Grading The Titans’ 2026 Draft Class: Day 1 starters and potential late-round steals highlight Mike Borgonzi’s second rookie class
GM Mike Borgonzi’s second rookie class is shipping in to Nashville this week. Let’s grade each pick added to Robert Saleh’s first Titans roster.
Tennessee Titans GM Mike Borgonzi’s second rookie class is headed to Nashville to get up to speed. The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and it was… one of the weirder ones, if we’re being honest! There were some very interesting decisions made by teams up and down the board. But the Titans added players at positions of need with starter upside to Robert Saleh’s roster. Let’s grade them:
Titans’ final draft grades for the 2026 class
Round 1, No. 4: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Titans shocked the entire NFL world when they passed on EDGE Arvell Reese and LB Sonny Styles at 4th overall. Carnell Tate, one of the most “pro-ready” prospects in the class according to league evaluators, was their man in this scenario. They came into the draft needing to help Cam Ward, and with this pick they certainly accomplished that.
I’ve been endorsing a selection of Tate as high as 4 since the combine in February, so this pick is fine by me. Tate was my second-favorite option on the board (behind Reese) and the top offensive option. You aren’t going to catch me complaining about an NFL team banking on the latest OSU receiver in 2026.
Grade: B+
Round 1, No. 31: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
I love the value of this pick. Faulk wasn’t talked about as a Titans draft consideration because everybody thought it was a foregone conclusion he’d go in the teens or early 20’s, directly in-between the Titans’ first two picks. I asked Keldric where he thought he’d go when we first met, and he gave me an honest answer you can read about here.
The Titans saw an opportunity to trade up and steal him in the 30’s, and they took it. A college personnel source close to Auburn’s program told A to Z this when Faulk came off the board: “20 years old. Body will continue to grow and change. Can potentially become a ‘surf the line’ type player that picks on the worst OL every game.” The only thing keeping this from being an A+ is the fact that they had to trade (an extremely reasonable value) to go get him.
Grade: A
Round 2, No. 60: Anthony Hill Jr, LB, Texas
Hill at 60 was a value selection based on most big boards. He’s a rangy, athletic player that’s prototypical to Saleh’s defense. I love taking a LB in this range to lean on the historical ability of your head coach to maximize mid-round prospects at this position.
Here’s what gives me pause: what position is he actually going to play? I wrote here about the Titans’ need for a Will (weakside) linebacker before the draft. I think Cedric Gray is a traditional Mike (middle) linebacker who focuses on working north to south. Hill was a college Mike, but I’ve spoken to some evaluators who think he could be a Will in the NFL given his ranginess. A tandem of Hill and Gray leaves a lot of questions about the coverage ability of this unit, though.
Grade: B+
Round 4, No. 142: Fernando Carmona, OG, Arkansas
I’m a fan of addressing their big need at OL with this pick, but Carmona wasn’t my preferred choice. Options such as Beau Stephens, Sam Hecht, and Billy Schrauth were who I was eyeing. Carmona brings experience and reliability to the table though, which is why I’m willing to hear them out on how he’ll help this unit.
The tackle-turned-guard is a plus athlete who earned an “alpha” tag from Titans scouts for his leadership traits.
Is he a strong depth option with developmental upside? Certainly, and that’s why I don’t mind it. But this grade is largely about who they passed up to take him at 142.
Grade: C+
Round 5, No. 165: Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
This feels like a great value flier on an extremely productive college back with real juice. Singleton fell this far likely due to the foot surgery he got after breaking his fifth metatarsal at Senior Bowl practice in January. He told us he’s back to running around some, but he’s likely to ease into summer training slower than the rest of the class.
Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are both on the final year of their contracts. If Singleton proves himself this year, he has the potential to become this team’s guy in 2027.
Grade: A-
Round 6, No. 184: Jackie Marshall, DT, Baylor
Robert Saleh told us he can never have enough bodies to rotate on his defensive front, and he clearly means it. Marshall is a “face of the franchise” kind of player coming from Baylor, where he was the man for his final couple of seasons.
He’s a talented athlete who flashed some as a pass rusher in his penultimate season, but fell back to earth in 2025.
He offers rotational support as a run defender, but that’s about it right now. This is a player who needs further development to turn his flashes into something more sustainable.
Grade: C+
Round 6, No. 194: Pat Coogan, OC, Indiana
Coogan was on my short list of center options for Day 3. If he was blessed with better physical ability, he’d be a top draft pick all day. Anybody who has been around him will tell you that he brings every intangible on and off the field that you could want. Borgonzi told him on the phone when they drafted him that he brings the smarts, toughness and reliability that they want. That is certainly the truth.
The downside to his profile is his length and athleticism. Coogan’s arm length is outlier-levels of short, and he’s a below-average athlete. He’ll have to win in the NFL with his smarts and technical soundness.
I think the Titans want him to win the starting job this year, and while I think that’s too aggressive personally, I do think he has the potential to start one day.
Grade: A
Round 7, No. 225: Jaren Kanak, TE, Oklahoma
Kanak is precisely the type of 7th round swing teams should be taking. He’s a high school run-and-gun QB turned college LB, who then transitioned back to the offensive side of the ball in his final year to become a surprisingly productive tight end.
Kanak is a fantastic athlete who seems to have Special Teams Coordinator Bones Fassell written all over him.
His path to making this roster is simple: become a core special teamer who might can develop as as fullback type on offense.
Grade: B
Final word
The Titans put together a real meat-and-potatoes draft class here that raises their floor while promising some developmental potential. Tate and the swings on the OL help Cam Ward, and the defensive additions should round out the depth of Saleh’s unit.
Final Grade: B