Why Alontae Taylor could be the Titans' next mid-round homerun
Most sane people are closing in on their limit of pre-draft content, me included. So, I won’t sit here and bore you with who I believe is the right first-round choice for the Tennessee Titans — an article in which most draft fanatics have read one million different versions. Instead, I’m going to peel back […]
Most sane people are closing in on their limit of pre-draft content, me included. So, I won’t sit here and bore you with who I believe is the right first-round choice for the Tennessee Titans — an article in which most draft fanatics have read one million different versions. Instead, I’m going to peel back a few layers of this draft onion and get to the good stuff – mid-round draft prospects.
Titans fans who have been paying attention since his arrival in 2016 know that general manager Jon Robinson has found most of his success in Days 2 and 3 of the draft.
Robinson’s Day 2 finds include Derrick Henry, Kevin Byard, Jonnu Smith, Harold Landry, A.J. Brown, Nate Davis, and Kristian Fulton. Essentially the entire core of this Titans roster was drafted on Day 2.
J-Rob’s draft wins even extend to Day 3 where he’s selected guys like David Long and Amani Hooker, who are poised for breakout seasons in 2022.
So, who’s it going to be this time around?
Will Boling of 104.5 The Zone joined the Titan Up Podcast this week and voiced his opinion on one local candidate: University of Tennessee DB Alontae Taylor.
“I think he’s a guy that makes a lot of sense with the culture that Mike Vrabel has in his ability to be a versatile piece within a defense,” said Boling. “He can play nickel, he can play outside corner, he could possibly play safety and be a Dane Cruikshank kind of third safety.”
Taylor was a three-year starter for the Vols and a captain of the team. His versatility in the secondary has caught scouts’ eyes across the NFL. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. even referred to him as an “underrated” prospect in the Class of ‘22.
With a mix of third and fourth round grades, Taylor has a chance to be the next draft steal for Robinson and the Titans.
Taylor would certainly fill a need for the Titans after the aforementioned Cruikshank signed with the Chicago Bears earlier in the offseason. Cruikshank was responsible for keeping opposing tight ends in check last season, and did a fine job in that role.
Taylor has been training at safety in many of his pre-draft workouts, but has the speed to fit in just about anywhere at the next level. Taylor raised eyebrows at the NFL Scouting Combine with an impressive 4.36 time in the 40-yard dash.
One candidate to fill the void Cruikshank leaves behind comes in the form of A.J. Moore, who the Titans signed in the offseason. However, outside of his five starts with the Houston Texans in 2020, Moore has logged just 64 defensive snaps in his four years in the NFL.
Taylor would make for a valuable mid-round snag and would figure to compete for a role in the Titans’ dime package as a rookie. With the talent at the tight end position across the AFC, this is not a problem the team can afford to ignore in the draft.
Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK
