The Titans beefed up their trench presence in a big way with their first two picks of the NFL Draft, then went about filling several other needs with their final five selections.
The hope is that the early results are more similar to the 2023 draft — which featured guard Peter Skoronski, quarterback Will Levis and running back Tyjae Spears — than were the previous three drafts, which haven’t produced a high-impact player to date.
It will take at least a year and likely more to determine just how successful the Titans were with their seven selections this season.
But that doesn’t stop anyone from delivering snap judgments on the picks.
In this sampling of 10 evaluations, NFL.com was the high grade (A-), SI.com was the low grade (C-) and the rest were variations of Bs and Cs.
Here’s the full breakdown of the Titans' draft class, which included Alabama T JC Latham; Texas DL T'Vondre Sweat; LB Cedric Gray; Louisville CB Jarvis Brownlee; Tulane WR Jha'Quan Jackson; Miami LB James Williams: and Michigan Edge Rusher Jaylen Harrell.
Outlet: Associated Press
Grade: B
Commentary: RT JC Latham (7) will make the transition to the left side to protect Will Levis’ blindside. Gambled on DT T’Vondre Sweat (38) earlier than expected but he’s a big man who fits a need on the D-line. Came away with a talented group on Day 3, including LB Cedric Gray, WR Jha’Quan Jackson, S James Williams and LB Jaylen Harrell.
Link: https://apnews.com/article/nfl-draft-grades-2024-334ef0dd263c4a7fc8d0c4c8e300e730
Outlet: Bleacher Report
Grade: C
Commentary: General Manager Ran Carthon found a few intriguing prospects late — Jarvis Brownlee Jr. has the potential to start at cornerback at some point in 2024 — but this class isn't likely to push Tennessee into the playoff conversation right away.
Latham addresses arguably the team's biggest need, but the Titans still have questions in the secondary and at edge-rusher. In a division with C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Trevor Lawrence, that's a problem.
Sweat was a risky luxury pick who doesn't help Levis or a pass defense that ranked 23rd in net yards per pass attempt allowed last season.
Link: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10118547-2024-nfl-draft-grades-for-every-team
Outlet: CBS Sports
Grade: B-
Commentary: The Latham pick was a bit surprising, yet it wasn't a brutal selection. Sweat in the top 40 was. After that, GM Ran Carthon pieced together a rock-solid haul. Gray is one of the younger but polished off-ball linebackers in the class, and Jackson can really get down the field with elite burst and long speed.
Williams finds the football frequently because of his length and movement skill. Don't sleep on Harrell, either. He's young and really flashed as a pure outside rusher with a diverse set of pass-rush moves at Michigan.
Outlet: FOX Sports
Grade: B-
Commentary: At the top of the draft, the Titans showed a commitment to physicality and owning the trenches with offensive-minded coach Brian Callahan. They've taken on some risk with that approach — they're moving JC Latham from right to left tackle, and nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat has some conditioning concerns — but if it pans out, Tennessee could be looked at as big winners two to three years [from] now. Apart from safety and tight end, the Titans leave the draft having addressed every other need.
Outlet: NFL.com
Grade: A-
Commentary: : With Joe Alt off the board, the Titans picked the other top 10-caliber tackle. Latham's a wall on the outside who will excel on either side of the line. The team needed a big body like Sweat on the defensive line and chose him even after Sweat's recent DWI arrest. GM Ran Carthon said he discussed the incident with Sweat, and that Sweat "accepted his responsibility." Tennessee will hope he can be dominant at the next level. The Titans' third-round pick was part of the package to move up for quarterback Will Levis last April.
Gray's recognition skills and quickness make him a fit in the middle of Tennessee's defense. Brownlee has the talent to step into the fray as a rookie and earn a starting job down the line. Jackson's quickness helps fill two needs: depth at receiver and as a returner. Harrell should have been picked much earlier as an edge rusher, a spot where the Titans needed depth.
Link: https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-draft-final-quick-snap-grades-for-all-32-teams
Outlet: Pro Football Focus
Grade: B
Commentary: PFF analyzed each pick, as opposed to an overall summary.
Link: https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2024-nfl-draft-grades-all-32-teams#TEN
Outlet: The Ringer
Grade: C+
Commentary: Football is still a big man’s game, and Tennessee really took that idea to heart in this draft. The Titans added two massive men with their first two picks, grabbing 342-pound offensive tackle JC Latham in the first round before adding 366-pound defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat in the second. Both should be early contributors for the team in the trenches. I liked the selection of cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. in the fifth round, too; he’s a feisty cover man who really stood out at Senior Bowl practices. He should provide depth at the cornerback spot. The Jha’Quan Jackson pick is also one to watch; he’s a shifty speedster who brings separation skills and vertical speed to the slot.
Link: https://nfldraft.theringer.com/team-grades
Outlet: SI.com
Grade: C-
Commentary: The Titans landed playmaking in free agency with Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley. They made a big trade to acquire L’Jarius Sneed on the perimeter. In the draft, GM Ran Carthon focused on the trenches, landing Latham to anchor his offensive line alongside last year’s first-rounder, Peter Skoronski. However, Sweat is a controversial pick after being arrested for suspicion of DWI in April.
Link: https://www.si.com/nfl/2024/04/27/2024-nfl-draft-team-grades-analysis
Outlet: Sporting News
Grade: B-
Commentary: Credit GM Ran Carthon for being methodical in addressing the most important needs of offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker right away and still coming back to make sure they got at least one upside wideout in the mix for Will Levis. Sweat is an obvious high-risk pick with the potential for big reward, and Latham was worthy early. Watch out for Gray thriving, too.
Outlet: Yahoo Sports
Grade: C+
Commentary: The Titans nailed their first pick, but could have done better the rest of the way. JC Latham is a “set it and forget it” type of offensive tackle who is already penciled in as a starter. It’ll be interesting to see how Latham handles being a left tackle in the NFL. He has enough talent to be successful. Getting Cedric Gray in the fourth round could be a long-term steal for the Titans, but overall it wasn’t a draft class to get excited about unless T’Vondre Sweat develops into a pass rusher.