The NFL Draft is closing in and the Tennessee Titans are almost officially on the clock. Which player will they end up choosing on April 24? Fox News Digital makes its predictions.
The NFL Draft is around the corner and there are several teams that have major decisions to make in their effort to win now and build toward the future.
The Tennessee Titans will be on the clock once the first round begins on April 24. There are a number of players the Titans could pick who would likely help them out immediately. But the decision will be left up to general manager Mike Borgonzi and his team to do what’s best.
In the meantime, Fox News Digital predicted how the first round of the draft will shake out. Read those predictions below.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
All the smoke and mirrors during the Draft process meant nothing: The Titans and head coach Brian Callahan are getting their hopeful franchise quarterback with the first overall pick.
What the draft process did prove, though, is Ward set himself apart from the competition, mainly Shedeur Sanders, to cement himself as the top selection this year. The Miami product had 4,313 passing yards with 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his 2024 campaign.
It’s unlikely Deshaun Watson will be able to suit up next season, and Kenny Pickett may not be the answer to the Browns quarterback woes. But the Browns will go with the prospect who could be the best all-round player in this draft class.
Despite the addition of Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson and veteran signal-caller Jameis Winston, the Giants are still in the hunt for their franchise quarterback. Cam Ward is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft this month, clearing the way for New York to take the Colorado star with the No. 3 pick.
The ideal scenario for the Patriots is for both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders to go before them, so they have either Carter or Hunter to chose from at No. 4. In our draft, the Patriots got what they wanted and run to the podium to hand the pick of Carter into Roger Goodell’s hands. With the addition of defensive tackle Milton Williams in free agency coupled with the selection of Carter, the Patriots defensive line would be revamped going into Mike Vrabel’s first year as head coach.
If Abdul Carter didn’t exist, Mason Graham would be in the mix for the first defensive player off the board. But with two gone ahead of Jacksonville’s pick, Graham falls to No. 5 in an obvious selection.
Arguably the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is the star splash the Raiders need to get the Las Vegas faithful in the stands. With a dependable veteran quarterback now in place with Geno Smith, Jeanty brings balance to an offense that is attempting to execute a short-term turnaround.
The New York Jets were 11th in the league in sacks last season with Quinnen Williams leading the interior. But the interior isn’t something the team has to really worry about; it’s getting to the edges consistently. New York takes Jaleon Walker here. The 6-foot-2 Georgia standout has a nose for the ball and can only add some significant depth to the Jets’ front four. He had 6.5 sacks and 60 tackles in his final collegiate season.
Carolina needs more playmakers for Bryce Young, so the consensus top receiver in this year’s class comes off the board.
McMillan’s catch radius is insanely impressive, as he’s able to secure the ball no matter where it’s put in his vicinity, no matter who is covering him. But the route tree and technical skills are all there for the man who had 1,319 yards with eight touchdowns on 84 receptions for the Wildcats last year.
The Saints have plenty of options here, but considering they appear to be sticking with Derek Carr in 2025, New Orleans gets one of the top-rated blockers to protect their quarterback.
Tyler Warren has largely emerged as the top tight end in this year’s draft class, and the Bears are hot on him for the 10th overall pick. New head coach Ben Johnson recently called him the “definition of a football player” after a stellar season at Penn State. Warren wrapped up the 2024 season with a school record for tight ends with 153 receptions, 1,839 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns.
George Kittle was fantastic last season with 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games last season. However, the six-time Pro Bowler is 31 years old. With Loveland, the 49ers are securing the future of the tight end position in a post-Kittle world while also giving another weapon for Kyle Shanahan to deploy on offense alongside Kittle next season. If Tyler Warren fell one more pick, he would have been the selection.
Dallas has its choice of the crop here, desperately needing a No. 2 wide receiver behind CeeDee Lamb. It’s a tough call with lots of options, but we’ll go with the speedy Golden.
With protecting Tua Tagovailoa more important than ever going into next season, Kelvin Banks Jr. bolsters Miami’s offensive line with a potential day-1 starter, according to scouts. Banks likely starts out at guard but gives the unit as a whole a dependable, strong and athletic blocker.
George Odum was the first and last time the Colts had an All-Pro safety in their secondary. With Malaki Starks slotted here, Indianapolis is getting a great ball hawk and someone quarterbacks may fear in the future. The former Georgia safety was an All-American in 2023 with three interceptions and 52 tackles. In 2024, he had 77 tackles and one interception. The Colts were 24th in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed last season.
The Falcons could use some more edge rush help, and though there is a stigma about them taking Bulldogs despite being so close to the school, they take one here in Williams.
Williams had five sacks, two passes defended and two forced fumbles. And he secured nine tackles for loss among his 21 on the year.
