The 2025 NFL Draft is just a few short months away. This will be one of the most important days for franchises selecting in the top five, and decisions will be made that affect teams’ legacy for years to come. One player has stood apart from the rest though, Abdul Carter proved this season that he should be taken by the Tennessee Titans first overall.
The Philadelphia Eagles showed the football world just how valuable a good defensive line can be. It was the recipe for stifling Mahomes and the Chiefs offense in Super Bowl LIX. In his Junior year at Penn State, Abdul Carter showcased how much of a game-changer he can be. He recorded 12 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in what will be his final year in Pennsylvania. Carter was an absolute force down the stretch for the Lions, playing a large role in their semi-final run. Now looking to the NFL, Carter has more than enough film proving why he should go first overall in the NFL draft.
Guys like Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, and Micah Parsons have all been elite game-changers on the defensive side of the ball. These players have almost single-handedly created some of the league’s most feared defenses. Having an elite pass rusher is one of the most underrated positions, and getting a guy like Carter who is shaping up to be a superstar would be a great addition for the Titans.
At face value, the Titans need a quarterback. Neither Will Levis nor Mason Rudolph have panned out in Tennessee. In the AFC, teams need at worst a star QB to make a deep playoff run. The unfortunate truth is guys like Mahomes, Allen, and Burrow make deep postseason runs extremely rare for other teams. While Cam Ward is seen as the best QB in this draft class, it is incredibly unlikely that he will have success against the aforementioned players. The Titans, if they’re smart, need to play the long game if they want a chance at long-term success.
Everybody knows that next draft cycle, Arch Manning will be the bonified number one pick. Hailing from a legendary name, Manning has shown great promise in his limited time at the University of Texas. If Tennessee grabs Carter first overall, and then tanks this season, their chances at landing Manning are very high. Unlike Ward, there is a high likelihood that Arch Manning will one day be able to go toe-to-toe with the best of the best in the league. Tennesse needs to be patient, and while nothing is guaranteed, using this draft and the following one to build their future is their best shot at taking down the AFC giants.
There have been rumblings that the Titans may keep Will Levis entering next season, and go in a different direction in the NFL draft. This has caused an uproar from Titans fans, who believe that Cam Ward is the best player on the board. While Ward was a great college player, he isn’t the guy who will take a franchise to a Super Bowl. The Heisman finalist has a few knocks on his historic season.
Many view Ward as someone who broke records and almost led the Hurricanes to the postseason. The other side to that is he greatly benefited from having a great offensive line and running game. In Tennessee, things won’t always be as good, the team will likely be bad this coming season. The Titans won’t have the supporting cast needed to help Ward succeed at the NFL level either. When things are going well, Ward is a phenomenal player. The caveat is, that Ward struggles in adversity. He would force throws and try to play hero ball when it wasn’t necessary.
Cam Ward will likely end up becoming a great NFL quarterback, but he needs a good supporting cast that the Titans don’t currently have. He is not the guy the Titans should consider drafting in this year’s NFL draft. A place he could find success is with the Raiders if they decide to trade up, but that decision will have to wait until draft day.
There have been tons of rumors that the Titans will take Heisman winner Travis Hunter first overall. The Titan’s president of football operations made this statement when discussing what Tennessee may do with the first overall pick in the NFL draft.
“We won’t pass on a generational talent with the first pick in the NFL draft”
Hunter certainly does have generational potential with his ability to play high-level football on both sides of the ball. That being said, he will likely predominately play corner in the NFL which isn’t necessarily one of the Titan’s biggest needs. Guys like L’Jarius Sneed and Quandre Diggs will be more than good enough when healthy. In terms of Hunter vs Carter, Tennessee needs a defensive end much more than a cornerback.
As for Shedeur Sanders, he is a player with limitless potential given the right situation. In Colorado, he had a system that was not only made specifically for him, but it was also extremely pass-heavy. Throwing the ball nearly 5oo times this season, Sanders’s stats were a bit inflated. His ability to strive in the NFL will depend on what team he goes to, and how willing they are to work with him. A team like the Giants, who have an experienced head coach, and an already good supporting cast would be a much better fit than in Tennessee, where the offense is still very raw and lower quality.
The Tennessee Titans will have to make one of the biggest decisions in franchise history in April. I strongly believe that Abdul Carter will be one of the best players to come out of this draft, and it would be a mistake not taking him first overall. He fits the Titans’ situation the best, and could help them build a sneakily dominant defense.
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