The Tennessee Titans are less than two weeks from training camp, and the 2026 season is two months away from starting. 

So why am I running a 2027 NFL mock draft? Because it’s mid-July, the content calendar is thin, and this exercise reveals something genuinely useful about how this franchise should be thinking long-term under quarterback Cam Ward, general manager Mike Borgonzi, and first-year head coach Robert Saleh. 

Using the A to Z Sports NFL Draft Simulator, I ran a four-round mock with the Titans slotted at No. 5 overall (based on reverse Super Bowl odds, not OUR projection of Tennessee’s record). 

Here’s what I found.

Edge rusher checks the box at 5th overall

Both Jeremiah Smith and Cam Coleman came off the board before the Titans picked, which eliminated the temptation to double-dip at wide receiver after selecting Carnell Tate 4th overall in 2026. Leaving me with left tackle and edge rusher as the two obvious directions to pursue.

Jordan Seaton, the former five-star recruit who transferred from Colorado to LSU, is projected to be the top tackle in this class. I’ve heard mixed reviews on Seaton. The athleticism is freakish, but the tape needs a full 2026 college season to settle. At the edge position, Collin Simmons out of Texas and Dylan Stewart out of South Carolina are the two obvious top-10 talents. Stewart has a back situation that has lingered for over a year with the Gamecocks, and I’m personally staying away from him until I see otherwise.

I took Simmons at 5. The Titans did not address the elite edge position this past offseason, and Simmons fills the void. The edge class does feel deeper on day 2 of the draft than the tackle class does, which did make it harder to find a future tackle later on, as we’ll see next.

The Dan Moore dilemma isn’t going away

I already know Titans fans want Dan Moore Jr. replaced at left tackle. It’s the most telegraphed fan decision in the history of this organization. But here’s the thing: Tennessee could cut Moore after this season and absorb $12.7 million in dead money while saving only $9.3 million. His cap number is $22 million, which sounds like a lot until you remember the salary cap will be roughly $330 million in 2027. If I’m Borgonzi, I am probably keeping Moore as my left tackle. I know you’re going to cringe, but that’s my read.

That said, I still drafted Indiana offensive tackle Carter Smith at pick 37 in the second round. He gave up only two sacks in 16 games during Indiana’s championship season, and while the arm length might draw some skepticism, his technique, foot speed, and leverage are legitimate. I don’t expect Smith to start in 2027, but you should always draft a tackle when you don’t need one. 

The Titans have been burned at that position more than any other, and the day two draft board is more difficult to project before the college football season.

Calvin Ridley is gone, and the running back room needs a plan

When we talk about hypotheticals for this roster, Calvin Ridley is the clearest cut candidate after the season. Ridley carries $7.5 million of dead cap but saves $22.25 million. He’s gone.

That raises a question about the receiver room. What did Chim Dike or Elic Ayomanor show during the season? Does Borgonzi need to draft a day-2 receiver to replace Ridley behind Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson, or can he trust the developmental process already underway? I’d prefer not to have to spend that capital there.

Running back demands attention too. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears both have expiring contracts. Nick Singleton is a fifth-round rookie whose role remains unclear. Saleh said during OTAs that Pollard and Spears are the “bell cows” of the offense, but this team needs a plan for 2027. 

I grabbed Louisville running back Isaac Brown at pick 105 in the fourth round as a complement to Singleton, with the idea of bringing in a legitimate veteran free agent to create a true competition.

Safety and defensive tackle belong in the conversation

Two other veterans worth monitoring this season: safety Amani Hooker and linebacker Cody Barton. Both have zero guaranteed dollars remaining after the year. Hooker’s cut would carry $5.7 million in dead cap but save $7.4 million. 

Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott is another candidate, saving $4.25 million against minimal dead money. 

I took Alabama safety Bray Hubbard in the third round at pick 69 as a potential Hooker replacement.

What this Titans mock draft exercise actually tells us

If the Titans are picking 5th overall again, things went wrong. The real value of this mock is the questions it forces you to ask about the 2026 season. 

Do you still feel good about Ward? 

Did Tate pan out? 

How did the veteran defense perform?

Is somebody getting fired? 

The expectations for year one under Saleh are going to be fascinating to watch, and where Tennessee lands in the draft order will tell you everything about which direction the franchise goes next.