Tennessee Titans could go defense in the first round of 2021 NFL Draft
The 2021 NFL Draft is creeping up on the calendar, and that brings us mock draft season, and the Tennessee Titans could go defense in round one.
There’s no hiding Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is a defensive-minded head coach, so it would be no surprise the Titans focus on defense in the NFL Draft, or at least early in the draft.
Mel Kiper has released his first mock draft of mock draft season, and he has the Titans going defense in the first round. Kiper has the Titans drafting Miami defensive end, Gregory Rousseau.
"“This has to be an edge rusher, right? The Titans had a putrid pass rush last season, finishing with 19 total sacks, which was only two more than the last-ranked Bengals,” Kiper said. “They got very little from free-agent signing Jadeveon Clowney, and their leading sacker Harold Landry finished with only 5.5. That’s not good enough for a team that thinks it’s a Super Bowl contender. The 6-foot-7 Rousseau, another opt-out, had 15.5 sacks in a breakout 2019 season, but he doesn’t have an elite first step and needs to add some moves to his repertoire. With only one year of production and no live football in a year, he’s another wild card in his class. But again, teams love pass-rushers, so he could be in demand.”"
CBS Sports also predicted the Titans draft the 6-foot-7, 267-pound defensive end from Miami. Chris Trapasso made the prediction for CBS and thinks Rousseau could be the edge-rushing help that the Titans need to take the next step in 2021.
"“The Titans desperately need more edge-rushing help in 2021. Rousseau is a specimen who can play anywhere along the defensive line,” Trapasso wrote."
Rousseau opted out of the 2020 season, so scouts have to look back to the 2019 season to see what he’s like on the field. The 2019 season was a good one for Rousseau, too, where he had 15.5 sacks that season.
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The Titans will still need to look to free agency to add another solid edge rusher, even if they do grab Rousseau in the NFL Draft.