The Tennessee Titans do not have a good roster heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. That’s the reality as new general manager Mike Borgonzi and president Chad Brinker begin rebuilding the team. The rehaul is going to start by drafting Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall.
Does Titans latest pre-draft visit say anything about Jeffery Simmons?
Why do the Tennessee Titans keep hosting defensive tackles on pre-draft visits?
Defensive tackle is one of few positions on the roster that is littered with depth. Jeffery Simmons is arguably the team’s best player. Sophomore second-round pick T’Vondre Sweat was impressive as a rookie and should take another developmental step forward. Borgonzi also re-signed Sebastian Joseph-Day earlier this offseason. Keondre Coburn and Dre’Mont Jones are also capable of providing Dennard Wilson with quality snaps inside.
Despite that, the Titans keep hosting interior defensive line prospects on pre-draft visits. We knew that Tennessee Volunteers defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott was among their “top 30” in-person visits. So was South Carolina’s TJ Sanders, and Florida’s Cam Jackson. The latest report has Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander making a stop in Nashville, a source confirmed.
It would be unnatural for the Titans to completely ignore defensive tackle prospects during the 2025 NFL Draft. But visits with Norman-Lott, Sanders, and Alexander are particularly intriguing. As pointed out by A to Z’s Easton Freeze, Alexander, Sanders, and Norman-Lott range from No. 48 to 83 on the consensus big board. There’s a decent chance all three prospects are Day Two picks.
The Titans are currently without a third-round selection. There are several more pressing needs across the roster, particularly at EDGE and wide receiver. Even safety and off-ball linebacker have larger holes than defensive tackle.
All this unexpected interest in top-100 defensive tackle prospects has rumors swarming Jeffery Simmons’ name. Perhaps they are unfounded. Simmons signed a four-year extension worth $94 million in 2023. He didn’t necessarily meet the contract’s expectations in 2024. It was previous GM Ran Carthon who authorized that deal (surely with a sign-off from Amy Adams Strunk). He’s the eighth-highest paid interior defensive lineman in the league on an annual basis.
The Titans have vehemently declined any interest in trading Simmons publicly. But Borgonzi and Brinker essentially inherited the Simmons contract. They continue sniffing around defensive tackle prospects as if they have a massive hole at the position. They don’t, but they would if they traded their best player.
There’s probably nothing here, but it’s worth monitoring any hints regarding Simmons’ current relationship with the Titans that may emerge on draft weekend.
