Nolan Smith? Bijan Robinson? Tennessee Titans should explore these 5 options in NFL Draft

It's that time of year when mock drafts get a little bit stale.

All the fun of February and March are in the past, but the 2023 NFL Draft is still three weeks away. Most fans know which positions their favorite team is targeting and which players at those positions are most likely to be available when their team is on the clock.

For the Tennessee Titans with the No. 11 pick, that means a flurry of mock drafts connecting the team to offensive linemen like Northwestern's Peter Skoronski and Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr., as well as a few stray quarterbacks and receivers to keep things interesting.

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The Titans can surely get better in more than the two or three ways experts expect. Here are five prospects who should be available at No. 11 and can help the Titans win despite not being offensive linemen, quarterbacks or wide receivers:

Georgia OLB Nolan Smith

Nolan Smith rocketed up draft boards with a staggering combine performance, running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and vertical leaping 41.5 inches at 238 pounds. And his personality may have overshadowed his testing, flashing his big smile and showing why he's described as the key leadership figure from Georgia's national championship defense.

It might be tough for the Titans to justify drafting a player coming off an injury, given the team's own injury issues. But pairing Smith's athleticism with veteran edge rushers Harold Landry III and Arden Key gives the Titans a dangerous rotation of outside linebackers and improves a pass rush that disappeared during last season's losing streak.

Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel shared a position room with Joey Porter Sr. as Pittsburgh Steelers teammates for two seasons in 1999 and 2000. Now he could coach Porter's son, the three-time All-Big Ten defender who was born when Vrabel and his father were teammates.

The Titans allowed the most passing yards in the NFL last season. The cornerback room is young, and free agent signee Sean Murphy-Bunting is veteran insurance. But Porter's 6-foot-2½ frame, 4.46-second speed in the 40-yard dash and 63.6 passer rating against last season makes him a candidate to contribute instantly in the Titans' secondary.

Pittsburgh DT Calijah Kancey

Like Smith, Calijah Kancey stole headlines at the combine, running his 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds at 281 pounds. He's not just the most athletic defensive tackle in his class; he might be the most athletic defensive tackle prospect ever.

Interior defensive line isn't a weakness for the Titans. But Jeffery Simmons, Denico Autry and Teair Tart each have one year left on their contracts. Kancey could help the Titans keep a strength a strength and alleviate concerns about what free agency might do to the team next offseason.

Georgia TE Darnell Washington

It's no secret the Titans value size. Darnell Washington has once-in-a-generation size at tight end, pairing his 6-foot-7, 267-pound frame with 4.64 speed, strength in the open field and documented success as a run blocker.

Picking Washington at No. 11 might be a reach, as there are three other tight ends who could go in the first round. But none have body types that scream Titans quite like Washington. Teaming Washington with 2022 rookie Chig Okonkwo could give the Titans one of the most unguardable tight end rooms in the NFL.

Texas RB Bijan Robinson

If this offseason taught Titans fans anything, it's no veteran is immune to the business side of football. Derrick Henry is still one of the three best running backs in football. He's also got one year left on his contract and turns 30 in January.

Robinson is the most complete back in this class. He's strong, shifty, quick, productive, balanced and excellent in the passing game. Best-case scenario, he and Henry pair together for years and give the Titans the best running back tandem since Bo Jackson and Marcus Allen. Worst-case scenario, Robinson takes over for Henry after 2023 and the Titans ensure they don't have to adjust their identity in a post-Henry era.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: In 2023 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans should consider these 5 targets