While Johnson suffered an injury during his final year at Michigan, his upside should be enough to convince the Cardinals to take a shot at bolstering its secondary.
After settling up the offense by locking down Joe Burrow’s two favorite targets – Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase – the Bengals can focus on bolstering up their defense in the draft. At 6-foot-6 and 319 pounds, Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell is a good start. Campbell led the team last season with 117 tackles and five sacks and received First-Team All-SEC honors.
The Seahawks signed Sam Darnold to replace Geno Smith, traded away wide receiver DK Metcalf and released wide receiver Tyler Lockett. They signed Cooper Kupp to help soften the blow, and with their first-round pick they are going to fortify their offensive line with Simmons. The offensive line, since the days of Russell Wilson, has not been a strong unit. Despite the season-ending injury Simmons suffered at Ohio State, the Seahawks trust that he can be an immediate impact player.
The Bucs’ arguably biggest need is an edge rusher, and thankfully for them, this is a defense-filled class. The Bucs get a good one out of Marshall at 19.
The strength of the Broncos was their defense last year, and they can keep it that way by adding a versatile and athletic linebacker who can bring the boom on all three downs. Ezeiruaku has the skills to rush the passer, chase down runners and even drop into coverage, and he certainly won’t have to carry the load on a very deep defense and brings a youthful feistiness that can make it that much stronger.
The Steelers’ quarterback issue is still a mystery just weeks away from the draft. Even as Aaron Rodgers may be in the picture, he will not be the answer for the long term. Jaxson Dart impressed scouts at his pro day and may have done enough to pull a Bo Nix and sneak into the first round. The Ole Miss standout threw for more than 10,000 while with the Rebels.
With J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards both finding new homes, and Najee Harris only joining on a one-year deal, the Chargers are going with the consensus second-best running back on the board in Hampton.
The Tar Heels product is the type of runner Jim Harbaugh loves for his offense: north-to-south, powerful, ability to fight through tackles and pick up positive yardage. He also has the explosive ability – he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash – and jump cuts to make guys miss.
Hampton had his best year in 2024 with 1,660 yards rushing with 15 touchdowns.
The Packers don’t let Grant get past them here. The former Michigan standout would be a big presence on Green Bay’s defensive line.
After making a splash at the NFL Combine, South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori might not be available with the 24th overall pick. But if he is, the Vikings will make their move. A difference-maker with size and speed, Emmanwori led the team last season with 88 tackles and recorded four interceptions with two returned for touchdowns, earning First-Team All-SEC honors.
CJ Stroud was the second-most sacked quarterback in the NFL last season. Despite that, the team traded away five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders and guard Kenyon Green to the Eagles. In need of help on the offensive line, the Texans turn to Jackson to come in as an immediate starter to help upfront.
After bringing in Davante Adams, extending Matthew Stafford and another year of Kyren Williams manning the backfield, the Rams need a guy to keep their weapons moving. So, the Rams get the big man out of Alabama.
Thomas is a project player but has a high ceiling and versatility due to his above-average size for the cornerback position. A switch to safety or even potentially linebacker might be in his future due to lesser speed, but his tackling ability and aggression make him a disruptive force on the Ravens’ defense.
Aidan Hutchinson’s injury last season cost him the year and likely altered just how deep the Lions could have gone in the playoffs. At No. 28, Detroit will add depth with Shemar Stewart. The edge rusher has moved up the draft boards since the combine. The Texas A&M standout had 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks and interest is growing.
Washington filled the gap left by Jonathan Allen quickly with the addition of Javon Hargrave. Now they go with some more edge rush help in the Vols product.
Pearce had 19.5 sacks in his three years at Tennessee, while totaling a career-high 38 tackles in 2024, 13 of which were for loss. He is quite explosive at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, running a 4.47 40-yard dash and a 1.56 10-yard split, which is one of the best marks in the class.
The Bills make the surprise pick and take Luther Burden III. Burden could make a play to be WR1 for Josh Allen and an offense that’s in need of a top-flight wide receiver.
The Kansas City Chiefs will look to boost their run game after Isiah Pacheco went down with an injury last season, prompting the team to bring back Kareem Hunt. He re-signed in the offseason, hinting at the Chiefs’ desire to add to the backfield. Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson is a good option after having a 1,000-yard-plus rushing season during the Buckeyes’ national championship run.
The Eagles have the most desirable selection in the NFL Draft – the last one. As reigning Super Bowl champions, the Eagles have seen a lot of players capitalize on their market in free agency and depart in free agency. One of those players was defensive tackle Milton Williams, who had two sacks in Super LIX. By taking Harmon, the Eagles will replace Williams and have another first-round defensive tackle in their rotation alongside Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.