Ryan Van Bibber of SB Nation has put out an updated 2012 NFL Mock Draft this morning, and he has the Titans taking Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin. It is interesting that this is one of the first mocks that I have seen with the Titans taking Konz. Here is what Van Bibber had to say about the pick:

Head coach Mike Munchak spoke pretty harshly about his offensive line, the unit he used to coach before his promotion. Konz is a big upgrade in the middle over Eugene Amano, who moved in from right guard last season*. Besides improving the center position, it gives Munchak some flexibility with his remaining linemen.

*Obviously that should read two seasons ago.

I like Konz, and I think he will make a very good NFL center, but the Titans should not spend this pick on an interior offensive lineman. They can find a guy who can step in and play right away in the second or third round.

Let's be honest, drafting a guard in the first round is no fun. It's not going to be popular, it won't sell tickets, it won't generate revenue sales, it won't draw praise from the draft day commentary for our "outside the box thinking", but I'll be damned if it doesn't plug up a gaping hole real quick.

If nothing else, hopefully it ends the "crappy running back v.s. crappy O-line" arguments.

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We should see a flurry of mock drafts today after Saturday's Senior Bowl. The first one I looked at this morning was from Wes Bunting of The National Football Post. He has the Titans taking Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina. Here is what he had to say about the pick:

With starting CB Cortland Finnegan potentially leaving via free agency, getting a tall, physical defensive back who displays a natural feel in zone and can go get the football could become a pressing need in Tennessee.

That mock is pretty interesting. I like Gilmore, but the Titans would be crazy to take him with the pick with Mark Barron still on the board. Bama bias aside, Barron is going to be an impact player in this league. He is a guy who can come up and play in the box but can also turn and run with a receiver.

Depending on how free agency plays out, I think I would also like to see Melvin Ingram as the pick at #20 than Gilmore.

Mel Kiper has regraded every team's draft from 2011 (In$ider). You might remember that he initially gave the Titans a C, and mainly just because he does not like Jake Locker at 8.

Aside 1: I still don't understand how he is not OK at 8 but OK in the 20s, but that is neither here nor there.

Aside 2: This is the same guy who thought Jimmy Clausen was the best quarterback in the 2010 draft.

Anyway, he has regraded the draft and now gives the Titans a B:

The pick of Jake Locker was one I described then as the first true shock of the draft, even more so than the deal that got Atlanta in position to take Julio Jones. Remember, Locker has an immense skill set but still faces big questions about how accurate he'll be, and I thought he easily could have fallen into the 20s. On that front, although I couldn't fault the Titans for targeting a need, the value proposition wasn't in their favor. However, their plan for Locker has been superb; adding Matt Hasselbeck as a starter and mentor was a great idea. Elsewhere, the Titans got some really good early returns and value. Jurrell Casey and Karl Klug, picked in the third and fifth rounds, respectively, have been very good (Klug really got after quarterbacks), as has Akeem Ayers, which wasn't much of a surprise. It's hard to raise the grade too much until we know whether Locker is indeed the future, but, a year out, it looks as if the Titans planned and scouted well overall.

It is a crime against humanity that he does not even mention Colin McCarthy.

(h/t to oshoney for posting this in the FanPosts as well)

Russ Lande of the Sporting News has put out a mock draft, and he has the Titans taking Juron Criner, WR, Arizona. If you are like me, your first reaction is, "Who?" Here is what Lande had to say about Criner:

Kenny Britt had major knee surgery in September, and the Titans want to shore up the position. They choose the underrated Criner, who can make an immediate impact as a big-play wideout.

I do understand that at 6-4, 215 he fits the bill of what the Titans need, but I would be willing to be that they could get him in the 2nd round.

Wes Bunting, who is one of the best draft experts out there, has a whole post about why he doesn't think that Criner can be a big-time NFL receiver.

I am all about them loading up at receiver before next season, but they should probably spend their first pick on a guy who is a little more of a sure thing.

What I am about to write reminds me a lot of 2010. You see in 2010 the Titans needed a defensive end. It was pretty much the universal thought that the first round pick was going to be just that. Well there was a guy named Jason Pierre-Paul that was linked to the Titans in numerous mock drafts. I was terrified the Titans would take him because the thing that he was the most well known for, in my mind at the time, was the fact that he did back flips in pregame warmups.

I cannot tell you how relieved I was when the Giants took Pierre-Paul right before the Titans were on the clock. And, as they say, the rest is history.

All of that is a long winded lead up to this 2012 NFL Mock Draft from SB Nation that has the Titans taking Quinton Coples, DE, UNC in the first round. Here is what Ryan Van Bibber had to say about the pick:

Pass rushers are always at premium. Tennessee needs some help in that department after managing just 28 sacks last season. Fortunately for them, there is a lack of 4-3 teams looking for an outside rusher above them in the draft. They get a steal if Coples falls this far.

Coples was not very good in 2011. His first round stock is based off his 10 sack performance in 2010. A one-year wonder always makes me nervous.

As an aside here, the fact that Trent Richardson does not go until the 21st pick in that mock is ridiculous.

After the jump is Todd McShay's latest big board (In$ider). There is a lot of defensive end meat on the bone in the top 20.

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The draft order for non-playoff teams is pretty much set with the exception of one coin flip and the result of tonight's game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. The Titans will be picking 20th, which is the lowest pick for a team that did not make the playoffs. So that is awesome.

Obviously we will have a lot of time between now and then to look at the pick. The 2012 NFL Draft order for all non-playoff teams is listed after the jump.

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