All things considered, the Tennessee Titans have drafted relatively well over the years. With the majority of the team's first-round picks since making the transition from Houston to Tennessee panning out in some way, shape, or form, the Titans have also managed to make some surprisingly successful and impactful selections in the later rounds of previous NFL Drafts as well.
However, this AFC South franchise — like any team out there — is far from perfect as the Titans have definitely made their fair share of mistakes in regards to early-round NFL Draft picks. Although the Titans have added some key pieces to their roster over the course of the last two decades, it is always the ones that don't work out that get remembered — as unfortunate as such a notion is.
But hey, batting a mere .300 can sometimes get you into the Hall of Fame while the Titans have certainly had way more makes than misses when it comes to the NFL Draft. Nonetheless, the misses that have been few and far between have been some pretty unforgettable and infamous ones.
1. Former Washington Huskies QB Jake Locker: Round 1, 2011 NFL Draft (Pick No. 8)
The Tennessee Titans would definitely like to have this one back as the trajectory of the franchise did not head in the right direction with the team thinking that it was selecting its quarterback of the future back 2011. A collegiate standout that had all the tools and experience, former Titans first-round pick Jake Locker came off the board to Tennessee at No. 8 overall in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. However, Locker did not transition well from the collegiate ranks to the professional game as both injuries, and inconsistent play destroyed his NFL career before it even began.
In total, Locker made just 30 appearances with 23 starts for the Titans while lasting only four NFL seasons in all. Spending the entirety of his very brief NFL tenure with the Titans, Locker then abruptly retired at the age of 26.
2. Former Oklahoma Sooners and Missouri Tigers WR Dorial Green-Beckham: Round 2, 2015 NFL Draft (Pick No. 40)
It initially appeared as though the Tennessee Titans had the steal of the 2015 NFL Draft upon selecting former Oklahoma and Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham in the second round. However, the troubled pass-catcher brought his negative tendencies to Tennessee after many passed on him in the first round due to his troubled past. Proving all the doubters right, Green-Beckham spent only one season with the Titans before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, which actually netted Tennessee starting right tackle Dennis Kelly. Green-Beckham lasted just one season in Philadelphia as well.
Even though the Titans might have reached upon even selecting the undependable and inconsistent wideout, away from the field that is, it once appeared as though perhaps he has turned things around and left his past in the past. With the exact opposite eventually coming into fruition, the Titans were lucky to have hauled in the aforementioned Kelly, who has paid off in a big way for Tennessee ever since coming over from the Eagles.
3. Former Rutgers Scarlet Knights WR Kenny Britt: Round 1, 2009 NFL Draft (Pick No. 30)
This is a tough one because former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt actually impressed at times during his stint in the “Music City.” However, it was his off-the-field behavior and multiple arrests that ultimately landed Britt on this list. Despite standing out on the field throughout his five seasons with the Titans, Britt couldn't remain dependable, which eventually derailed what could have been an illustrious career in Tennessee.
It is worth noting, though, that Britt went on to string together a solid NFL career as a whole — all things considered — en route to suiting up for the St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, and New England Patriots as well.
4. Former West Virginia Mountaineers CB Adam “Pacman” Jones: Round 1, 2005 NFL Draft (Pick No. 6)
Even though Adam “Pacman” Jones went on to have a memorable NFL career, most of which was spent as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, many often forget that it was actually the Tennessee Titans that first took a chance on the West Virginia Mountaineers standout. With Jones proving that he could be a threat all over the field during his collegiate playing days, the Titans elected to select him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, an instance that began just a three-year abbreviated stint in Nashville.
Prolific as a punt returner and solid in coverage as a cornerback, Jones just couldn't keep it together off the field. Because of his inability to stay out of trouble and the limelight for all the wrong reasons, the Titans ultimately had to make the decision of choosing morals over talent. Had Jones been able to focus solely on football, something he managed to do much more toward the middle and end of his NFL career, he could have easily become one of the better players in franchise history.
Instead, Jones encountered a lengthy suspension from the league for violating its player conduct policy after a breakout second season, which more or less ended his time with the Titans as he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys shortly thereafter.
5. Former Baylor Bears WR Kendall Wright: Round 1, 2012 NFL Draft (Pick No. 20)
While former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright did have some positive moments in Nashville, the former Baylor Bears standout never really lived up to the hype of becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick. Far from a true No. 1 wide receiver, Wright could have made a living as a late-round pick that contributed as a third or fourth receiver when called upon. However, that cannot happen when a player is selected inside the top 20. Bouncing around the league after his time in Tennessee came to an end, Wright just never panned out in the end with players like Chandler Jones, Whitney Mercilus, Dont'a Hightower, and Harrison Smith — among others — coming off the board right after this Titans bust.
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