Opinion: What the Titans should do with the second overall pick

I’m nervous about how the Tennessee Titans will use their second overall pick this year, and you should be too.

The Titans have struck out when it has come to drafting players within the top 9 over the last decade. Let’s take a small trip down memory lane to examine what I’m really talking about.

“Pacman” Jones

Ten years ago, the Titans drafted a young stud at the cornerback position out of West Virginia with the sixth overall pick by the name of Adam “Pacman” Jones. He had off-the-field problems even in college, but the Titans were willing to give him a shot. Jones showed flashes of greatness on the field but continued to be an idiot when he wasn’t wearing pads. He was connected with multiple shootings in different strip clubs, charged with public intoxication, drug possession, and assaulted multiple women. Long story short, Jones was suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell, and the Titans were finally ready to give up on him.

Vince Young

The next year, in 2006, the Titans drafted Vince Young with the third overall pick. His rookie year had Titans fans thanking the football gods for this kid out of Texas. Even I jumped on board and bought a “conVINCEd yet?” shirt. He was the NFL Rookie of the Week four separate times, the NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. He also went on to be selected to two Pro Bowls and was on the cover of “Madden Football ’08.” The Texas Senate even passed a resolution on February 20, 2007, to declare the day “Vince Young Day” throughout the state. This was just setting up Young for his grand fall from stardom, and I was there for it all. I was there for the good times, his first start up in Landover, Maryland, where he led the winless Titans to his first NFL win over the Redskins. I was also there for the bad times, his last game as a Titan, also against the Redskins in Nashville, where I saw him throw his pads into the stands after the game as he screamed out words that are still not a part of my vocabulary. He was not allowed to reenter the game after injuring his hand and had a confrontation with head coach Jeff Fisher in the locker room. When the smoke settled, the Titans had lost their quarterback and their great head coach.

Jake Locker

In 2011, the Titans selected quarterback Jake Locker with the eighth overall pick. He was a dual threat quarterback out of Washington and showed some flashes of greatness when he was on the field, which was rare. I dubbed him, “the porcelain prince of Nashville.” It seemed like the dude couldn’t hand off the ball without breaking a bone. Locker announced his retirement just over a month ago, citing his lack of desire to play the game of football any longer.

Now that we have looked at the past, lets look at some prospects the Titans should consider on draft day.

Jameis Winston

“The crab leg king.” “The sultan of seafood.” Yes I’m talking about famous Jameis. While he is famous for trying to rob Publix, Winston had a great college career at FSU. He’s the only QB in college football to win his first 26 starts, and he picked up a Heisman Trophy along the way. He has great size at 6’4 and possesses NFL arm strength. He also is quick in the pocket and has the ability to avoid edge pressure and step up when needed to. His decision making isn’t the best, even though NFL scouts say that he has a good football IQ. In my opinion, his biggest problem is his off-the-field character and decision making. Yes, I know that people can take these matters too seriously, but the Titans took a shot on “Pacman” Jones and look what happened. I’m not completely sold on Winston, and the Titans do not need another guy who is going to act a fool when he gets his first paycheck.

Marcus Mariota

Mariota is another smart QB who is also a Heisman Trophy winner. He led Oregon to the National Championship game this year and passed for 105 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions in 41 career starts. He also can run the ball, as he recorded a 4.52 40-yard dash time at the combine. Many Titans fans are enamored with Mariota, and some have even started a “suck for the duck” campaign. My main concern with Mariota is the system he was in at Oregon. He was perfect for their quick, simplified offense, and I can’t see him being a good NFL QB unless he ends up in Philadelphia with his former coach Chip Kelly, who runs a similar offense. I can’t see him doing much in Ken Whisenhunt’s system. He’s definitely a good piece to a puzzle, just not one that fits what the Titans need right now.

Leonard Williams

Leonard Williams is the best player in the draft in my opinion. He’s a 6’5, 302 pound defensive end who is a freak athlete. He’s a guy you can put wherever you want on the defensive line, and he can make a play. NFL offensive linemen will have trouble containing him, and while he is still very raw, he is continuing to develop more skills that will make him a star one day. While I would be happy with the Titans selecting Williams, there is one other option I like better.

Philip Rivers

Yes, yes, I know that Philip Rivers isn’t a draft prospect and has been in the league for 10 years and is 33 years old. The reason I bring him up is because he is the answer for the Titans right now. The Titans should trade the second overall pick to the San Diego Chargers for Rivers and their first round pick. It’s a win-win situation. The Titans get a quarterback who can contribute right away and can still get a difference maker in the first round to fill another need on either side of the ball.

Do it Tennessee. Take yourself out of a situation which you have failed in time after time again.

Edited by Maggie Jones