Draft Grades: Titans

I am almost always against drafting a wide receiver in the 1st round, and the Titans situation is no exception. The Titans have a very small window of opportunity with Kerry Collins as their quarterback and Kenny Britt is unlikely to make an instant impact. It almost always takes receivers two full years before they live up to expectations. The Anquan Boldin's of the world only come along every so often. Britt could end being an elite receiver, but odds are it won't be with Kerry Collins as his quarterback. There were other players available that could have make a more immediate need in Tennessee.

Sen'Derrick Marks was a decent late 2nd-round selection. The Titans clearly needed someone to at least attempt to fill the very large shoes left behind by Albert Haynesworth. Marks won't live up to the standard set by Haynesworth, but he could win the starting job.

Jared Cood was a steal in the 3rd round. His blocking ability is well below average, which hurts his abilty to be an every down player. However, with Bo Scaife already on the roster, the Titans only need Cook to be a situational player. He'll give them exactly what they're looking for.

Ryan Mouton was one of the bigger reaches of the draft. He easily could have gone undrafted. Cornerback was a need, but there were plenty of others on the board that would have been a better fit.

Gerald McRath is very raw, but has a ton of upside. He's the best athlete in this year's crop of linebackers and was a tackle machine at Southern Miss. He'll be a standout on special teams right away and could develop into a Pro Bowl caliber linebacker. Then again, he could completely flame out in a year or two. He's a boom-or-bust prospect.

Javon Ringer was a safe 5th-round selection. He makes Chris Henry expendable and someone is likely to want to overpay for the former 2nd-round pick.

Jason McCourty has experience at safety and cornerback and that type of versatility always increases a player's value in the late rounds. He's likely to make the team and should be an adequate backup and special teams player.

Dominique Edison is a good developmental prospect. He has impressive size and speed and could develop into a quality receiver. He won't make an impact immediately however.

Ryan Durand and Nick Schommer were both selections purely based on adding depth. With as many picks as the Titans had, and as few holes to fill, its unlikely that either player spends much time on the active roster.

Overall this was a decent draft for the Titans, but they failed to add the type of immediate impact player that could put them over the top in 2009. A cornerback, defensive tackle or inside linebacker would all have been smart 1st-round picks. As I said, Britt could develop into an elite receiver, but the Titans are within reach of a Championship and a rookie receiver is unlikely to play a significant role in that.

Grade: B

Will Braylon End Up in New York?

Much has been made of the fact that Braylon Edwards still isn't a New York Giant, but we shouldn't be shocked by this.

The Browns can't afford to trade Edwards until they have a suitable replacement lined up. If they trade him before the draft, they run the risk of missing out on a quality receiver with their (presumably) two 1st-round picks. However, if they wait until draft day, they can select a receiver 5th overall (Crabtree) and then trade Edwards. Or, they could select someone else with the 5th pick and then wait until the Giants are on the clock. If they are satisfied with who is available (Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt, prehaps) they can pull the trigger at that point.

In short, don't believe that the Edwards-to-New York deal is dead just because it hasn't happened yet. Any rumors that the deal is dead could simply be one side posturing in an effort to get the other to lower/raise the offer.

Crabtree Falling?

The Cleveland Browns recently hosted Michael Crabtree for a visit and reportedly so turned off by his "diva attitude" that they removed him from their draft board.

Now this could be viewed as a smoke screen, but what do the Browns really have to gain by saying this? Would the Seahawks really decide to pass on Crabtree simply because the Browns call him a diva? Somehow I doubt it.

This rumor appears to be the real deal, especially when you consider who is involved. Eric Mangini's no-nonsense approach to the game has already resulted in Kellen Winslow being traded and Braylon Edwards appears to be next. Additionally, the Browns immediately scheduled visits with Kenny Britt, Mohamed Massaquoi and Hakeem Nicks after their visit with Crabtree concluded.

And it isn't exactly a secret that Crabtree is considered a diva by many. If you caught him going through the car wash at ESPN today you know what I mean. He closed out his visit on the 6pm SportsCenter talking about how the hardest part of his offsaeson has been deciding which suit to wear on draft day.

While the Browns may be looking elsewhere on draft day, don't think that Crabtree will fall far. Its tough to see him slipping past the 49ers.

Eli Manning Wants a Receiver

Eli Manning wants a wide receiver.

In an interview with the NJ Star Ledger he said "they know we have some good receivers here, some young guys who can play football for us, but that we might need a No. 1 receiver. So I think that's what they're going to look for right now and I'm sure something will happen either during the draft or before the draft or right near it to help us out."

There's no need for Eli to worry. The Giants will find a way to get him a top receiver. The Braylon Edwards trade is still a realistic option and could very well happen on draft day. The Giants have also invited Kenny Britt and Percy Harvin in for visits (although Harvin canceled).

Draft Visit Tracker: Kenny Britt

Kenny Britt has steadily risen up the draft boards this offseason and he appears to have locked up a place in the 1st round. Britt has visited with the Jets, Giants, Vikings and Titans this offseason - all of which are potential landing places for him in the 1st round.

In my latest mock draft I have Britt going to the Vikings with the 23rd pick. The Vikings top need is a right tackle, but if neither Andre Smith nor Michael Oher falls to them they may decide Britt has more value than Eben Britton or Max Unger.