The Tennessee Titans won't have the entire draft class at their fingertips, but with only one team ahead of them in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Titans can't be denied the chance to take one of the top two quarterbacks in the class.
Will the Titans stick with Zach Mettenberger at quarterback?
Tennessee could use its No. 2 draft pick on a top quarterback prospect.
Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Florida State's Jameis Winston are considered by many to be the top two overall prospects in the draft class, and even if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers nab one with the No. 1 overall selection, the Titans will have the opportunity to select the other. But with so many other high-impact prospects also available, the question is whether the Titans feel an upgrade at quarterback is the best way to improve the team.
That question revolves entirely around Zach Mettenberger, a sixth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft who started six games for the Titans in his rookie season.
Why it makes sense to stick with Mettenberger
Mettenberger likely would’ve been selected much earlier than 178th overall if he hadn’t suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the final regular season game of his senior season at LSU.
Despite the injury happening so late in the season, Mettenberger still managed to contribute early for the Titans and eventually made six starts for the team. In four of those six starts, Mettenberger finished with a passer rating of 88 or higher, which is certainly adequate for any rookie, let alone one on a team that finished 2-14 and was severely lacking at the talent positions.
The team struggled to protect its quarterbacks, struggled to run the ball and struggled to create stops and turnovers on defense in the worst season in 20 years for the franchise. It’s clear that the fix for the team goes far beyond inserting a quarterback in the place on Mettenberger, who showed some promise in his rookie season.
SB Nation presents: What happens when the Eagles trade their entire draft for Mariota
Why it makes sense to draft a quarterback
Almost all good rebuilds happen because an elite quarterback is placed at the helm of the franchise. Even if everything else about a rebuild goes wrong, as has seemed to have been the case in Ryan Grigson's time in charge of the Indianapolis Colts, things won't be so bad if you find your Andrew Luck.
With the No. 2 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Titans will have the chance to hitch the wagon on the talents of a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback lauded as an elite prospect. At the most important, transcendent position, when are the Titans going to get this opportunity again?
Mettenberger wasn’t terrible as a rookie, but he was selected in the sixth round for a reason, and it’s tough to say he did anything as a rookie to suggest that he’s now worth handing the keys to the franchise.
SB Nation presents: Scouting the five best quarterbacks in the NFL Draft
Likelihood Titans stick with Mettenberger
The Titans aren’t going to tip their hand and will almost certainly keep their draft intentions under wraps all the way until after the Buccaneers make the first overall selection; however, the team is publicly sticking by Mettenberger for now.
"We like Zach, and I think Zach has the tools to play and start in the league," Titans general manager Ruston Webster said. "We've said all along that this is a part of this process, and we have to do our due diligence all the way through. Zach knows we are going to do that, and this is just kind of part of it.
"These guys are part of the evaluation process along with other positions. And we'll take a good look at them."
While both Winston and Mariota will get a close look at the 2015 NFL Combine, Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean says early indications are that the team is leaning toward giving Mettenberger the chance to prove he's worthy of being the long-term starter for the Titans.
Likelihood: 6/10
Likelihood Titans draft Winston/Mariota
Even if the Titans fall in love with one of the quarterbacks early, the best way to handle the situation for now is to back Mettenberger. There’s no need to tip their strategy by saying anything otherwise and the handling of Mettenberger’s disappointment can be dealt with after the decision to draft a quarterback has been made.
So there isn’t too much to take away from Webster’s comments. What we do know is that the Titans will have a close eye on Winston and Mariota at the combine and if either or both stand out in a big way, that could go a long way toward deciding the team’s draft day strategy.
Likelihood: 4/10
See More:
