11 players Tennessee Titans should target on Day 2 of 2022 NFL Draft
The Tennessee Titans on Thursday shook up the 2022 NFL Draft with a blockbuster trade, dealing star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Titans used the 18th pick acquired in the deal to grab Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks, then moved back from their original first-round pick – No. 26 overall – to get a second-rounder and two other selections, including an additional third-round pick.
Now armed with three Day-2 picks – Nos. 35 (second round), 69 (third round) and 90 (third round) – what will the Titans do when the draft continues at 6 p.m. Friday?
Here are 11 names to watch for the Titans – from various positions:
Malik Willis, quarterback, Liberty
Measurables: 6-0, 219 pounds.
2021 stats (13 games): 61.1% completion rate, 2,857 yards, 27 TDs, 12 INTs
Willis fell out of the first round, and the Titans, now armed with a second-round pick, are in position to get him at 35 to make him their quarterback of the future. Tennessee could have him sit behind Ryan Tannehill for at least a season.
Many draft evaluators believe Willis has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the draft.
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Khalil Shakir, wide receiver, Boise State
Measurables: 6-0, 196 pounds.
2021 stats (12 games): 77 receptions, 1,117 yards, 7 TDs
After trading Brown, there’s a chance the Titans aren’t done at receiver after selecting Burks.
Shakir, a two-time first-team all-conference selection in the Mountain West, was a physical receiver at Boise State who lined up primarily in the slot. He would also be a punt-returning option for Tennessee.
Nicholas Petit Frere, offensive tackle, Ohio State
Measurables: 6-5, 316 pounds.
2021 stats (12 games): 12 starts at left tackle
After taking a receiver in Round 1, the Titans’ focus could shift to pass protection for quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Petit-Frere, a 2021 first-team All-Big Ten selection, made 12 starts at left tackle and seven at right tackle the last two seasons. A swing-tackle option, he would go right into the right tackle mix for the Titans, where they need a new starter.
Isaiah Spiller, running back, Texas A&M
Measurables: 6-0, 217 pounds.
2021 stats (12 games): 179 carries, 1,011 yards, 6 TDs
After losing D’Onta Foreman in free agency, shoring up the depth behind Derrick Henry may be a priority. Henry had the first major injury of his NFL career last season.
In the short term, Spiller could spell Henry. In the long term, he’s the No. 1 running back. A potential concern would be his lack of special teams experience as a backup in 2022.
Alec Pierce, wide receiver, Cincinnati
Measurables: 6-3, 211 pounds.
2021 stats (14 games): 52 receptions, 884 yards, 8 TDs
Pierce would give Tannehill a big, athletic target on the outside and a willing blocker. He posted a 40.5-inch vertical at the combine, which topped all receivers.
Jeremy Ruckert, tight end, Ohio State
Measurables: 6-5, 250 pounds.
2021 stats (13 games): 26 receptions, 309 yards, 3 TDs
The Titans may have added Austin Hooper in free agency, but they still need a young tight end to develop for the future.
Ruckert was used primarily as a blocker at Ohio State, which would appeal to the Titans, but he also showed flashes of pass-catching ability that could make him a No. 1 tight end in the long run. 12 of his 54 receptions in college ended in touchdowns.
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Cade Otton, tight end, Washington
Measurables: 6-5, 247 pounds.
2021 stats (8 games): 28 receptions, 250 yards, TD
Similar to Ruckert, Otton is well-versed in blocking – it’s the primary responsibility of tight ends at Washington – and has pass-catching upside. He had more than 1,000 career receiving yards for the Huskies.
Marquis Hayes, guard, Oklahoma
Measurables: 6-5, 318 pounds.
2021 stats (13 games): 13 starts at left guard
Hayes could be a plug-and-play starter at left guard, where the Titans still have a void following Rodger Saffold’s release.
Hayes made 36 consecutive starts at the spot for Oklahoma. A violent run blocker, he was a standout at the Senior Bowl.
Abraham Lucas, offensive tackle, Washington State
Measurables: 6-6, 315 pounds.
2021 stats (12 games): 12 starts at right tackle
Right tackle is still a major hole for Tennessee after the first round. Lucas made 42 consecutive starts at the spot for Washington State, where he was a first- or second-team selection in the PAC-12 four straight seasons.
Coby Bryant, cornerback, Cincinnati
Measurables: 6-1, 193 pounds.
2021 stats (14 games): 46 tackles, 3 FF, 14 PBUs, 3 INTs
Bryant would provide much-needed competition and insurance at cornerback behind projected starter Caleb Farley, who played just three games as a rookie due to injury.
A first-team All-AAC selection last season, Bryant was the 2021 Jim Thorpe Award winner, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. He and first-round pick Ahmad Gardner formed a dominant cornerback tandem for Cincinnati, which ranked No. 1 in the country last season in pass-efficiency defense.
Nick Cross, safety, Maryland
Measurables: 6-0, 212 pounds.
2021 stats (13 games): 66 tackles (3.5 for loss), 3 sacks, 2 FF, 7 PBUs, 3 INTs
All-Pro Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker are the Titans’ starters at safety, but there’s a void at the No. 3 spot with Dane Cruikshank’s departure in free agency.
Cross would give the Titans more playmaking on defense. He led Maryland in interceptions each of the last three seasons.
Ben Arthur covers the Tennessee Titans for The USA TODAY Network. Contact him at barthur@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @benyarthur.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 11 players Tennessee Titans should target on Day 2 of 2022 NFL Draft
