The 2019 NFL Draft is underway in Nashville, and FTW’s lead NFL writer Steven Ruiz is grading picks and offering analysis on how each player will fit with his new team. No. 19: Jeffery Simmons, DT Mississippi State Analysis: This is a hard pick to grade. For two reasons: Jeffery Simmons suffered a torn ACL during the draft process, and, more concerning, he was recorded striking a woman and charged with assault before he got to Starkville. The Titans are taking a big risk — in more ways than one — and I’m not sure Simmons is worth it. The Chiefs took a similar risk when they drafted Tyreek Hill, and we’ve seen how that’s turned out. GRADE: C- No. 51: A.J. Brown, WR Ole Miss Analysis: A steal. The Titans needed a receiver who could get open consistently, and there isn’t a better route-runner in the draft. And A.J. Brown can make plays downfield, as well, so he’s not your typical slot guy. GRADE: A 82. Titans: Nate Davis, OG Charlotte Analysis: Nate Davis was a bit of a late riser in the process, but he’s an athletic guard who can make blocks on the move. The big concern is his size. He’s not very big and he played against suspect competition. GRADE: B-<doc-sep>Jeffery Simmons is a defensive tackle out of Mississippi State who is a projected first-round pick in the draft, but tore his ACL in February. (0:52) Breaking down the Tennessee Titans' 2019 draft class: Round 1, No. 19 overall: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State My take: This should be an excellent future investment for the Titans once Simmons gets healthy -- he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during training. Simmons is the caliber of player who's capable of wrecking offensive game plans. Teams will pay for double-teaming Jurrell Casey with a player like Simmons lining up next to him. 2019 NFL DRAFT COVERAGE What you need to know from Rounds 1-7: • Pick-by-pick analysis » • Kiper's grades » | McShay's best picks » • Team-by-team analysis » | Takeaways » • Best undrafted » | Fantasy reax » • More NFL draft coverage » Overcoming the past: A top prospect coming out of high school, Simmons was captured on video hitting a woman; the incident took place before Simmons arrived at Mississippi State. He later pleaded no contest to simple assault. Simmons was allowed to enroll at Mississippi State and was suspended for one game. Simmons won Mississippi State’s Newsom Award in 2017 for his work on the field, in the community and the classroom. He majored in human development and family science while being named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. When can he contribute? Having their first-rounder start on the reserve/physically unable to perform list isn't ideal for a team looking to take the next step. There is still a ways to go for Simmons in recovering from the ACL tear before he can return to the field. Titans GM Jon Robinson spoke briefly after selecting Simmons, saying he expects the defensive tackle to be an impactful player when he is ready -- but the timetable for a return is unclear. What’s next: There is still a need for an edge defender, whether that be an outside linebacker or five-technique. There likely will be options such as D'Andre Walker from Georgia or Jaylon Ferguson from Louisiana Tech on the board when the Titans pick in the second round (No. 51). Tennessee also will need to address the right guard position. Players such as Oklahoma's Ben Powers and Dru Samia could be targets. Round 2, No. 51 overall: A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss My take: Brown is a complete receiver who's tough and able to consistently get yards after the catch. He can play any WR position for Tennessee but excelled mostly in the slot at Ole Miss after D.K. Metcalf's injury. Brown has a large catch radius and could become a reliable favorite for Marcus Mariota. It's all about getting a clean evaluation of Mariota as he enters his fifth season for the Titans -- Brown will help them do that. play 0:53 NFL draft profile: A.J. Brown A.J. Brown is a receiver from Ole Miss who was a two-time first-team All-SEC selection for the Rebels. Round 3, No. 82 overall: Nate Davis, OL, UNC-Charlotte My take: Davis is a versatile offensive lineman who will compete for the starting spot at right guard. He is capable of playing center and tackle as well. The departure of guard Quinton Spain via free agency created a void at right guard. Davis believed his meeting with the Titans was one of the most relaxed ones he had at the combine. What’s next: The Titans will still need to select an edge defender on Day 3. They've gotten great value so far in Simmons, Brown and Davis. Look