The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, slated for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. Excitement is rising and mock drafts are aplenty as we await 8 p.m. ET on Thursday.
One of those mock drafts, published Sunday by The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, has the Tennessee Titans selecting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 4 overall pick.
“If the Titans are going best-player-available, this is the move,” Baumgardner wrote. “Moreover, it could also be a terrific addition for new coach Robert Saleh, who never had a talent like Styles in the middle of his Jets’ defenses. Is this high for an inside linebacker? Yes. Styles isn’t an ordinary inside linebacker, though, and it’s impossible to ignore that.”
A quick look at the tape, and it’s clear why Baumgardner notes that Styles, a former safety, “isn’t an ordinary inside linebacker.”
Styles is adept at one-on-one tackling. He’s capable of lining up on and bringing down receivers and backs in space in ways other linebackers aren’t always able to, using his athleticism to his advantage.
Against the run? Styles is great there, too. He plays his run fits well and initiates big collisions on ball carriers.
He’s simply a hard-hitter with a nose for the football.
Styles would be a strong addition for a Titans unit that ranked 21st (345.1 YPG) in total defense last season. It’s not hard to envision him becoming a premier NFL linebacker, especially under Saleh’s tutelage.
The question remains, though: Would this be the right pick for the Titans? Is it truly better for them to go defense than, say, take Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love (if he’s available) at No. 4?
Love has been listed by some analysts as the top overall player in this year’s draft. It would be tough to pass on him. But Styles is a phenomenal player, too, and he could help accelerate Saleh’s rebuild of the Titans defense.
Checking in on where former Vols could land
Analysts are still predicting former Tennessee Vols defensive backs Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood to be selected in the first round of the draft.
In his latest mock draft, published Monday, ESPN’s Jordan Reid has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selecting McCoy with the No. 15 overall pick. Reid cited the “question marks” in Tampa Bay’s cornerbacks room.
“So, adding McCoy makes sense, especially with GM Jason Licht's penchant for taking the best player available even if it doesn't seem like the team's biggest need on the surface (see: Emeka Egbuka last year),” Reid wrote. “McCoy missed last season with a torn ACL but has shown true shutdown ability when healthy.”
With the No. 29 overall pick, Reid has Hood going to the Kansas City Chiefs, who have their own needs at cornerback.
“Hood is a polished technician who is capable of playing man, but his eye discipline in zone also stood out last season,” Reid wrote. “His ability to play a mixture of coverages fits the Chiefs' scheme, and Hood has the skill set to be an immediate starter in Kansas City.”
As for other former Tennessee players, here’s what Reid predicts:
-EDGE Joshua Josephs - Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 88 overall)
-WR Chris Brazzell II - Buffalo Bills (No. 91 overall)
-DT Bryson Eason - Dallas Cowboys (No. 180 overall)