The Tennessee Titans have taken offensive tackle Jack Conklin with the No. 8 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, giving them a potential anchor on the left or right side of the O-line for years to come. The Titans traded up to No. 8 to pick Conklin, moving up from No. 15 overall.
Jack Conklin drafted by Titans at No. 8 after trade up
The Titans landed Conklin after moving up from No. 15 overall.
Conklin’s rise at Michigan State from walk-on to All-American -- and now future NFL starter -- is a remarkable story. The Plainwell, Mich., native received zero Division-I scholarship offers coming out of high school, and eventually earned a scholarship at Michigan State after he arrived there as a preferred walk-on.
He ended up starting 38 of 39 games during his three-season career in East Lansing, with his stock rising in each successive year. As a redshirt junior, Conklin garnered multiple All-American honors and also was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection, establishing himself as a legitimate prospect last fall.
The former Spartan is a tough, aggressive and smart player with a salty demeanor that coaches love. He brings a blue-collar mentality and physical tenacity to every play, always looking for someone to block and consistently giving full effort until the final whistle. Conklin is a true grinder with a killer instinct who can deliver punishing blows and drive opponents backward with his brute strength.
He is a pure mauler in the run game, dominating at the point of attack and throwing defenders around like rag dolls. Watch how Conklin (left tackle, No. 74) flattens this Michigan linebacker at the end of the play.
Although he doesn’t possess the elite footwork of the other top tackles, he is much more athletic than he often gets credit for. Conklin wowed scouts at the Combine with top-five marks among his peers in the 40-yard dash, three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle run, proving that he has the athleticism to excel at the next level.
While his run-blocking ability is probably his most NFL-ready trait, Conklin is no slouch in pass protection. He delivers a powerful initial punch coming out of his stance and uses a wide base to hold off incoming rushers. He also understands leverage and displays good balance in redirecting guys at the line of scrimmage. Here he stonewalls a bull rush by one of the draft’s top defensive line prospects, DeForest Buckner.
One concern about his ceiling at the next level is if he’ll be able to handle the top-tier speed rushers off the edge. Conklin is not especially agile and can be slow to recover once defenders gain a step on him. His size, strength and balance allowed him to overcome those deficiencies in pass protection while in college, but he might struggle initially against pros who are faster and have more advanced pass rushing moves.
A natural competitor with excellent power and functional strength, Conklin should be able to step in immediately and make an impact as a quality starting right tackle from day one. The question going forward is whether he can improve his technique and lateral quickness enough to handle the left side of the line and become a franchise blindside protector.
Conklin was consistently rated as the third tackle in this draft behind Laremy Tunsil and Ronnie Stanley. Stanley went to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 6 overall, but Tunsil was still on the board when the Titans traded up. Tunsil was the popular pick for the Titans before they traded the first overall pick, but a pre-draft video of Tunsil smoking from a bong may have hurt his draft stock.
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