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If Tennessee Titans go defense in 2023 NFL draft, here's who I'd target

nick suss, nashville tennessean
·4 min read

This week, The Tennessean will be taking a close-up look at the Tennessee Titans' biggest needs leading up to the NFL draft, which begins next Thursday, April 27. Today, we focus on defenders who might be available to the Titans in the first round, which ones fit best with the Titans, and if there are any prospects the Titans should avoid.

All draft rankings are based on the consensus big board from the NFL mock draft database, a tool that aggregates player rankings from across the internet into one list.

Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez (No. 1 CB, No. 6 overall)

Quick bio: Gonzalez is a superb athlete with prototypical size who makes big plays look easy.

The pros: He's got track-star speed and bloodlines that helps him close and recover with ease. He's also physical enough to play tight coverage and help in the run game.

The cons: Opponents threw at Gonzalez a lot in 2022 (once every 6.5 coverage snaps) and he didn't force incompletions at an elite rate.

Should the Titans draft him? He's not a finished product, but he's got enough talent to transform a defense. Pick him if he's there.

TRADING BACK: Why the Titans' ideal NFL Draft strategy should be to trade back - not just once | Estes

ON THE RECEIVERS: The Tennessee Titans need wide receivers in NFL Draft 2023. Here are my 10 best | Estes

Texas Tech DE Tyree Wilson (No. 2 EDGE, No. 7 overall)

Quick bio: Wilson is a big, long-armed, highly productive edge defender who excels at creating havoc in the backfield.

The pros: Wilson created pressure on 12% of his pass rush snaps last season and had as many tackles for loss on run plays as he had sacks.

The cons: Wilson's been limited pre-draft with a foot injury. He occasionally struggled with missed tackles last season.

Should the Titans draft him? Wilson makes the Titans better, but given the team's needs, he's probably not the most valuable pick at No. 11.

Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon (No. 2 CB, No. 8 overall)

Quick bio: The best coverage corner in college football last year, Witherspoon held opposing passers to a 25.3 passer rating and 35.5% completion percentage when targeting him.

The pros: No one in the draft class broke up more passes last year than Witherspoon's 14 and he didn't allow a touchdown in 62 targets.

The cons: He doesn't have top-level speed or size, making it tough to translate his elite man coverage skills to the next level.

Should the Titans draft him? Trust the tape. Witherspoon likely won't shut down NFL receivers as easily as he did collegians, but he's a technical marvel.

Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. (No. 3 CB, No. 14 overall)

Quick bio: The son of a standout NFL linebacker, opponents essentially stopped throwing at Porter after Week 1 last season.

The pros: In his last nine games last year Porter was targeted just 16 times. He broke up four of them and didn't allow a completion longer than 14 yards.

The cons: His agility is limited by his 6-foot-2 1/2 frame, making him a better physical defender than side-to-side shut down cornerback.

Should the Titans draft him? He might be a little bit of a reach at No. 11, but an understandable one given how his play style matches what the Titans covet.

Clemson DE Myles Murphy (No. 3 EDGE, No. 15 overall)

Quick bio: A former five-star recruit who played better as a sophomore than junior, Murphy's skill level is high but his production hasn't always matched.

The pros: He's 6-foot-5, 268 pounds, moves suddenly, plays aggressively and boasts one of the best bull rushes in the class.

The cons: His production dipped from 42 pressures and nine sacks in 2021 to 34 and six in 2022. He's dealt with a hamstring injury pre-draft.

Should the Titans draft him? Not at No. 11, no.

Iowa DL Lukas Van Ness (No. 4 EDGE, No. 16 overall)

Quick bio: Van Ness has 4.58 40-yard dash speed at 272 pounds and can play inside or outside as a pass rusher and run stopper.

The pros: Van Ness' versatility is unmatched in the class. His blend of size, speed and skill means he can stand up off the edge, put his hand in the dirt as a defensive end or even take snaps as a defensive tackle.

The cons: Van Ness only has two years of tape, and Iowa's system limited how often he was on the field. He played in three more games than Wilson last season but 60 fewer snaps.

Should the Titans draft him? His versatility is appealing, but picking him in the top 15 given the Titans' other needs is ill-advised.

Mid-round defenders Tennessee Titans should target

  • USC DE Tuli Tuipulotu (No. 6 DL, No. 62 overall): A big defensive end shaped like players the Titans favor, Tuipulotu led college football in sacks and was second in tackles for loss last season.

  • Cincinnati ILB Ivan Pace Jr. (No. 12 ILB, No. 149 overall): Undersized, Pace buzzes everywhere on the defense. He made 261 tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks the last two seasons.

  • UAB CB Starling Thomas V (No. 26 CB, No. 187 overall): Only two corners in the class forced more incompletions last season than Thomas' 17.

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: If Tennessee Titans go defense in 2023 NFL draft, here's who I'd target