The Train Daddy is back with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! Summer is here my friends, and I pray you and your family get to enjoy the beauty of it. Nothing is holding me back from having the best summer of my life!
Thank you, Governor Lee, for your recent words. Unlike Joe Biden, you made it clear Tennessee is open for business and you made it clear restrictions can F-off! Ha-ha! Yep, the Z-Train is a fan of Governor Lee these days!
I want a politician that will keep things open and allow me to make a living. I do not want a politician crying about progressive nonsense while half of America is still shut down.
Enough of all that nonsense. It’s time for Titans talk! Let us run through the players the Titans recently drafted in a heavy defensive draft. After last year’s debacle on the defensive side of the ball and the absolute dominance of the offense it makes absolute sense that the Titans focused on the defense and somewhat ignored the offense.
In the first round, with the #22 overall pick in the 2021 draft, the Titans took cornerback Caleb Farley, one of the best players at his position, a position where the Titans needed a lot of help. This pick comes with some risk as Caleb has some injury history, but the fact is he was a top prospect and Titans GM Jon Robinson was willing to gamble like he did with Big Jeff Simmons a few drafts ago and that is working out simply fine. I love this pick and Caleb has true shutdown potential, a future superstar with an amazing personality, unlike last year’s Titans first-round pick, that moron Isaiah Wilson (who is already gone from the team; his time with the Titans included three arrests and playing only four snaps). Sorry, I will not say his name ever again. Good riddance!
In the second round with the #53 overall pick the Titans said “sorry, fans, we are not taking the receiver you all wanted us to take.” Nope, the Titans drafted the 6-foot 6-inch monster offensive tackle Dillon Radunz to help fill a much-needed hole at right tackle (after last year’s first-round bust) and add depth to the line that keeps Tannehill clean and King Henry breaking records.
Why do you think the superstar running back Saquon Barkley keeps failing and getting injured? Because the Giants have let Barkley down and, once again, decided to draft nobody on the O-line to help the talented young back. Same deal with the Steelers, one of the worst run-blocking defenses in the NFL last season. What did they do? They drafted the best running back in the 2021 class and did nothing to fix that awful line, not drafting any quality help!
So, remember that, Titans fans. I hear many of you crying about how we ignored the receiver spot early in this draft, but stop whining. When Henry has another record-setting season (maybe a third straight rushing title?!) and Barkley and Najee have disappointing seasons, remember why! The Titans are willing to invest in the most important part of a team, the offensive line. I love this pick because it shows dedication to what matters— the heart of this team, Tannehill, and King Henry! Instead of chasing fan approval, J-Rob was willing to do what was best for the team.
With the #92 overall pick in the third round the Titans selected the inside linebacker out of Georgia, Monty Rice. Let me be honest—if there was any pick in this draft that had me a little upset, it was this pick! Yes, by all accounts Monty is a beast who can stop the run, rush the pass and play special teams. And special teams will be his biggest use in 2021, I’d bet. But this pick boils down to depth for the future. For those who think with a win-now mentality, with a team that does have a window, drafting a receiver or a tight end here would have been the smarter move.
So many monsters on defense added in free agency and the draft go along with the talent the Titans already had, but everyone knows losing tight end Jonnu Smith and wide receiver Corey Davis isn’t a small thing for this offense. Maybe Monty becomes a fast player who helps get pressure on the QB this season. If that is the case, then maybe they found a gem who potentially will be a starter down the road. With all that said, I have a hard time understanding why we didn’t draft a WR or a TE at this spot.
With the #100 pick, still in the third round, the Tennessee Titans took defensive back Elijah Molden. I know it is not the Elijah everyone was screaming for, but this Elijah is my favorite pick of the draft. All the experts had him a second-round talent and it was the steal of the draft for the Titans. He was simply too good a player to not add. Say bye-bye to Kevin Johnson as a starter, and hello to the Titans’ new intended slot cornerback, a versatile player with so much upside. I love this pick, and unlike the Monty pick, Elijah is more than likely a player that will start for this team right away at a position that had depth issues.
With the #109 pick in the fourth round the Titans finally took their WR, a receiver with the size to be an outside guy. You get what you get in the fourth round and Dez Fitzpatrick will have a lot of rust to scrape off if he plans on competing in the NFL. He has size, some speed and decent route running, and will get the opportunity to compete for targets with A.J. Brown and Josh Reynolds, a receiver I think has the goods to be a solid #2 receiver in this league. Trust in Jon Robinson, my friends!
With the #135 pick in the fourth round the Titans stuck with defense, drafting Rashad Weaver, an outside linebacker. I do not have to say anything other than this: a first-team all-American linebacker drafted 135th overall! A freaking stud and another steal, not to mention that Rashad already has a relationship with the Titans’ big free agent addition Bud Dupree. I love this pick. These are the kind of draft picks that help turn a 2020 horrendous defense into a 2021–23 top tier unit! I love offense and a lot of points but there is something special about a defense that puts a hurting on the opposition, and I really hope we can have that kind of play here in Tennessee once again.
The Titans also had two picks in the sixth round of the draft, taking a big-bodied wide receiver out of LSU who has a chance to make noise in training camp—a sixth-round surprise would be welcome with the current pass catching situation—and adding another safety to the mix.
This Titans’ 2021 team looks like a team that will be much different from 2020 with many new faces. I believe this defense will be night-and-day better and the offense will still be amazingly effective, but I just do not think they will be as explosive. The offense will still thrive off the play-action and King Henry will be the centerpiece in line for a league leading 350–400 carries this season. And that is okay, it’s what Henry wants, that’s how he plays, as long as he stays healthy and fans want him to be fed. Let’s hope Tannehill stays playing at a high mistake-free level and A.J., a top 10 overall talent at WR, gets some help from Josh Reynolds and someone! The only fear I have currently for this team is I feel we need someone to step up and make some catches aside from A.J. and Josh, and I honestly have no clue who that will be.
I believe Jon Robinson probably just drafted the most talent overall in the past two decades of Titans drafts. Am I biased? I am a huge Titans fan, but I have no problem talking bad about my team. I try and see the sunny side of everything, and I am genuinely excited for this new look the Titans have. Titan up!
