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The Tennessee Titans have the number one pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. It is still unclear exactly what direction they are going to go with when it comes to one of the most important decisions in franchise history. The team has been rumored to be interested in a trade involving the pick, but it is more likely that they will hold onto it and invest in their franchise quarterback. Cam Ward has been the name most tied to the team, but Shedeur Sanders is an option, too.
The Titans might not even go the quarterback route if they don't like the signal-callers in this class. In that case, edge rusher Abdul Carter or two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter would be options for the top of the draft. Pick one is clearly the most important pick for Tennessee this year, but there is a prospect later on in the draft that fits their team even better than the options at the top of big boards.
Titans' positional needs
The Titans clearly need a quarterback. They watched Ward at his Pro Day, and reports suggest they will host the Miami product for a private workout as well. The quarterback is certainly a great fit for the team. He has a cannon of an arm and five years of collegiate experience under his belt.
Will Levis was the man behind center for the Titans last season. Levis only had 2,091 yards and 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions in his 12 games as a starter last season. He became known for his late-game blunders and lowlight-worthy mistakes. Mason Rudolph also spent some time commanding the offense, but he has since signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Levis is a former second-round pick and is still atop the Titans' depth chart, making the quarterback position the Titans' weakest. They have other positional needs, though. Assuming the Titans go quarterback with pick one, the receiver position becomes their next priority. They have a glaring lack of talent when it comes to pass catchers.
Calvin Ridley isn't the player he once was, and Treylon Burks has looked like a massive draft bust since the team took him in the first round. Van Jefferson was signed in free agency to be the team's third option, but he is nothing more than a depth piece. The lack of talent behind those three on the bench is even worse than the starting group, so Tennessee will have one of the worst receiving corps in the league next year unless they invest in the position in the draft.
In reality, the Titans are picking first overall for a reason. They have holes all over the roster. Edge, linebacker, and safety are other spots that need to be addressed.
Titans' perfect 2025 NFL Draft fit
Assuming the Titans select Cam Ward first overall, they will then immediately need to get him more help. You don't want rookie quarterbacks learning the ropes of the professional game without reliable options to make plays for them. For that reason, the team should draft Matthew Golden 35th overall, if he is available.
Golden complements Ward well because he has incredible speed and deep-ball ability. If they became a duo, they'd likely connect on a lot of big plays. Golden, a receiver from Texas, has been soaring up big boards as of recent. That has so much so been the case that there are even whispers about him becoming the first receiver off the board.
In all likelihood, though, Tetairoa McMillan and Luther Burden Jr. will still be picked ahead of him. Emeka Egbuka, Jayden Higgins, and Tre Harris have first-round cases as well. The receiver position is deep in this draft class, meaning there is a good chance that Golden will be available at the beginning of round two even with his recent draft surge.
Golden is much more than just a deep threat as well. He often operates out of the slot, and he is tough in the middle of the field. His hands are reliable and his route running is crisp. Golden had a team-leading 987 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns last year despite Isaiah Bond transferring into the program. Bond was viewed as one of the best receiver draft prospects coming into the year, but Golden ended up far outplaying him. He even had a faster 40-yard dash time (4.29) after Bonds predicted a record-breaking performance in that Scouting Combine event for himself.
The Titans have had receiving depth issues for years. It seemed like they might have fixed that issue last season with DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd on the roster, but neither player lived up to expectations, and both of them are off of the roster now. Golden would immediately fix the pass-catching problem in Tennessee.
