Todd McShay 2012 NFL Mock Draft and the Tennessee Titans

by Jimmy on Dec 23, 2011 9:15 AM CST in 2012 NFL Draft

Todd McShay of ESPN.com has put out his first mock draft of for 2012 (In$ider), and he has the Titans going with Andre Branch, DE, Clemson with the 14th overall pick. Things have really changed from the preseason when we thought the Titans had cured there pass rush woes with Derrick Morgan coming back and Jason Jones moving outside to play end. The thought of spending another first round pick on a DE makes me want to throw up a little bit, but it is a definite need.

I don't know that much about Branch, but he put up some good numbers in 2011. He had 10.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

Click through the jump to see McShay's comments about the pick.

Three of the Titans' top nine tacklers are from the 2011 draft -- LBs Akeem Ayers and Colin McCarthy and DT Jurrell Casey -- but Tennessee is still looking for reinforcements on that side of the ball. Given Branch's quickness, motor and strength, he is a perfect fit at right DE opposite former first-round pick Derrick Morgan. Tennessee also has a huge need at wide receiver, and this would be a good time to draft a young playmaker if Blackmon were to fall.

Elaborating on McShay's last comment there; I would be furious if Blackmon was still on the board at #14 and the Titans didn't take him.

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Needs; Safety, OLine, DE, and WR. Agreed if Blackmon is ther its a no brainer!

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by MexicanTitanFreak on Dec 23, 2011 9:36 AM CST reply actions

As a Virginia Tech student, very conflicted logging into MCM

And seeing Logan Thomas getting taken down…

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by I Believe in Rusty Smith on Dec 23, 2011 10:09 AM CST reply actions

Just imagine thats Marcus Vick.

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by Titanluv318 on Dec 24, 2011 12:50 AM CST up reply actions

DT is a need too

We need someone else to line up next to Casey

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 10:24 AM CST reply actions

I'd be so happy if we got Devon Still

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 10:27 AM CST up reply actions

I actually think we are pretty solid on DT

We have quit a bit of talent there actually.

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 10:43 AM CST up reply actions

We don't really have anyone that can contribute lots of minutes asides from Casey.

Klug is great, but isn’t an every down player.

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 10:45 AM CST up reply actions

We have Casey

but Klug doesn’t have the size to be an every down guy. And Shaun Smith has rapidly declined..like NewsToTom said the other day, he doesn’t even play 20 plays anymore. So, that leaves us with Sen’Derrick Marks starting and us giving up 100+ yds to Donald Brown

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 10:48 AM CST up reply actions

Klug, Clayton, Marks, Smith and (hopefully) re-signing Jones then moving him back to DT

I think if we re-sign JJ. on the cheap (since he hasn’t done crap this year) and moving him back into DT position, then rotate him and Klug, we would solidify our DT corp.

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 11:02 AM CST up reply actions

It'll depend on what Gray wants to do with Jones

If he thinks yr 2 of the DE project will be better, then we need to get another DT early. If he wants to move him back, I still think we should get one later for depth

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 11:07 AM CST up reply actions

Later depth DT I am fine with, but I think JJ at DT was significantly more effective then he ever will be at DE

especially with rotating Klug and JJ on the line keeping them both fresh.

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 11:09 AM CST up reply actions

Klug can rush the rasher

but his run D is still pretty suspect. And if we move JJ back to DT, he’s gonna need to put on some weight. I am worried that if he put on weight to be a bigger guy inside, he may not be as effective as he used to at DT. He was more of a speed guy who would get after the passer in Washburn’s system. I don’t know how he’d fare at DT in Gray’s

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 11:14 AM CST up reply actions

Who's rasher? He sounds like a bad ass.

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 11:20 AM CST up reply actions

Oh he is

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 11:24 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with you, but...

Gray’s D-line “plan” is not putting fear into anyone. Just sayin’

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 11:21 AM CST up reply actions

Yes it is

I’m scared to death that this D-line will give up 300 yds to MJD and make Gabbert look good tomorrow

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 11:22 AM CST up reply actions

Exactly.

