ESPN mocks large Titans draft trade for two first round picks to build around QB Cam Ward

If the Tennessee Titans end up with the top pick in the draft for a second year in a row, it would be one of the only times in league history that we’ve seen it happen. The most recent example wasn’t too long ago, though, when the Jaguars selected Trevor Lawrence and Travon Walker with back-to-back first overall picks in 2021 and 2022.

They didn’t trade down the second time after securing their QB of the future because the ‘22 draft had elite EDGE prospects to select at the top. The 2025 class isn’t shaking out that way, even though the Titans sure could use an elite pass rusher on the outside.

So everybody is expecting the Titans to be one of the clearest trade-down candidates in recent memory if they secure a top pick, especially if they have one that could be used by a QB-needy team. And in ESPN’s latest national mock draft, that’s exactly what they do.

Titans projected to trade down for draft haul

ESPN Draft Analyst Matt Miller played around with a Titans trade-down in his mock this week, and he had more than one QB-needy team to choose from. The Rams are well situated to draft the heir to Matthew Stafford if they’d like, since they own the Falcons’ first-round pick in addition to their own. The Browns have a haul they can spend from their trade down with the Jaguars in 2025 for Travis Hunter.

But Miller ended up going with the team that most recently positioned themselves to buy the top pick: the New York Jets. They stocked up at the trade deadline by sending Sauce Gardner to the Colts and Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys. I wrote at the time about how the Colts’ decision to send two first-round picks to the Jets was probably ensuring one of their future firsts would eventually belong to the Titans. In this mock, that’s what happens.

The Jets send their 2026 firsts (No. 4 and 28 overall) as well as their 2027 second to the Titans for the first pick.

New York goes up and gets the leader (according to a majority of questionable size) among the quarterback class, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. So, who do the Titans land with their new picks?

At No. 4, the Titans take Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson to be Cam Ward’s new WR1 alongside Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor.

“Tyson is the big-play deep threat Tennessee’s offense is missing,” Miller wrote, “as he has 57 receptions for 628 yards and eight touchdowns this season after catching 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he doesn’t have hulking size, but Tyson elevates to play the ball in the air like a much larger player while still providing the speed to rip off big runs.“

I’m not somebody who dives into serious draft study until the new year (although these Titans may actually force me to start before I want to), so I’m only as informed right now as you can be from watching the games on TV and chatting with my colleagues who do draft work year-round. When I hit it, I hit it hard. Until then, I focus on the actual NFL games.

That being said, I understand why Tyson is WR1 on the consensus big board so far. He’s the archetype of a player this receiving room desperately needs, and he would complement the pieces already in place nicely.

Then, at 28, Miller has the Titans pandering to the home-state team! They take Tennessee CB Colton Hood. Hood is one of those annual examples of a guy who isn’t even the best at his position coming out of his own school — that would be Jermod McCoy in this case, at least according to consensus — but he’s still good. It’s looking like both Volunteers’ cornerbacks end up going in the first round so far.

“Hood is well-traveled,” Miller explained, “as Tennessee is his third school, but he’s producing Round 1 tape with the Vols. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has one interception and 11 passes defensed this season while allowing only 5.3 yards per attempt when targeted.”

This outcome for the Titans would address some serious premium needs on both sides of the ball. The only glaring question it leaves to be answered is this: Who is playing EDGE for this football team?