2017 NFL Draft: The Not So Caged Muse (Defense)

Some thoughts this week on prospects. Is there a future Titan in the mix?

DE

• Carl Lawson (Auburn) is a guy that had a ton of potentoil and flashed talent but that injury history has more red flags than China and the former Soviet Union put together. He's a tweener that's stuck between end and linebacker. A great talent that dominated for stretches of time but could never really live up to the hype.
• Oh where art thou, Trey Hendrickson (FAU)? It's been forever since he's been on the radar after making a mockery of offensive linemen at the East-West Shrine Game. A guy who probably doesn't like the long and arduous path to the draft. I'm a fan of his after watching more of him, though.
• The Bill Snyder pro factory in the Little Apple continues to hum with Jordan Willis (Kansas State) being the latest consistently pro ready prospect. Like the program, Willis is often not the most flashy guy but is consistent like taxes (reminder: if you haven't filed, today is the deadline) and the Browns drafting not good QBs (or anything else, really).

DT

• Washington's Elijah Qualls is just a guy in my book. The defense around him did all the heavy lifting.
• Staying in the Pac-12, The Trojans' Stevie T would have been a perfect fit for the Titans as a big body NT. He's a massive mountain of a guy at 6'1 331. He could be a depth guy but with the signing of Sylvester Williams, I doubt the Titans take him unless he slips to the UDFA range.
• Oklahoma had another guy who has talent but didn't apply it as much on the field in Charles Walker. He decided to leave the program in the middle of the year to focus on his draft stock. Teams will likely take a dim view of that move.

ILB

• The class, as a whole, isn't what you would say a deep position. After top three or so, it's not that good. Which could be why the Titans resigned Wesley Woodyard. Something about the devil you know is better than the one you don't and all that.

OLB

• Let's face facts here folks, the biggest reason why TJ Watt (Wisconsin) is getting any sort of hype is his last name. He's not that good. If his last name was Smith, he wouldn't be getting any kind of love.
• Tim Williams (Alabama) is completely off my board due to his litany of failed drug tests while in school. Special talent but the off field history is too much to ignore. He did a ton of good things at Alabama, though.
• Marquel Lee (Wake Forest). I'm a fan. He was literally the Demon Deacons' entire defense at some points in his career. Could be a Day 3 pick that fits the Titans in a depth role early on.
• Alex Anzalone (Florida) is an inside linebacker to me but some have him listed as an outside guy. Yeah he wowed at the Combine but tape don't lie folks. What little tape he has considering his injury history. A bigger Colin McCarthy if you will.

CB

• Are you a cornerback or can reasonably play the position and in need of a hobby during Sundays in the fall? If so, the Titans may have an opening for you! Come on down and sign up!
• All jokes aside, I really like Fabian Moreau (UCLA) after watching some more Bruins games. He stood out to me on that good defense. It takes a lot to stand out in such a deep class but he did so to me.
• I don't get why Howard Wilson of Houston doesn't get any more pub than he does. He led an impressive Cougars secondary after the loss of standout William Jackson to the draft last year. Granted, Houston was under the fog of the worst kept secret in all of college football aka Tom Herman to Texas.
• Venturing to the land of Rudy Gobert (the best big man defender in the NBA), Brian Allen might be a name worth paying some attention to. He was part of a traditionally stout Utes defense.
• I wouldn't even think about drafting Teez Tabor until the fourth round at the earliest. This is no Joe Haden situation where he just had a bad day. On top of the slow times, he's had off field issues. No thanks.
• Desmond King (Iowa) a safety? We shall see, perhaps.

S

• I don't get the hype surrounding Florida's Marcus Maye. He wasn't anything remotely special during the season last year and now is suddenly getting talked about in the first round. Keanu Neal he is not.
• John Johnson (Boston College) is good. Try saying that name 5 times really fast. Name puns aside, he's underrated due to BC's lot as a program. The fighting Doug Fluties have several good prospects on the defensive side of the ball this year and next.

A small school guy I've been keeping tabs on is Lorenzo "send it in" Jerome (St. Francis). He impressed early on during the process and has been rising since. He could be a late round steal for somebody.