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The Tennessee Titans welcomed their rookie class to Nashville on Thursday ahead of their scheduled rookie minicamp. This includes draft picks and undrafted rookie free agents signed after the 2025 NFL draft.
While the draft has been covered, the undrafted rookies remain a mystery. Did they find a hidden gem in the bunch? No one knows at this point, and anything else is speculation. But they did bring in some talented prospects, some that surprisingly fell out of the draft and were expected to be drafted.
Here is a brief breakdown of those undrafted rookie free agents.
Bernard, who is 6-foot-0, 206 pounds and has sub-4.4 speed, brings some size and speed to the table. He is an experienced back who played in 51 games (23 starts) at Utah, rushing for 2,217 yards (5.3-yard average) and 11 touchdowns.
Blidi is an experienced defensive end who has played multiple positions across the front line for three college programs. After starting at Texas Tech, he transferred to Indiana before finishing college with 21 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack in 2024. At 6-foot-3, 284 pounds, he projects as a defensive end in the Titans' system. Not the most outstanding athlete, he is disciplined, has a consistent motor, and has flashed against the run and the pass at the college level.
Crenshaw-Dickson has been covered throughout the offseason and surprisingly fell out of the draft due to a lack of quality measurables. Despite lacking elite traits, he is an experienced starter with positional flexibility. During his time in Florida, Crenshaw-Dickson flashed the size, strength, and athleticism to make him an intriguing prospect.
Evans is another experienced defensive end prospect who brings ideal size and speed for a developmental edge rusher in the NFL. At 6-foot-5, 272 pounds, he has the tools to succeed, but he needs refinement as a pass rusher to overcome some of his physical limitations. He may be better suited as a 4-3 defensive end, but he does offer some upside.
Gbenda was one of the most experienced linebackers in the NFL Draft, with 63 games of experience with the Longhorns. At 6-foot-0, 235 pounds, he is undersized and lacks the prototypical size to play inside linebacker in the NFL, but he does bring some coverage abilities to the table. With the Titans lacking depth at inside linebacker, Gbenda has a shot with a solid offseason.
Harris may lack the elite measurables to become a shutdown NFL corner, but he can develop into a solid contributor to the right system. At 6-foot-0, 191 pounds, his instincts are pro-ready as a zone corner, and he has the ball skills to make an impact. A lack of top-end speed could be an issue if left on an island with speed receivers. Another player that many analysts expected to be drafted, he could find his way onto the roster.
Hollis Jr. is another long, physical cornerback who might be best suited in a zone scheme due to his lack of elite measurables. An experienced cornerback at Northwestern and West Virginia, the 6-foot-0, 203-pounder has ideal size for the position but could struggle in man coverage against faster receivers.
Horsley is a valuable run stuffer with intriguing pass rush upside. At 6-foot-3, 312 pounds, he brings the size, strength, and technical refinement to anchor along the defensive line. Viewed as a developmental prospect and early-career run-stuffer, he does have some upside and could surprise as a rotational defensive lineman.
Kimber is another experienced cornerback with a more physical edge than a true coverage corner. He is a willing tackler at 6-foot-0, 184 pounds and could find a role in multiple schemes.
Lemons is a small-school cornerback prospect who doubles as an electric return specialist. An NCAA Division II All-American for the 2024 season, he led the nation as a punt returner, averaging 25.1 yards per return. At 6-foot-0, he has the size the Titans are looking for at the cornerback position and could be a sleeper in this class.
Lewis brings five years of college experience to the table between Syracuse and Notre Dame, and has the size that Tennessee has targeted at the cornerback position. At 6-foot-0, 201 pounds, he finished his career with 162 total tackles, 29 pass breakups, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and one sack. He has solid instincts for the position and may lack the physicality in the run game, but he is more of a zone cornerback than a true man-coverage corner.
O’Malley lacks prototypical size for the interior of the defensive line at 6-foot-2, 284 pounds, but has flashed outstanding athleticism during his 46 games as a starter. He finished his career as a small-school prospect with 130 total tackles (70 solo), 30 TFLs, 22.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.
At 6-foot-1, 320 pounds, Raikes is an experienced nose tackle with five years of experience between Auburn and Texas A&M. A stout run defender, his low center of gravity combined with his strength make him a force against the run.
Restrepo is a familiar name to Titans fans, having been Cam Ward’s favorite target in Miami in 2024. He fell out of the draft after a devastating 4.94 40-yard dash and lack of measurables, but his tape shows a savvy technician and route-runner with the chance to develop into a dynamic slot receiver.
Ross is an undersized slot corner at 5-foot-10, 177 pounds, who has flashed solid ball skills during his six years in college. He has shown the ability to transcend levels after spending the first three years of college at FCS Eastern Kentucky and seamlessly fitting in with the Memphis secondary for his final three years.
Thompson is another experienced defensive back with five years of experience split between Texas and Auburn. The 6-foot-0, 188-pound safety was solid in college and was a productive multi-year starter during his career.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Who are the Tennessee Titans' 16 undrafted rookie free agents?
Continue reading...
While the draft has been covered, the undrafted rookies remain a mystery. Did they find a hidden gem in the bunch? No one knows at this point, and anything else is speculation. But they did bring in some talented prospects, some that surprisingly fell out of the draft and were expected to be drafted.
