NASHVILLE — A year ago, in his first NFL draft as general manager of the Tennessee Titans, Ran Carthon went all offense, with each of the six picks the team had getting used on that side of the ball.
This time around, five of the Titans' seven picks came on defense, with Carthon letting the draft board dictate the selections.
"We kind of figured the front end of the draft would probably be heavy offense, and then the back half will be heavy defense, and that's kind of how it went for us," Carthon said Saturday night after the third and final day of the seven-round, 257-pick draft.
The Titans had only three selections in the first 106 picks, but they felt informed about their choices throughout the draft after they saw six of the seven players they wound up selecting in action at the Senior Bowl in February.
They took a big step in shoring up the offensive front at No. 7 overall with former Alabama standout JC Latham, a 6-foot-6, 342-pounder who will work at left tackle under line guru Bill Callahan. The Titans later took wide receiver and return specialist Jha'Quan Jackson (5-9, 188) out of Tulane in the sixth round at No. 182.
Tennessee turned to defense with its second pick of the draft, taking former Texas lineman T'Vondre Sweat (6-5, 366) at No. 38 overall, and then getting former North Carolina linebacker Cedric Gray (6-2, 234) at No. 106, former Louisville cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (5-10 194) at No. 146, former Miami linebacker James Williams (6-4, 231) at No. 242 and former Michigan edge rusher Jaylen Harrell (6-4, 250) at No. 252.
Carthon said he joked with first-year head coach Brian Callahan that now it's time for him to get busy. The Titans are working to rebound from back-to-back losing seasons after winning consecutive AFC South Division titles, a downturn that led to Mike Vrabel being fired after six seasons as the head coach in Nashville.
"It's time for the ball to take place, and so we're really excited about that part," Carthon said.
Fixing an offensive line that gave up 64 sacks in 2023 has been a major priority for Tennessee. The Titans' first move in that regard came by getting Bill Callahan from the Cleveland Browns to coach the offensive line for his son. They also signed center Lloyd Cushenberry III and a couple of other players in free agency.
Latham could be the answer at left tackle, a position where four players started last season for Tennessee, as he joins guard Peter Skoronski, the 11th pick overall in 2023, on that revamped side of the line.
Getting bigger overall was a priority, too, and the Titans did just that. In addition to his overall size, Latham has 11-inch hands — and with Sweat on the other side of the ball, the Titans might have the biggest first two picks for any team in this year's draft. Callahan said they added possibly 700 pounds' worth of players in two picks.
"It's a big man's league, and you need big people to move the line of scrimmage," the head coach said.
Gray, one of the new linebackers, said he's looking forward to roaming to make tackles with Sweat taking up so much space in front of him.
Meanwhile, Sweat's first visit with an NFL team after his arrest for driving while intoxicated was with Tennessee. The Titans did extra work to learn about the player who wound up being their only selection on the draft's second night.
Carthon, Callahan, defensive line coach Tracy Rocker and assistant GM Anthony Robinson went to Sweat's home in Huntsville, Texas. They met with Sweat, his mother, brother and grandfather while having tough conversations.
"Taking that trip to spend time with him and his family is what made us comfortable making this pick," Carthon said.
Speaking of family, the newest Titans have some interesting connections. Latham's cousins include Kevon Looney of the NBA's Golden State Warriors and former NBA player Nick Young, while Pro Football Hall of Fame pass rusher Deacon Jones is a relative on Latham's mother's side of the family.
A couple of others will find familiar faces in Tennessee's locker room. Sweat comes in with a former Texas Longhorns teammate on the roster after the Titans signed defensive lineman Keondre Coburn late last season.
Running back Tyjae Spears, a third-round pick out of Tulane last year for Tennessee, was with Jackson when the Titans drafted his former roommate in the sixth round.
Jackson also is a nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed, who left the watch party before the Titans called. Or as Jackson said: "He had to go because he's a Hall of Famer. So he's got to be in a lot of places at the right time."
Harrell's father, James, also played eight seasons in the NFL.
AP file photo by George Walker IV / General manager Ran Carthon's second NFL draft with the Tennessee Titans was a lot different from the first as they focused more on defense this year after selecting only offensive players in the 2023 event.TENNESSEE TITANS 2024 DRAFT PICKS
Selections listed by round, with overall pick in parentheses
1: (7) J.C. Latham, offensive tackle, 6-6, 342, Alabama.
2: (38) T'Vondre Sweat, defensive tackle, 6-5, 366, Texas.
4: (106) Cedric Gray, linebacker, 6-2, 234, North Carolina.
5: (146) Jarvis Brownlee Jr., cornerback, 5-10, 194, Louisville.
6: (182) Jha'Quan Jackson, wide receiver, 5-9, 188, Tulane.
7: (242) James Williams, safety, 6-4, 231, Miami; (252) Jaylen Harrell, edge rusher, 6-4, 250, Michigan.