The lackluster 2026 NFL draft class actually fits exactly what the Titans need to reload

A lot of analysts think the 2026 draft will be a below average group, but the strengths of the class are great for the Titans.

Easton Freeze — Tennessee Titans Beat Writer
Add as preferred source on Google

Draft season is upon us, and it’s time to set the table for what to expect from the 2026 class as a whole. You’ve probably heard reservations from some (smart!) analysts in the draft space about how “bad” this draft class is. I’m not sure I really buy that.

Does it lack the pop you’d like from the star “blue chip”, 1st Round talent at the top? Absolutely. Depending on where your team’s roster is at, this could be a relatively disappointing year to have a top 5, 10, or 15 pick. But I see quality meat-and-potatoes depth in this class that can be important additions to any roster, especially one with so many needs like Tennessee’s.

And when you dig deeper into where the strengths of this supposedly weaker class are, it turns out it may just be the perfect makeup for the Titans.

2026 Draft Class looks perfect for what the Titans need

GM Mike Borgonzi knows exactly where his biggest positions of need are this offseason. At cornerback, he needs at least two starters and additional depth to boot. At edge, he needs at least one starter (preferably an EDGE1) and depth as well. And at WR, his 2025 draft class has done well to establish a floor. But Cam Ward needs an alpha to have at his disposal.

When the Athletic’s Dane Brugler released his updated top-100 this week, my friend Zach Lyons at 104.5 the Zone sorted the list by position. See what sticks out about this chart:

Pretty good year to need a CB, EDGE or WR isn’t it!

The Titans have four selections in the first 101 picks, so they will be able to get their hands on at least four of the top-100 players on their big board since every board is different. Will they spend all four of those picks on CB/EDGE/WR? I seriously doubt it, though you wouldn’t catch me complaining about it if they did. I know Mike Borgonzi to be process-oriented to a fault, and I don’t expect his roster needs to hold him hostage from leaning towards the best player available. Given the makeup of this class, there’s a decent chance BPA and his premium needs line up though, so I do think the majority of them will be used on these three positions.

Even with this much EDGE depth, it’s important to remember what history is crystal clear on: if you want a true EDGE1 in the NFL, you must spend a first round pick on them. Full stop. You cannot find a gem in the later rounds, and you cannot sign one in free agency. You really can’t trade for them but once every couple years, and the price tag is always sky high. There are very few exceptions to these rules that you can point to. This is why a first round edge rusher is going to be such a monumental temptation for Tennessee, and as of today, I’ll be pretty surprised if they end up talking themselves into going another direction.

If you hop in a time machine and tell me that the fourth overall pick is not in fact an edge rusher, my immediate guess is that two of the top three rushers went before the Titans got to pick, and they happened to be out on the last man standing for whatever reason. While that’s a stronger possibility than people are probably giving credence to at this point (alpha edge rushers go early!), I still don’t have any reason to think they’d be out on Bailey, Bain, or Reese yet. Stay tuned the next handful of weeks for any intel movement on that front.

Passing on WR and CB in the first round will turn every Titans fan’s internal alarm on for those positions on Day 2. The good news is, there are going to be some really strong options available there too.

Related Articles