Titans 7-round 2026 NFL mock draft: Mike Borgonzi repeats history, a Day 2 deal with a familiar devil, and a giant double-down

Here is my Titans 7-Round Mock Draft 2.0: Pre-Combine Edition

Easton Freeze — Tennessee Titans Beat Writer
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Happy Combine week everyone! The NFL world is descending on downtown Indianapolis for seven straight days to compare notes, spread gossip, and learn all there is to learn about the prospects in the 2026 draft class. Titans GM Mike Borgonzi has a massive offseason ahead of him, and actual moves are about to be made with free agency cresting the horizon. Here is my Titans Mock Draft 2.0 ahead of the Scouting Combine:

Tennessee Titans 7-Round Mock Draft 2.0

Round 1, pick 4: Arvell Reese, EDGE/LB, Ohio State

All the talk at the top of the Titans’ draft is about the trio of edge rushers they may have the opportunity to take. In a way, Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese may be both the most and least-sure thing of the trio. With Texas Tech’s David Bailey, we know what he generally is. He’s a prototypical speed rusher whose question is against the run. With Bain, his strength profile and tenacity make him a very safe bet to work somewhere along the defensive front. His question is about where exactly he’ll line up along it.

for Reese, a lot of people will tell you he’s the best pure football player of the three of them. Based on my initial watch of this group, I feel that way too. But it’s fair to say that we are the least sure of whether he actually plays EDGE because, well, he did a lot less of it in college than these other two did. I think Reese is going to be a great player and if the right team has the right plan for him, he can be an absolute star. But if he’s going to be a hybrid player at all in the NFL, having the right plan for him will be critical.

Robert Saleh’s defensive mind is amongst the options in this league I feel best about having the right plan for him. I think the Titans have exactly the right coach to maximize Reese’s versatile talents.

Round 2, pick 40: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois

Trade! The Titans make a deal with the devil, allowing the WR-needy Chiefs to move up at the top of Day 2 for one of the most coveted players still on the board.

  • Tennessee Titans receive: Pick 40, pick 74
  • Kansas City Chiefs receive: Pick 35, pick 140

In this simulation that player was Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr, and a move off of a player like that for more draft capital would infuriate a portion of Titans fans. Whoever those jewels of Day 2 are that hang on the board for less than 24 hours between the end of Day 1 and the beginning of Day 2, they’re the bait GM Mike Borgonzi will use to see if he can’t repeat what he did last year with the Seahawks to add another top-100 pick.

This move doesn’t change the total number of picks the Titans have, but it does get them closer to their stated goal of 12 top-100 picks in the span of 3 years. The terms of this deal were based on the Spielberger-Fitzgerald trade value chart as well as recent precedent: The Patriots/Chargers trade for pick 37 in 2024, and the Cardinals-Falcons trade for pick 35 in 2024.

The 6’3″ 260lb Jacas joins Reese as new premium pieces added to the defensive box who coach Saleh will be giddy to get to work with. An Illinois product, he flashed his physical “punch you in the face” style every day at the Senior Bowl last month. He needs more creativity and savvy veteran sizzle to add to his pass rush plan, but his rugged build and strength profile will make him a winner in the NFL.

Round 3, pick 66: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

Malachi Fields is such a strange prospect at this juncture. Throw a dart at any draft analyst and they’re just as likely to roll their eyes at this selection at 66 for either of two completely different reasons. Some think he’s an unrefined, big-bodied WR who lacks quickness or separation ability. Others see a guy who is long gone in the top-50 picks because of his rare size, strength and length combination that’s a prototypical fit as a boundary receiver. If he were to fall further than where his hype has him going, I’d like him a lot as a swing for the Titans to take on a genre of receiver they could really use.

Round 3, pick 74: Devin Moore, CB, Florida

Moore is a 6’3″ 196lb outside corner who has elite recovery speed. So why will he be available in the mid-3rd round or later? Because he has very little man coverage experience, managed meager ball production in college, and has some medical questions. He has to check out on the medical front obviously, but this is a strong prototypical boundary corner you can get at a discount.

Round 4, pick 101: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

Let’s plug Sam Roush into the Titans’ offense and see what happens? He played on a brutal Stanford offense but flashed a lot of meat to his game. In the NFL in 2026, being able to dictate terms to your opponent in heavy personnel with a talented stable of tight ends who can make plays as both blockers and receivers is a cheat code. The Titans need a classic Y tight end like Roush to add to Gunnar Helm this season to get with the times. He’s reportedly whip-smart (something about these Stanford boys…) and an added bonus: he’s a Nashville native.

Round 5, pick 142: Mike Washington Jr, RB, Arkansas

The Titans would like a RB plan for the future, and they’d really like that plan to be an upgrade. This draft isn’t the greatest at the RB position, but an intriguing option is Arkansas’s Mike Washington Jr.

A productive and efficient runner in 2025, Washington comes in at a healthy 6’0″ 228lbs. He transferred twice in college and along his travels, showed significant improvement at each stop.

Round 6, pick 183: Hezekiah Masses, CB, California

Borgonzi swings for a second double-down here with Masses, who is a double-down in more than one way. He’s the second CB added in this class, and he’s also the second Cal cornerback that Borgonzi has taken a liking to. He drafted Marcus Harris around this range of the draft last year, and the Titans were pleased with him as a rookie. Masses and Harris didn’t play together in college since Masses was at FIU until this past season, but they’ll get to know each other real well now.

Masses is 6’0″ 180lbs and exploded onto draft radars this past year when he lead the FBS in passes defended. He managed 5 interceptions in easily his best season to date, and a lot of the holes in his game are a result of lack of refinement (can be fixed!) and his slender frame (welcome to life picking in the 6th round).

Round 7, pick 218: Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois

Who will the Titans take with pick 218? Who knows yet. Typically, it will be somebody with special teams upside who will have to fight hard just to make the initial roster. But I’ll be interested in the developmental backup QBs who still might be on the board in this range. The crop of free agent QBs this year is pitiful, and the Titans need a plan at backup heading into a year with raised expectations. Altmyer was a three year starter and a captain with plenty of experience in a grown-up offense in college. He lacks size and arm strength, and his processing isn’t fast enough yet. Throw him in the QB room and let the coaches get to work with him.

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