Me thinks he needs to go back to the drawing board with his approach to D-line

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 11:30 AM CST up reply actions

Or he needs another season

with even more of the personel he wants out there. Another of season of additions could make all the difference.

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by JustinS on Dec 23, 2011 1:12 PM CST up reply actions

I am 100% against resigning Shaun Smith

Lets give Clayton some reps or just get someone else. Smith is worthless.

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by JustinS on Dec 23, 2011 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

Shaun Smith is signed for 3 years.

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 1:38 PM CST up reply actions

I loathe that man

release him or something…..ugh…….

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by JustinS on Dec 23, 2011 1:46 PM CST up reply actions

I have seen some clips of branch

And I don’t see the quickness that Mcshay talks about…I did like what Vinny Curry brings.

by shawneriksmith on Dec 23, 2011 10:31 AM CST via Android app reply actions

You guys seen any tape on DE Whitney Mercilus?

My friends were saying he’s a beast and is great at pass rushing. Also, there’s a guard from Wisconsin, Kevin Ziegler, who has fared really well against Devon Still, Jared Crick and Jerel Worthy this season. We might be able to get him in second round, which would be great value.

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 10:40 AM CST reply actions

Whitney Mercilus is an animal

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 10:48 AM CST up reply actions

Kinda reminds me of Babin

A beast at rushing the passer, not so much vs the run

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 10:51 AM CST up reply actions

BTW, I'd love to bring in Devon Still.

Anything really that would help at the line of scrimmage, whether it be D-line or O-line. Either that or WR with the first pick. I think there’s also some great value at WR after first rounds.

Ex. Ryan Broyles, Kendall Wright (love him), Mohammed Sanu, Dwight Jones and T.Y Hilton (small school guy but a speedster)

Ideally, we’d be able to address OG, DT, DE and S in the draft and sign a big name WR in free agency.

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 10:56 AM CST up reply actions

Still is awesome

In a perfect world, Morgan goes back to what we thought he’d be in 2010, year 2 of the Jason Jones DE project is successful, and we have Still and Casey clogging up the middle for years to come

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 11:08 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah, in my head, I imagined this would best help team.

Address one safety spot, solid WR and centre in the free agency.
Add Still with first pick.
Add Ziegler (OG from Wisconsin) with second pick.
Address second safety spot with third pick.

The only things left unaddressed would be TE, DE (but hoping Morgan pans out and Jones can get better with more experience) and the last OLB position (someone to replace spoon although I’m fine with having him in short term).

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 11:15 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with all of that, basically

the only thing I’d do differently is draft 1 S and get another in FA. I wouldn’t be too confident going into the season with 2 rookie safeties starting

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 11:21 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah that's what I said, my first line^ addressing one safety in FA.

I have to say I wouldn’t mind re-signing Babineaux cause he did make some plays early in the year but it seemed that he was on the wrong side of some long runs for opponents (I can count missed tackles from long runs by Turner and one in the Steelers game).

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 11:29 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah, Babineaux is decent

the long runs from those 2 games stick out in my mind too whenever I think of him

by trevor2013 on Dec 23, 2011 11:37 AM CST up reply actions

DWAYNE BOWE!!!!!!

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by JustinS on Dec 23, 2011 1:13 PM CST up reply actions

Mcshay is crazy if he believes Blackmon will be there when we pick

no way he gets out of the top 10. that said, I wouldn’t mind picking Decastro the guard. BTW this new app is a beast

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by nolesbroncos3456 on Dec 23, 2011 10:50 AM CST via Android app reply actions

We should go OG, DE and then S or WR

First Round: Draft David DeCastro, G, Stanford
Second Round: Draft Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina, Andre Branch, DE, Clemson or Best DE Available – DE is deeper than OL this year. A lot of mocks have Branch available in second round. I dont like him with our first pick.
Third Round: Ray Ray Armstrong, SS, Miami, T.J. McDonald, S, USC, Markelle Martin, S, Oklahoma State or Mark Barron, SS, Alabama…one of those should be there in the 3rd.