for OLB Maxx Crosby and DE Charles Omenihu as options. play 0:59 NFL draft profile: Amani Hooker Amani Hooker is a safety out of Iowa who is best lining up in the slot and making plays on the ball. Round 4, No. 116 overall: Amani Hooker, S, Iowa My take: Hooker should be a good addition to the Titans, giving them another defender to cover move tight ends. His physical, in-the-box style of play matches the Titans' emphasis on toughness. Hooker will likely be a special-teams standout as well. Round 5, No. 168 overall: D'Andre Walker, OLB, Georgia My take: Walker is a solid pick for the Titans, especially in the fifth round. He has drawn comparisons to Justin Houston because of his size and strength as an edge defender. Walker sets the edge against the run and gets after the quarterback on passing downs. He should instantly compete for a spot in a rotation at outside linebacker. Round 6, No. 188 overall: David Long Jr., LB, West Virginia My take: Long will compete with veteran special teams ace/LB Daren Bates for a roster spot. He is slightly undersized but has a nose for the football as shown by his 9.3 tackles per game last season. Long was a productive player at West Virginia, leading the team in tackles (111) and sacks (8) last season. His full-throttle approach to the game should make him a special teams dynamo for the Titans.<doc-sep>We knew the Titans needed to come away from the first two days with a guy that can compete to start on the interior offensive line. Nate Davis is that guy. Daniel Jeremiah referred to him as a “people mover” when the pick was announced. You have to like that for a team that is going to base their offense around a power running game with Derrick Henry. The Titans still need a guy that can pressure the quarterback off the edge, but you have to be thrilled with what Jon Robinson has done in this draft. He got two really good value picks in the first and second round. Robinson then gets his guy at right guard in the third round. I am starting to get really excited about this team! Titans Remaining Picks Round 4, Pick 19 (121st Overall) Round 5, Pick 19 (157th Overall) Round 6, Pick 15 (188th Overall) Titans Remaining Needs<doc-sep>BLOOMINGTON, MN - FEBRUARY 01: Kyle Rudolph of the Minnesota Vikings attends SiriusXM at Super Bowl LII Radio Row at the Mall of America on February 1, 2018 in Bloomington, Minnesota. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM) The final day of the 2019 NFL Draft is here and the Tennessee Titans have plenty of moves to make. The Tennessee Titans have three selections to make today, but I suspect there could be more by the end of the day. Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson loves trades, and since entering the NFL I believe that he has been one of the most active GMs in the league. So, this 2019 NFL Mock Draft is going to start off with a trade and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more than that today. Diving right in, let’s see what I believe that Robinson will pull of for his next trick. Round 4, pick 121: TRADE Kyle Rudolph TE, Minnesota Vikings and a 6th (204) The rumors are that the Vikings are looking to unload some expensive players: Sources: The Vikings are going into Day 3 of the draft open to, but not actively shopping, deals for their more expensive veteran players. They’ve gotten calls on TE Kyle Rudolph and CBs Xavier Rhodes and Trey Waynes. Stay tuned. — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 27, 2019 Let’s connect some threads. The Tennessee Titans have Delanie Walker, but the TE2 in this offense is supposed to be Jonnu Smith who is recovering from an ACL injury. Typically those injuries take two years to fully recover from and Tennessee could use some depth. If we expect Smith to start the season on PUP, then why not make a move for Rudolph? The Vikings get to unload cap and new Titans TE coach Todd Downing gets a player he is very familiar with, having coached Rudolph last year. The Titans always want late picks back in trades so the Vikings could offer one of their three 7th round picks or one of their four 6th round picks. Round 5, pick 157: Derrick Roberson EDGE, Sam Houston State I am going to assume that the following names didn’t make it to this pick: Maxx Crosby, D’Andre Walker, Anthony Nelson, Joe Jackson, and Hakeem Butler. If so, then take the best available from that group. The Titans have filled every need in this draft so now it is time to look at depth and special teams. I believe that Roberson is a guy that many in the NFL like even though most fans haven’t heard of him. A 4-star EDGE coming out of high school, he left Texas for Sam