Experts hand out final grades for Tennessee Titans in 2026 NFL draft

Tennessee went to work on defense quickly from there. It traded up to No. 31, essentially moving back from the fourth to the fifth round to jump four spots to get Keldric Faulk. There are questions about Faulk's production (two sacks last year after seven in 2024), but there aren't any about his physical traits. I'm putting some stock in Saleh being able to maximize Faulk's power and 6-foot-6, 276-pound frame. And Anthony Hill Jr. can serve as a backup linebacker and maybe even push to start ahead of Cody Barton.

The Titans also landed a backup guard in Fernando Carmona and another option at center in Pat Coogan, but this class didn't pack much punch beyond Tate. If Faulk can turn up the sack totals as a rookie, then this grade would improve, but that's a big if right now.

Chad Reuter, NFL Media: A-

From Chad Reuter:

The Titans' selection of the draft's top receiver was a surprise, not because Tate's talent didn't merit it, but because top defenders Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles were still available. Tennessee swapped mid-round picks with the Bills to move up for Faulk, who fits Robert Saleh's defensive scheme perfectly because of his strength and length on the edge. The Titans found great value in their only Day 2 selection by taking Hill, an athletic, hard-hitting middle linebacker who should find the field early on.

The Titans grabbed fifth-round picks in this draft from the Ravens and Rams for Dre'Mont Jones and Roger McCreary. Carmona is a future potential starter inside with starting experience at tackle, as well. Coogan's leadership and stout blocking can help him compete for playing time this season. Finding Singleton in the fifth should pay dividends, because he's a good dual-threat back who played on a bad Penn State team in 2025.

Nate Davis, USA Today: C+

From Nate Davis:

First-round WR Carnell Tate and DE Keldric Faulk should play big snaps starting in Week 1. Second-round LB Anthony Hill might just make a push for Defensive Rookie of the Year, given the way players at his position – to say nothing of Hill’s inherent ability – tend to thrive in HC Robert Saleh’s scheme. Yet second-year GM Mike Borgonzi’s selection of Tate at No. 4 was telling. He projects as a very good player, probably the cleanest wideout prospect in this draft. He’s not Calvin Johnson … and maybe not even perennial Pro Bowl material. But picking him is a clear indication that the priority here was to help second-year QB Cam Ward, which Tate should absolutely do, not to give Saleh more defensive shock troops off the top. Yet Titans fans will be left wondering for some time whether Borgonzi should have figured out a way to deal up one spot for Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, who went No. 3 to Arizona … where he seems miscast at present.

Pro Football Focus:

From PFF:

Tate: Tate isn’t a name we often saw linked to Tennessee, but if the goal is to surround Cam Ward with talent and give him a real chance to develop, this move works toward that objective. Tate was the safest projection among the top wide receiver prospects, given Jordyn Tyson’s injury history. He’s coming off a 2025 season at Ohio State in which he was extremely efficient, generating 3.02 yards per route run as the No. 2 option behind Jeremiah Smith.

Faulk: This is a bit lower than where Faulk was expected to come off the board, prompting the Titans to move back into the first round to add him along the defensive line for new head coach Robert Saleh. Faulk wasn’t an overly productive pass rusher for Auburn, but he’s young with good size and athleticism to go along with PFF grades above 80.0 against the run in each of the past two seasons.

Hill: Hill is a strong athlete with good length who fits best as a WILL linebacker in a 4-3 scheme, where he can play in space and avoid consistent block engagement.

Carter Bahns, CBS Sports: B

From Carter Bahns:

The Titans saw the bevy of teams with two first-round picks and decided to get in on the action. A late trade with the Bills gave them the No. 31 pick, which they used to further reconstruct Robert Saleh's defensive front by taking Keldric Faulk.

Earlier, it was no surprise to see Carnell Tate go in the top 10, but few would have thought the Titans would be the team to land him. That doesn't make it a bad pick for Tennessee, though. With Jeremiyah Love off the board, the Titans shifted their focus from running back to wide receiver in the search for weapons to pair with Cam Ward. That's exactly what they got in Tate, who could become the second-year quarterback's favorite target as a rookie.

Saleh finally got his running back on Day 3. Nicholas Singleton is not the same kind of runner as Love but was a longtime college star thanks to his combination of size (6-foot) and speed (4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash). He will be a really fun ball carrier who can take some pressure off Ward and the passing game.

Reuters: A-

From Reuters:

Suddenly, QB Cam Ward, the No. ​1 pick in the 2025 draft, has an arsenal of weapons. Round 1 picks WR Carnell Tate from Ohio State (No. 4) and 31st overall pick, edge Keldric Faulk of Auburn, are tempo-setters and check boxes at need positions.

Vinny Iyer, Sporting News: A+

From Vinny Iyer:

Draft picks: WR Carnell Tate, EDGE Keldric Faulk, LB Anthony Hill Jr., G/C Fernando Carmona, RB Nicholas Singleton,

Analysis: GM Mike Borgonzi built up offseason momentum to do right by new defensive-minded coach Robert Saleh, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and second-year franchise QB Cam Ward. Getting Tate was better than reaching for a running back early, and Singleton is a sleeper there later. Faulk and Hill can change the defense, and Carmona leads further offensive line upgrades. The Titans are good enough now to sneak into the wild-card hunt.DT Jackie Marshall, G/C Pat Coogan, TE Jaren Kanak

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Experts hand out final grades for Tennessee Titans in 2026 NFL draft