Titans go edge in an early way to early 2027 NFL mock draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and teams are now busy searching for hidden gems as they fill out their roster with undrafted rookie free agents (UDFA) ahead of the rookie minicamps that will be kicking off across the league.

The Tennessee Titans and general manager Mike Borgonzi are doing that while taking a deep breath after securing what, on paper, appears to be his second solid draft class. Borgonzi did not just add talent and fill some roster needs; he drafted with conviction, with an eye to the team culture and the future.

Although some time remains before we can see those new additions on the field, and the excitement is building for that, the reality is that some in the NFL media landscape have already set their sights on next season, specifically the 2027 NFL Draft.

While many (including this sportswriter) believe attempting to foresee the future, especially the NFL draft, in advance is impossible, it still happens. Yesterday, a way-too-early 2027 NFL mock draft by Curt Popejoy of Draft Wire hit the streets, with the Titans picking seventh overall and selecting South Carolina edge Dylan Stewart.

While this is a long shot to happen at this point, the selection does make some sense in many ways. Tennessee failed to address one side of their edge unit in the draft, and the team has only veteran Jermaine Johnson, who is entering the final year of his contract, and a question mark in Femi Oladejo.

The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Stewart does profile as a potential impact defender who could slide into that position. Highly sought after in the transfer portal, he signed a lucrative NIL deal to return to South Carolina after two solid years, during which he recorded 56 tackles, 11 sacks, and six forced fumbles in 24 career games while generating an incredible 88 total quarterback pressures.

While this addition does sound appealing, it is hard to fathom nailing this prediction one year out. Could it happen? Absolutely, but the odds don’t look good.