The Tennessee Titans are about to have an important decision on their hands. They own the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft and will likely have the opportunity to select Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota or USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Both players are incredibly enticing for different reasons but neither may ultimately end up on Tennessee's roster. Instead, the Titans could accept a trade offer to move down the draft board as the Jets, Rams and Browns have all been rumored to be interested in Mariota.
If that happens, who would the Titans target later in the draft?
"Most mock drafts have the Titans taking Mariota or Williams with the No. 2 overall pick," Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean wrote. "But if they move back in the first round they could land a game-changing wideout such as Alabama's Amari Cooper, West Virginia's Kevin White or Louisville's DeVante Parker.
"With the first pick in the second round, they could grab a top running back - Georgia's Todd Gurley or Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon - if either is available.
"This team needs some pop."
The Titans ranked 22nd in passing offense last season with just 213.3 yards per game through the air. Zach Mettenberger, Charlie Whitehurst and Jake Locker combined for a passer rating of 80.6 which would rank 28th among qualified quarterbacks. Some fans may point to that as evidence that Tennessee needs to take a chance on a potential franchise quarterback in Mariota. However, ESPN Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky disagrees.
"My approach would be to use the No. 2 pick on a player at another position who would start from the very beginning," Kuharsky wrote. "Or better still, trade down, staying in the top 10 and gaining additional picks while still getting a starter in the first round. Land a first-rounder next year as part of the package, and if Zach Mettenberger isn't on track to be the guy, the Titans could be in position to go get the quarterback they want in a 2016 trade. Maybe it winds up being Michigan State's Connor Cook or Penn State's Christian Hackenberg. Odds are it will be a better/deeper year for quarterbacks than this one."
Both approaches have their pros and cons. Mariota could be the future of the franchise, but how is he going to do with a roster that didn't have a 1,000-yard running back or receiver last year? Head coach Ken Whisenhunt knows he needs better QB play to keep his job, hut he also knows that the Titans are lacking at the skill positions. Which area he chooses to address first in the draft is anyone's guess at this point.