Here is a brief breakdown of those undrafted rookie free agents.
Utah RB Micah Bernard
Bernard, who is 6-foot-0, 206 pounds and has sub-4.4 speed, brings some size and speed to the table. He is an experienced back who played in 51 games (23 starts) at Utah, rushing for 2,217 yards (5.3-yard average) and 11 touchdowns.
Auburn DL Philip Blidi
Blidi is an experienced defensive end who has played multiple positions across the front line for three college programs. After starting at Texas Tech, he transferred to Indiana before finishing college with 21 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack in 2024. At 6-foot-3, 284 pounds, he projects as a defensive end in the Titans' system. Not the most outstanding athlete, he is disciplined, has a consistent motor, and has flashed against the run and the pass at the college level.
Florida OT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
Crenshaw-Dickson has been covered throughout the offseason and surprisingly fell out of the draft due to a lack of quality measurables. Despite lacking elite traits, he is an experienced starter with positional flexibility. During his time in Florida, Crenshaw-Dickson flashed the size, strength, and athleticism to make him an intriguing prospect.
North Carolina DE Desmond Evans
Evans is another experienced defensive end prospect who brings ideal size and speed for a developmental edge rusher in the NFL. At 6-foot-5, 272 pounds, he has the tools to succeed, but he needs refinement as a pass rusher to overcome some of his physical limitations. He may be better suited as a 4-3 defensive end, but he does offer some upside.
Texas LB David Gbenda
Gbenda was one of the most experienced linebackers in the NFL Draft, with 63 games of experience with the Longhorns. At 6-foot-0, 235 pounds, he is undersized and lacks the prototypical size to play inside linebacker in the NFL, but he does bring some coverage abilities to the table. With the Titans lacking depth at inside linebacker, Gbenda has a shot with a solid offseason.
Iowa CB Jermari Harris
Harris may lack the elite measurables to become a shutdown NFL corner, but he can develop into a solid contributor to the right system. At 6-foot-0, 191 pounds, his instincts are pro-ready as a zone corner, and he has the ball skills to make an impact. A lack of top-end speed could be an issue if left on an island with speed receivers. Another player that many analysts expected to be drafted, he could find his way onto the roster.
West Virginia DB Garnett Hollis Jr.
Hollis Jr. is another long, physical cornerback who might be best suited in a zone scheme due to his lack of elite measurables. An experienced cornerback at Northwestern and West Virginia, the 6-foot-0, 203-pounder has ideal size for the position but could struggle in man coverage against faster receivers.
Boston College DT Cam Horsley
Horsley is a valuable run stuffer with intriguing pass rush upside. At 6-foot-3, 312 pounds, he brings the size, strength, and technical refinement to anchor along the defensive line. Viewed as a developmental prospect and early-career run-stuffer, he does have some upside and could surprise as a rotational defensive lineman.
Penn State CB Jalen Kimber
Kimber is another experienced cornerback with a more physical edge than a true coverage corner. He is a willing tackler at 6-foot-0, 184 pounds and could find a role in multiple schemes.
West Florida CB Virgil Lemons
Lemons is a small-school cornerback prospect who doubles as an electric return specialist. An NCAA Division II All-American for the 2024 season, he led the nation as a punt returner, averaging 25.1 yards per return. At 6-foot-0, he has the size the Titans are looking for at the cornerback position and could be a sleeper in this class.
Syracuse CB Clarence Lewis
Lewis brings five years of college experience to the table between Syracuse and Notre Dame, and has the size that Tennessee has targeted at the cornerback position. At 6-foot-0, 201 pounds, he finished his career with 162 total tackles, 29 pass breakups, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and one sack. He has solid instincts for the position and may lack the physicality in the run game, but he is more of a zone cornerback than a true man-coverage corner.
Northern Illinois DT Devonte O'Malley
O’Malley lacks prototypical size for the interior of the defensive line at 6-foot-2, 284 pounds, but has flashed outstanding athleticism during his 46 games as a starter. He finished his career as a small-school prospect with 130 total tackles (70 solo), 30 TFLs, 22.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.
Auburn NT Isaiah Raikes
At 6-foot-1, 320 pounds, Raikes is an experienced nose tackle with five years of experience between Auburn and Texas A&M. A stout run defender, his low center of gravity combined with his strength make him a force against the run.
Miami WR Xavier Restrepo
Restrepo is a familiar name to Titans fans, having been Cam Ward’s favorite target in Miami in 2024. He fell out of the draft after a devastating 4.94 40-yard dash and lack of measurables, but his tape shows a savvy technician and route-runner with the chance to develop into a dynamic slot receiver.
Memphis CB Davion Ross
Ross is an undersized slot corner at 5-foot-10, 177 pounds, who has flashed solid ball skills during his six years in college. He has shown the ability to transcend levels after spending the first three years of college at FCS Eastern Kentucky and seamlessly fitting in with the Memphis secondary for his final three years.
Auburn S Jerrin Thompson
Thompson is another experienced defensive back with five years of experience split between Texas and Auburn. The 6-foot-0, 188-pound safety was solid in college and was a productive multi-year starter during his career.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Who are the Tennessee Titans' 16 undrafted rookie free agents?
Continue reading...
