After all, Tennessee head coach Brian Callahan shouldn’t be going to tip his group’s hand at this stage of the method, and new GM Mike Borgonzi not too long ago mentioned all choices (together with a trade-down) are nonetheless on the desk (by way of Charean Williams of Professional Soccer Speak). Nonetheless, Callahan confirmed — assuming the Titans retain their No. 1 alternative — the membership will likely be choosing one in every of a brief listing of 4 gamers.
“I believe it’s a brief listing at No. 1 for certain, it’s all the fellows that I believe are worthy of it, those that everybody talks about on the market, and between Travis [Hunter] and Shedeur [Sanders] and [Ward] and Abdul Carter, I believe these are, that’s the highest of the draft for me,” Callahan not too long ago informed NFL Community’s Tom Pelissero (by way of NFL.com’s Coral Smith).
Callahan added, “[t]right here’s going to be lots of good ones actually that come after them, however I believe these at this second are the very best gamers within the draft and on the prime of it.”
Carter is an elite pass-rushing prospect who has been intently linked to the Browns and their No. 2 general decide in current days. Hunter is a uncommon two-way phenom whom some groups primarily venture as a cornerback on the skilled degree, with different groups valuing him extra extremely as a large receiver.
Each Carter and Hunter have lengthy been seen as the highest general skills within the 2025 class, although the truth that Ward and Sanders play quarterback naturally elevates their inventory fairly a bit.
With the 2025 crop of QBs usually thought-about a weak one, Borgonzi’s January feedback indicating he wouldn’t cross on a “generational expertise” with the primary decide within the draft signaled to many who the Titans — who should not only a quarterback away from competition – would eschew a signal-caller on the prime of the draft board and would as a substitute choose Carter or Hunter.
Ward’s pre-draft ascension and the significance of the quarterback place might have modified the group’s pondering in that regard, although Callahan’s feedback — if taken at face worth, that’s — counsel Carter and Hunter are nonetheless within the combine.
Additionally it is notable that Callahan named Sanders as one of many 4 gamers worthy of the No. 1 choice. A lot has been made about Sanders’ draft inventory and the chance that he would possibly fall out of the primary spherical completely, in addition to the truth that different QB prospects like Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough might have surpassed him on some group’s boards.
Callahan’s remarks help the notion that, however the rumors surrounding Sanders’ potential slide, the Colorado product stays an early-first spherical candidate. Regardless of the Ward-to-Tennessee momentum, the Titans will host Sanders on a non-public exercise.
“We’re getting nearer for certain; the entire processes are transferring proper alongside,” Callahan mentioned of his second draft as a head coach. “I might say now we have a reasonably good really feel for what course we’re headed by early April right here, and you set the ultimate touches on it and tie the bow over it by the point you get to the draft.”
