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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Florida safety Matt Elam is scheduled to visit the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Titans">#Titans</a> on Wednesday.</p>— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/321725506447876096">April 9, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Titans">#Titans</a> have also visited with LSU linebacker Kevin Minter and Kent State o-lineman Brian Winters</p>— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/322002542961782784">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Georgia d-lineman John Jenkins recently visited the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Titans">#Titans</a>. He's lost roughly 30 pounds since end of year and is in 332-pound range</p>— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/322035770338713600">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>UCLA defensive end Datone Jones is visiting the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Titans">#Titans</a> today.</p>— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/322345587745882112">April 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oregon LB Kiko Alonso told @<a href="https://twitter.com/alexmarvez">alexmarvez</a> on SiriusXM on Wednesday he's scheduled to visit the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Titans">#Titans</a>. Has already visited SD, Minn, Oak</p>— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/322389707352854528">April 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Nevada cornerback Khalid Wooten is visiting the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Titans">#Titans</a> today. He's versatile enough to play safety too</p>— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/322382035664662528">April 11, 2013</a></blockquote>
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The Titans are quickly burning through their allotted 30 out of town visits with just a mere two weeks left until the draft. By my count, they have visited or will have done so with 21 prospects as of this writing.
The most common name they have met with is Brian Winters, showing their interest in him as far back as the Senior Bowl. Winters was one of the standouts in Mobile and could be in the second to third round range when it's all said and done. Winters would be an interesting depth guy who could battle it out with Chris Spencer and Rob Turner for the guard spot opposite Andy Levitre. If drafted by the Titans, I think he sits and learns the game only to take over next year if neither Spencer or Turner is brought back from their one year deals. It seems like Winters is the guy they're targeting if they don't take a guard early.
Big John Jenkins is a mountain of a man that would dwarf even Sammie Lee Hill and Jurrell Casey. He was Georgia's starting nose tackle in their 3-4 scheme. The Senior Bowl was a mixed bag for him as he was stoned hard by Larry Warford (another Titans visit) multiple times but showed his potential on other occasions. Jenkins is considered to be a second round prospect with a slight chance he goes into the late first. It fits what the Titans are looking for in their defensive line this offseason: a LOT of beef inside. It's amazing how much defensive talent UGA has coming out in this year's class. Jenkins would replace the Atlanta Hawks rookie and former Commodore guard of the same name (obscure Vandy hoops reference!) as the preeminent athlete named John Jenkins plying his trade in Nashville.
Datone Jones, Matt Elam, and Eric Reid (also, you guessed it) are all first round picks that the team can trade down into the 20s and still get them. Elam and Reid are my third and fourth ranked safeties on the board that came out recently. Jones will probably be my third rated defensive end when that post comes out sometime next week.
Minter and Alonso are two of the names that I've been advocating during this entire process as candidates to complement or outright supplant the often injured Colin McCarthy as a starter. Alonso is an interesting test case of the recent Titans trend of taking high character guys. He had some trouble with alcohol early on in his Ducks career but seems to have corrected those issues. Alonso was the guy that gave Russell Wilson and Montee Ball nightmares during the 2012 Rose Bowl. He was also named a team captain this past year (another Titans draft requirement of late).
The list of prospect visits:
Name | Position | School |
1. Kiko Alonso | ILB | Oregon |
2. Sanders Commings | DB | Georgia |
3. Johnathan Cooper | OL | North Carolina |
4. Johnathan Cyprien | S | Florida International |
5. Matt Elam | S | Florida |
6. Shariff Floyd | DT | Florida |
7. John Jenkins | DT | Georgia |
8. Datone Jones | DE | UCLA |
9. Dion Jordan | DL | Oregon |
10. Barkevious Mingo | DL | LSU |
11. Kevin Minter | ILB | LSU |
12. Quinton Patton | WR | Louisiana Tech |
13. Justin Pugh | OL | Syracuse |
14. Eric Reid | DB | LSU |
15. Xavier Rhodes | DB | Florida State |
16. Brian Schwenke | OL | Cal |
17. Kenny Vaccaro | DB | Texas |
18. Larry Warford | OL | Kentucky |
19. Chance Warmack | OL | Alabama |
20. Brian Winters | OL | Kent State |
21. Khalid Wooten | DB | Nevada |
Interested but no visit: Bacarri Rambo | DB | Georgia |