Tennessee Titans – Countdown To D-Day

The Tennessee Titans and the rest of the NFL teams are counting down the days until professional football’s second biggest day of the year gets here. The Draft is arguably the second biggest day in the NFL behind the Superbowl.

This day is talked about 365 days of the year. Each team’s fan base dreams of the players that they may be able to see on their home field in their home team colors. This year is no exception. Fans from all over the NFL can’t wait to see Amari Cooper in their receiving corp wearing their colors.

Fans dream of a running game in their own stadium that features Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon. Fans can’t wait to see Dante Fowler, Randy Gregory, or Leonard Williams collapsing the opponents quarterback in the backfield. These are dreams that we as fans have all season long.

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Likewise the dreams of the players are about to come to fruition. There hard work and determination of years of football are about to pay off. That pay off is huge. But their careers will be influenced and in many cases determined by “who” selects them as well. Will you be mired in one of the Florida teams, or will you be in New England, Denver, or Green Bay? It is a big deal of which they have no control.

So the Titans are basically on the clock with the second pick right now. Most everyone agrees that Tampa Bay will select Jameis Winston with the first selection. It just so happens that Tampa Bay is hosting the Titans to begin both teams 2015 season. The Titans will be facing Winston on that day. I feel confident in that. Kind of.

The Jameis Winston vs Marcus Mariota for the number one pick reminds me of the Peyton Manning vs Ryan Leaf battle. There are two camps that are dug in for the guy that they think is best, and you can not change their mind. Being a Tennessee fan I knew Manning would be the better pro. My cousin Rick however hated Manning, and said Leaf by far had the better arm and would have the better career in the NFL. Good thing he wasn’t the GM of a team.

This one is similar. Both bring a stellar college career to the NFL. Both have skills. Yes, they are as different as two quarterbacks can be. Winston is a strong armed, sit in the pocket guy. Mariota brings an athletic, elusive running style that will drive defenses crazy. But where do they fit? Winston fits in Tampa Bay. Mariota fits in Philadelphia

It is that simple.

So what does Tennessee do? I have been saying all along I would take Leonard Williams. It is gutsy to say who your guy would be. The reason is simple. A few years from now you can second guess me. It will be easy to go back and say “well that guy was an idiot for saying Williams would be great. Ha, he picked him at number 2 and look at how great xyz player is that was selected after him” if Williams does not pan out. But I am sticking with my pick.

Many mocks have the Titans taking Mariota. As a matter of fact, most have the Titans taking Mariota. I saw one the other day that said the Titans would be better to take Mariota and have him fail than to pass on him and have him become a superstar. Their thinking is the fans will forgive the Titans brass if Mariota busts, but will remember for eternity if he becomes a pro bowler and did not select him.

A lot of the mocks have Mariota coming here for a very short time. Many say Tennessee will have two number 1 jerseys on this day indicating their first round pick. The first jersey would be for Mariota, and then later he would be traded to Philadelphia for their first round pick. I can see this happening. Chip Kelly and Marcus Mariota would be a formidable team with the talent they are assembling in Philadelphia.

Maybe we could arrange a trade with Philadelphia if we get Mariota. Coach Whisenhunt for Chip Kelly. That would be the only way I would take Mariota for keeps. He would not be a fit in Whisenhunt’s system. Current quarterback Zach Mettenberger is a fit here, and he is talented. He can play in this league. The Titans woes are not just quarterback related.

The rumors of Philip Rivers to the Titans have subsided this week. San Diego has publicly said that Rivers will be their starting quarterback this season. I believe he will remain in San Diego. It is intriguing if the Titans could get Rivers and the Chargers first round pick. That is the only way I would even look seriously at this deal. The fans of San Diego think trading Rivers straight up for the second pick in the draft would be enough. That won’t do. We would need their first round pick as well. Again, quarterback is not the most glaring problem the Titans have.

So put yourself in the Titan’s brass shoes. Who will you select? Write it down. That way you can evaluate your pick in a few years. Otherwise in a few years you will forget that “one” player you would have selected, and remember a dozen players that you thought were better. You will always be right retrospectively with your draft pick. I can assure you that. The Titans don’t have that luxury. They have to make that selection, and live by that selection.