One of the hardest things to project in all of professional sports is the NFL draft. No matter how much work you put in, it’s practically impossible to really know everything will play out.
Needless to say, trying to figure out how the NFL draft will play out over nine months in advance is even more difficult to do; however, that doesn’t stop people from trying and, eventually, claiming their clout if they hit on any picks.
Jordan Reid of ESPN recently took his shot at predicting next year’s first round, and he has the Titans selecting Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham with the No. 6 overall pick.
Here is what Reid had to say about his early projection:
Beyond wideout Treylon Burks and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, the Titans severely lack targets on the outside. But because there isn’t another option worthy of a pick this early, I could see Tennessee looking at the trenches. Titans 2023 first-rounder Peter Skoronski has primarily been working at guard, and Andre Dillard was brought in to start at left tackle.
However, Nicholas Petit-Frere was suspended for gambling violations and hasn’t proven himself as a surefire starter when available.
Latham is a strong and physical presence, and though he has played only right tackle during his time in Tuscaloosa, he is expected to switch over to the left side this season. He is a bruiser in the run game and surprisingly nimble for a 6-5, 330-pound blocker, but he must reduce the 11 penalties he took in 2022.
Simply put: this fanbase may actually lose its mind again if the team has to invest in another offensive lineman with a first-round pick because that would mean something obviously went wrong upfront once again.
If the Titans do end up with a top-10 pick, the realistic dream scenario (as of right now) would be to land one of the top wide receivers in what should be a much better crop of talent than the 2023 class.
Putting that aside for now, adding someone like Latham would undoubtedly be a difference-maker for Tennessee, and a tandem of he and Peter Skoronski would likely make offensive line woes a thing of the past.
But good luck trying to sell that pick to the fanbase after the last few years.
