The Tennessee Titans, reeling from a dismal season, hold the first overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.
In response to their struggles, the organization fired general manager Ran Carthon and appointed Kansas City Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi as his replacement.
As Borgonzi steps into his new role, all eyes are on his approach to the top pick. Speaking on the team’s draft philosophy, he made one thing clear: “I would not pass on a generational talent.”
NFL insider Adam Schefter weighed in on Borgonzi’s statement, offering insight into what that might mean for Tennessee’s draft plans.
“Now I think if you talk to most scouting evaluators, most draft experts…they would say that the quarterbacks in this draft don’t appear to be generational talents…The generational talents seem to be Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter from Penn State,” Schefter said.
“If that is the case and they are drafting a generational talent, that would indicate that they are open to not taking a quarterback at 1.”
Schefter added another wrinkle to the situation, noting that Tennessee has left the door open for trade discussions.
“They also said we’re open to trading back, so that would tell you if there was one of these quarterbacks that they loved, they wouldn’t be advertising it as quickly and freely that they’re willing to move back,” Schefter added.
The Titans’ quarterback situation last season, featuring Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, left their offense struggling.
However, given the team’s broader lack of talent across the roster, selecting a quarterback they’re not sold on could be a costly mistake.
Since former GM Jon Robinson traded star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Eagles during the 2021 NFL Draft, Tennessee has been stuck in a cycle of instability.
Robinson was ousted, then-head coach Mike Vrabel clashed with Carthon, leading to another firing.
Now, Borgonzi and new head coach Brian Callahan face the daunting task of rebuilding a depleted roster.
If the Titans identify a true franchise cornerstone with the No. 1 pick, they will end up taking him. Otherwise, Hunter, who won the Heisman Trophy while excelling as both a cornerback and wide receiver, could fit that bill.
Tennessee’s receiving corps and secondary were glaring weaknesses last season, and Hunter would be an immediate upgrade in either role.
Still, Tennessee may take a page from the 2023 Chicago Bears, who opted against drafting a quarterback despite owning the top pick.
The Titans could give Levis another year, accumulate assets by trading down, and target a quarterback in next year’s draft.
What do you think Tennessee will end up doing with the No. 1 pick???