This would be my perfect scenario..then we could address our C, WR needs in FA …. there are a lot of WR’s available but I would target Dwayne Bowe.

And then we grab a C in FA….According to Walterfootball.com:
"Chris Myers has been the best center in football this year; I wrote as much when I listed my Pro Bowl picks on my NFL Picks pages a week ago. But Myers will be a free agent this offseason along with Mario Williams and Arian Foster. Can the Texans afford to sign all three players to massive contracts? Because there’s no way they’re letting Williams and Foster go."

In all likelihood we will not sign a big FA WR but I would be okay to keep our current WR core if we drafted a WR in the draft. But getting a solid upgrade on the OL in FA is a must.

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 11:01 AM CST reply actions

Yeah, I wouldn't mind that at all.

I also wouldn’t mind switching the first round and second round. I’ve been saying this a lot, but DeCastro is the best pick for us, and he’s one of the safest picks this year.

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

Totally agree. I would much rather take a safer OL pick than a risky DE pick...

…ecspecially since this years draft is weak at OL and stronger at DE.

BUT if Blackmon were there we shouldnt pass him up.

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 11:29 AM CST up reply actions

Ray Ray and TJ McDonald are staying in school

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by nolesbroncos3456 on Dec 23, 2011 11:07 AM CST via Android app up reply actions

I like it, except I think its a big mistake leaving WR unaddressed for so long.

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by WinnipegTitanFan13 on Dec 23, 2011 11:08 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah...kinda feel that way too...

If Blackmon were there then yes….Jeffrey would be hard to be turn down too.

Thats news to me, thanks Noles….Less S talent…I wouldnt mind then going WR in the 3rd.
Now that I think about it, I would much rather have a WR in rounds 1-3 than a S. I am happy Hope has been substituted with Babineaux….I could handle that situation for another year if it means adding another weapon for Locker.

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 11:26 AM CST up reply actions

What about TE? Resign Stevens or...

… I’ve seen Coby Fleener mocked to us in the 3rd and 4th rounds.
6"6’ – 245 – All Pac first team. 10 TDs last season.
Another weapon for Locker.
TE’s have become such a weapon in the NFL…game changers for defensive planners, see Pats Gronk and Hernz as example.

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 11:38 AM CST reply actions

I agree about having a solid TE, cause the game is evolving with the pass-catching TE.

I love Stevens, I think we need to resign him. I’ve heard of Fleener (from Stanford I believe) and I think he was the one that got a lot of praise from Luck. Also, there’s a guy from Clemson (can’t remember his name from the top of my head) who is ranked as the #1 TE who can block and solid receiver option (would have to be a second round pick though)

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 11:42 AM CST up reply actions

Agree....Yeah Dwayne Allen is good, always going in the 2nd round. Wouldnt mind that...give Jones and Morgan another year, and getting a DE later in the draft .

This mock has us getting Jeffrey at 13…(We will probably drop down due to winning out)
What do you think of us getting Jeffrey?

http://walterfootball.com/draft2012charlie.php

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 11:48 AM CST up reply actions

no thank you on Jeffrey

he’s a Britt waiting to happen in a bad way

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by nolesbroncos3456 on Dec 23, 2011 11:59 AM CST via Android app up reply actions

why don't you like Jeffrey?

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 12:11 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

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by XAGMNINETY on Dec 23, 2011 12:51 PM CST up reply actions

dumb autocorrect on phone...

…meant to say DE, OG or C in first 2 rounds, WR, TE in 3rd.

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 12:15 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

This

Stevens has been great and should be a definite resign.

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by JustinS on Dec 23, 2011 1:18 PM CST up reply actions

we have been so good drafting in the later rounds the past two years . . .

i wouldnt mind going with best player available here. we need offensive weopons so badly if richardson or blackmon are here i think we take them.

by CJ2K shrine on Dec 23, 2011 11:41 AM CST via Android app reply actions

Don't we get an additional pick for Babin's loss?

If so, what round would that be?

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 12:00 PM CST reply actions

3rd round

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 12:00 PM CST up reply actions

and a 4th for Tully I think.

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by StPrattrick on Dec 23, 2011 12:01 PM CST up reply actions

Wow, that's great.

In perfect situation, we can get 6 future starters from the first 4 rounds this year.

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 12:07 PM CST up reply actions

That would be amazing.

by WinnipegTitanFan13 on Dec 23, 2011 12:09 PM CST up reply actions

then how about adding TE, WE in third with OG, in first 2 rounds

TE, Fleener would be available in third.

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 12:10 PM CST via Android app reply actions

If we want, we might be able to get OLB Zach Brown with first round.

Guy’s a beast.

by infinitystealth on Dec 23, 2011 12:12 PM CST up reply actions

meant to say DE, OG rounds 1-2, WR, TE 3rd or another OL

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 12:24 PM CST via Android app up reply actions

I say no to TE

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by JustinS on Dec 23, 2011 1:20 PM CST up reply actions

If Blackmon is off the board when we pick i say;

Trade to the bottom of the 1st round. Pick up Jared Crick the other DEs aren’t big enough for the Titans defensive sceme. With the first pick in the second rd. We go with OG Cordy Glenn. Next pick in the second rd, SS Mark Barron. Ok the first pick in the third round, Whitney Mercilus. Second third round pick WR Rueben Randle. 3rd third round pick OLB Brandon Jenkins 1st fourth round pick C Ben Jones.
Think we resign our TEs, DTs JJ and Marks,OLB Spoon, Bailey, Shaw. Go FA at C, RB, WR,DT,FS.

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by Titanluv318 on Dec 23, 2011 1:11 PM CST reply actions

not a bad option. Although, I've seen Glenn mocked in the first round and Mercilus late first, early second.

What about C Brewster out of Ohio St.
I actually just saw a mock with us getting Decastro in first, Brewster in the second.

I always like the idea of trading back. Unless there is a great pick at staying put…I think Decastro would be one.

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 23, 2011 4:46 PM CST up reply actions

I actually like our WR corps with Britt coming back.

Sure Hawks number is about to come up and Mariani doesn’t really contribute in the passing game. But I think we’ll be set with Britt and Nate with Williams in the slot. But I agree that if Blackmon is there we take him. Best player mentality supersedes need in the 1st round.

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by Saru129 on Dec 23, 2011 3:29 PM CST reply actions

i think so too

that is why except for the drafting for the o-line we should focus on only drafting players on the defensive side of the ball because without a pass rush next year will be tough

by jv1222 on Dec 23, 2011 5:16 PM CST up reply actions

I'm liking Bruce Irvin as a later round pick.

Maybe in the 4th if he’s still there. Or Tank “My name is Tank” Carder

by FYNBYAC on Dec 23, 2011 4:35 PM CST reply actions

Soooooo

We are going to take a 3rd Round prospect in the Top 15, eh? I can see Bud firing every last person in this organization and starting over again, now.

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by NJD28 on Dec 24, 2011 2:28 AM CST via mobile reply actions

which 3rd round prospect in the top 15 are you referring to?

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by Deaconbrodie on Dec 24, 2011 9:53 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

OFFSEASON TRANSACTIONS

first we need to keep cortland F there is not a 3rd corner that could come in and replace any one of our starting 3… WE KEEP GRIFFIN AND BIG PLAY BAB AND DRAFT THE KID FROM MIAMI
GO HARD AFTER WR DWAYNE BOWE or jackson form eagles , AND A COUPLE OF OFFENSIVE LINE MEN that are good and there out there IN FREE AGENCY….. FOR THE DRAFT WE GO CORNER I DONT SEE A DEFENSIVE LINE MAN ID TAKE AT PICK 20 CORNER OR SAFTEY IS MY BET..
2 ROUND DE
3RD SAFTEY ****IF WE GOT COMP PICK ALSO DE ****
4 LB * COMP PICK FOR TULLOCH DT****
5 TE /OL
6 OL
7 DL

by inhell4life on Dec 25, 2011 10:32 PM CST reply actions