ESPN's Mel Kiper has put out a three-round NFL mock draft today (In$ider), and he has the Titans taking, you guessed it, Nick Fairley in the first round. He has the Titans going with Ryan Mallett in the second round and John Moffitt a guard from Wisconsin in the third round. These picks make sense with the needs the Titans have, but I think everyone here is aware that my head will explode if the Titans end up taking Mallett. It is interesting to note that in this mock Andy Dalton was off the board before the Titans picked in the second round (the Bengals took him at 35).
Here is what Kiper had to say about the Fairley pick:
Defensive line probably falls lower on the list of team needs behind the obvious question of who will be taking snaps, but it's not a minor need. And to get the most productive interior lineman in the college game last year, a player who was simply unblockable in a number of key games, is a solid get for the Titans at No. 8 overall. Fairley gives you immediate help at a spot they need to address, and he offers the value of a top-five pick. Disruptive versus both the run and the pass, he will help this defense now, and they can look for a linebacker later on.
I long for the day where I see a mock that doesn't have the Titans taking Fairley.