- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,128,748
- Reaction score
- 59
Maybe the top three picks of the 2026 NFL Draft aren't as set in stone as experts have made them out to be over the last month, and this could end up depriving the Tennessee Titans of the opportunity to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 4 overall.
According to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Arizona Cardinals' plans at No. 3 are a little more complicated than choosing between whichever edge rusher falls to them. Weeks of speculation have indicated that the Cardinals will pick either Texas Tech's David Bailey or Ohio State's Arvell Reese third, but now Schefter is reporting that the Cardinals would ideally find a trade partner for the No. 3 pick, and if that trade never materializes, "some in the league" believe the Cardinals would be comfortable picking Love third.
This is a good-news, bad-news situation for Titans fans. If Love isn't available at No. 4, there goes the Titans' best (and arguably only) opportunity to improve the top-end skill talent around QB Cam Ward for 2026. But the good news, obviously, is if Love goes at No. 3, that means either Reese or Bailey is on the board still, and the Titans can fill their biggest need with a skilled defender at a premium position.
Pundits can go back and forth about which situation would be better for the Titans. Drafting Reese or Bailey would give the Titans the kind of game-changing speed off the edge they haven't had since, arguably, Jevon Kearse's prime in the early 2000s. That would set up coach Robert Saleh's defense to have the four-man rush he prefers and allow Saleh to call plays that can win in the backfield without dialing up blitzes, as is his preference.
The case for Love is just as compelling. The best Titans teams have always been built around dynamic, dominant running backs, whether they've been Eddie George, Chris Johnson or Derrick Henry. Love has drawn comparisons to top NFL backs like Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Jahmyr Gibbs, the kinds of dual-threat runners and pass catchers who can be on the field three downs at a time and can burst free for long gains just about any moment. That sort of presence would take pressure off Ward to be the primary creator in the offense and allow the young quarterback to settle in and develop more without having to play hero ball, something he wasn't able to do as a rookie.
The 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23 at 7 p.m. CT.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at [email protected]. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cardinals like Jeremiyah Love per report. What this means for Titans
Continue reading...
According to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Arizona Cardinals' plans at No. 3 are a little more complicated than choosing between whichever edge rusher falls to them. Weeks of speculation have indicated that the Cardinals will pick either Texas Tech's David Bailey or Ohio State's Arvell Reese third, but now Schefter is reporting that the Cardinals would ideally find a trade partner for the No. 3 pick, and if that trade never materializes, "some in the league" believe the Cardinals would be comfortable picking Love third.
This is a good-news, bad-news situation for Titans fans. If Love isn't available at No. 4, there goes the Titans' best (and arguably only) opportunity to improve the top-end skill talent around QB Cam Ward for 2026. But the good news, obviously, is if Love goes at No. 3, that means either Reese or Bailey is on the board still, and the Titans can fill their biggest need with a skilled defender at a premium position.
Pundits can go back and forth about which situation would be better for the Titans. Drafting Reese or Bailey would give the Titans the kind of game-changing speed off the edge they haven't had since, arguably, Jevon Kearse's prime in the early 2000s. That would set up coach Robert Saleh's defense to have the four-man rush he prefers and allow Saleh to call plays that can win in the backfield without dialing up blitzes, as is his preference.
The case for Love is just as compelling. The best Titans teams have always been built around dynamic, dominant running backs, whether they've been Eddie George, Chris Johnson or Derrick Henry. Love has drawn comparisons to top NFL backs like Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Jahmyr Gibbs, the kinds of dual-threat runners and pass catchers who can be on the field three downs at a time and can burst free for long gains just about any moment. That sort of presence would take pressure off Ward to be the primary creator in the offense and allow the young quarterback to settle in and develop more without having to play hero ball, something he wasn't able to do as a rookie.
The 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23 at 7 p.m. CT.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at [email protected]. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cardinals like Jeremiyah Love per report. What this means for Titans
Continue reading...