Houston State after his redshirt freshman year and it took him a while to put it all together. However, last year he had 15 sacks and is lauded for his effort and speed on the outside. Sounds like a solid bet as a developmental guy. Round 6, pick 188: Jimmy Moreland CB, James Madison Again, special teams is the name of the game here. With Logan Ryan playing at a high level there isn’t a path for Moreland to see the field early on defense, but he could be a good developmental DB that pushes for time later in his career and provides valuable depth. Round 6, pick 204: John Lovett Everything, Princeton This is a very New England Patriots pick. Lovett was a QB/RB/ST player in college doing a little bit of everything and he earned the attention of Jon Robinson and the Titans this draft season. Think Joe Webb as a comparison. It would give the Titans a 3rd QB to keep active on the gameday roster because he could add depth and special teams value and these picks are all about finding guys who can do a lot of things for you so that you can keep specialized players active on Sundays.<doc-sep>
Follow along here to keep up with the Titans' 2019 draft. After qualifying for the postseason in 2017, the Tennessee Titans missed the playoffs in 2018 after finishing the regular season with a 9-7 record. The Titans dealt with a myriad of injuries last season, most notably to starting quarterback Marcus Mariota. Entering Mike Vrabel's second season as head coach, keeping Mariota healthy will be a priority as the Titans look to make a jump to the postseason. In last year's draft, the Titans selected linebacker Rashaan Evans from Alabama in the first round. How will they use their picks in this year's NFL draft? We're breaking down every selection below, including grades from The MMQB's Andy Benoit. Here's the full list of picks the Titans hold in the 2019 draft, which will be updated as each selection is made. Round 1, pick 19 (No. 19 overall): Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State Andy Benoit's grade: C+ The Titans must like the talent and upside because Simmons could miss most of his rookie season rehabbing an ACL injury. Plus, they did not have any immediate need at interior D-line; Jurrell Casey is still a stud, and Austin Johnson and DaQuan Jones are solid. The Titans could have used some reinforcement at tight end and safety, but if they feel those positions can be addressed in the next few rounds, it’s hard to fault a team for investing in talent. And by the time Simmons can play, they might decide that Johnson—a free agent in 2020—is not worth re-signing. Plus, no team has ever been hurt from having too much depth along the defensive line. This is a player who the MMQB’s Albert Breer noted is widely seen as having top-five talent, but in addition to his torn ACL, teams are also aware of a video of him striking a woman in high school. (My grade reflects his value on the field relative to his draft slot.) Round 2, pick 19 (No. 51 overall): A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss Andy Benoit's grade: A- With Corey Davis emerging as a featured weapon in Tennessee’s new Rams-style scheme last year and Adam Humphries getting big money to handle the slot, Brown’s arrival gives the Titans a steady all-around puzzle piece to build into their multi-receiver route combinations. It also ensures that speedster Taywan Taylor will play strictly a specialty role, which betters suits him. Round 3, pick 18 (No. 82 overall): Nate Davis, G, Charlotte Andy Benoit's grade: C+ With right guard Kevin Pamphile in a contract year, the hope is Davis can assume that starting job in 2020. He’s known as a mauler, which is interesting because the Titans employ an outside zone scheme, which is built more on agility. Round 4, pick 14 (No. 116 overall): Amani Hooker, S, Iowa Round 5, pick 30 (No. 168 overall): D'Andre Walker, LB, Georgia Round 6, pick 15 (No. 188 overall): David Long Jr., LB, West Virginia See every NFL team's 2019 picks by clicking the links below. Arizona Cardinals | Atlanta Falcons | Baltimore Ravens | Buffalo Bills | Carolina Panthers | Chicago Bears | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Dallas Cowboys | Denver Broncos | Detroit Lions | Green Bay Packers | Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts | Jacksonville Jaguars | Kansas City Chiefs | Los Angeles Chargers | Los Angeles Rams | Miami Dolphins | Minnesota Vikings | New England Patriots | New Orleans Saints | New York Giants | New York Jets | Oakland Raiders | Philadelphia Eagles | Pittsburgh Steelers | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tennessee Titans | Washington Redskins