I’m absolutely sick to my stomach over how the Titan’s draft has played out today. I woke this morning feeling like a kid on his birthday. The spring and summer are my favorite natural seasons but the lack of football leaves a guy like myself dependent on the NFL draft to slake my thirst for pigskin. See, I root for the Titans. They have, since they moved to Nashville, a track record of making the right pick at the right slot (the Pacman Jones pick the lone -glaring- exception). Therefore I felt confident I would enjoy watching the team address their most significant needs.

Now, I’m no Mike Reinfeldt but I think most observers would list the Titans most pressing needs as:
1. Wide Receiver
2. Linebacker
3. Cornerback or Defensive End

If you read my earlier post then you are aware where I thought the Titans had to find a player who could mature quickly into a number one option on the receiver depth chart. David Givens is no one’s number one, Justin Gage has given no indication that he’s anything more than a track star, and after that you find some guy named Roydell. Not exactly an awe inspiring lineup.

The solution was in this draft. Everyone knew Calvin Johnson was the number one player in the draft. He would be gone long before the Titans picked at 19. However, Robert Meachem – a University of Tennessee product – had worked his way up the draft boards. Now, there were several teams who needed a receiver picking ahead of the Titans but there was a good chance that if everything worked out right he would be there when it came time for the Titans to turn in their card.

Lo and behold, it played out right. When Green Bay took Justin Harrell at 16 it was only a matter of time until the Titans had their man. The two teams picking between Green Bay and Tennessee didn’t need a wide receiver so I waited in giddy anticipation. However, when the Titans turned their pick in they didn’t select the player that fit their most glaring need. They didn’t pick a player who filled their second or third biggest holes. Shoot, they didn’t even take a player anyone had rated above a late first round grade. Picking 19th they selected Michael Griffin, perhaps the 40th best player in the draft. Griffin might be good someday, he might even help the Titans. But that was a wasted pick on a player that shouldn’t have went that high and won’t solve any of the Titans on field position problems.

The second round came around with quality wide receivers and linebackers still available. Of chief interest was Steve Smith of USC. Smith had posted good workout numbers and some thought he might have played himself into the first round so snagging him in the 2nd would be a good rally after the horrible initial pick. When the time came, again, the player the Titans needed was on the board. However, they picked Chris Henry. Henry, if you aren’t familiar, is a work out warrior who did absolutely nothing in college. Oh yeah, the Titans didn’t need a running back either. Well, not another unproductive running back who had done nothing but impress some stopwatches. The Titans have Lendale White, their second round pick last year. Adding insult to injury this pick probably killed the Titans’ chances of trading for Michael Turner, a running back who would make sense for the Titans – namely because he has demonstrated an ability to actually perform well in the National Football League.

I’m disgusted, sickened, broken hearted, and dispirited. I don’t care how the rest of the draft plays out…the opportunities to find players who help in the areas of need we have are now gone. We’re left looking at a draft rating that would warrant corporal punishment if your child brought it home on a report card and a mediocre talent pool from which we will be fortunate to generate an equal to last year’s 8-8 record. It is one thing to have a bad pick every now and then. It is entirely another to squander the two most valuable picks in a draft following a season where the team showed promise then saw almost every impact player depart.

Absolutely disgusting.

I miss Floyd Reece. I don’t like Mike Reinfeldt and tonight I’m sad that I pull for the Tennessee Titans.

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