Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network is reporting that the Tennessee Titans coaching staff is split on what to do in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. La Canfora says the defensive staff wants Auburn DT Nick Fairley while the offensive coaching staff wants Andy Dalton. According to La Canfora the staff thinks Dalton is an "elite prospect who carries less of the varied risk of other quarterbacks in this draft."
I have said it time and time again; get your quarterback regardless of where you have to take him. It is hard to imagine them taking Dalton with the eighth pick, but if they think he is they guy and aren't sure they will be able to get back in the first round to pick him, they might just pull the trigger.
I get the defensive staff wanting Fairley, but at the end of the day this league is all about the quarterback. The old saying is that defense wins championships. That isn't quite as true as it used to be. It is true that you have to be able to play defense to win a championship, but an elite quarterback is now the #1 most important thing.
The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28th and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare for it - NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it all out at SB Nation's NFL Draft Hub and our NFL Draft blog Mocking the Draft.
(h/t to GR1NDHOUSE for posting this in the fanshots)