Tennessee Titans will look to parlay No. 1 NFL Draft Pick into near-term success

April 17, 2025 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

It's difficult, if not crazy, to expect that having the first over-all pick in the NFL Draft is going to suddenly transform you into a better team. The NFL is rife more draft busts than draft successes. That's one of the reasons every team is always ready to re-examine their situation and load up on new prospects when late April rolls around.

The Tennessee Titans, formerly the Houston Oilers until their move in 1997, have the honor of going first this year after the futility of a 3-14 record in 2024. Two other teams with 3-14 records, the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants, will follow.

The Titans are reportedly set on taking Washington State Cougars/Miami Hurricanes' quarterback Cam Ward with their coveted selection when the list of 2025 NFL draft-eligible quarterbacks is receiving only a lukewarm response. That position is clearly overshadowed by the depth of EDGE defenders, and a strong group of tight ends, running backs, and offensive interior linemen.

Travis Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 1 player on PFF's Big Board Rankings, is expected to go second to the Cleveland Browns.

But let's get back to the quarterbacks for a moment. Though Ward is the expected number one over-all pick, and PFF draft ranks have him rated the top QB, he is just the 21st best player in the draft. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, son of aforementioned two-way star Deion, is rate 45th by PFF, while Alabama's Jalen Milroe is the only other signal-caller in PFF's Top 100.

Conversely, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton lead a list of ten running backs among the top 100. They are both among the Top 25 with Jeanty PFF big board ranked at No. 5 and Hampton at 25.

Penn State's Tyler Warren (PFF No. 10) leads all tight ends while Abdul Carter, also of Penn State, tops the list of available EDGE defenders.

At No. 6 over-all, LSU's Will Campbell leads a list of six offensive tackles that rank in the top 32.

Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan leads all wide receivers at No. 3 on the big board with four rated as first-round picks.

Malaki Starks of Georgia rates as the top safety in a group that is fairly large but mostly seen as fourth rounders and beyond.

As for Tennessee, here's a look at the 2025 season.

Tennessee Titans

2024 Record: 3-14 regular season, 1-5 AFC South (4th place), 3-9 vs. AFC, 0-5 vs. NFC
Odds to win 2025 Super Bowl: +17000, No. 28 of all 32 teams
Odds to Win AFC South: +650, No. 4 of 4
General Manager: Mike Borgonzi (2025)
Head Coach: Brian Callahan (2024)
Offensive Coordinator: Nick Holz (2024)
Defensive Coordinator: Dennard Wilson (2024)

2024 did not go well for the first season under a coaching staff that largely returns in 2025. Brian Callahan is back as head coach with Nick Holz and Dennard Wilson serving as the coordinators. But Mike Borgonzi takes over at the top after Ron Carthon survived just two seasons as GM. For 2025, Borgonzi and the Titans have signed 13 new players and re-signed 9 of their own.

The Titans are Callahans' first head coaching gig after the now 40-year-old entered the NFL assistant coach ranks in 2010 with the Denver Broncos. He came to Tennessee last year after serving five seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Offensive coordinator Holz was a long-time assistant for the Raiders in Oakland and Las Vegas, but spent 2022 at UNLV before returning to the NFL to be the passing game coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. His offense was the league's 7th-worst in 2024, but beat the Raiders by 1 spot.

Will Levis, Tim Boyle and newly signed Brandon Allen are the QB's on Tennessee's roster.

Defensive coordinator Wilson's unit also ranked 7th-worst a year ago. Edge rushers Dre'Mont Jones (Seattle Seahawks) and Lorenzo Carter (Atlanta Falcons), and safety Xavier Woods (Carolina) are among the free agent signings.

Bottom line - a lot of help is needed all around, and one draft and one group of transfers isn't going to suddenly buoy the Titans in contention.

The good news is the division is soft as the four teams in the AFC South - the Titans, Jags, Colts and Texans - combined to go 25-43 a year ago, including 3-17 against NFC teams.