The Tennessee Titans traded Jeffery Simmons today. Perhaps the greatest Titan to ever do it on defense, if not in general, Simmons has been the anchor of many good and bad Tennessee teams. Moving him has been a possibility in recent seasons, but it never seemed like it could happen.
Well, it did happen, and Tennessee got two first-round picks (and a fourth-rounder) in return. We can cry and wear out #98 jersey to bed later, but right now, it's all about the future as a result of this historic trade haul.
Here are three players the Titans have to target with the 2027 first-round selection they just received from the Chicago Bears. We're fully focused on the defensive side of the ball with this one.
Xavier Gilliam is at the top of this list, and not just because he's already sharing a state with the Titans. The DT, in his first year with the Volunteers after two seasons with Penn State, has absolutely broken out for the orange and white.
Through eight games for Tennessee, Gilliam has a whopping six sacks, as well as two forced fumbles and 25 total tackles. Just about every other time this guy makes contact, it's either behind the line or the ball is coming loose.
Gilliam's past with the Nittany Lions is less than alluring, but what he's accomplished with the Volunteers suggests a more permanent leap than something temporary. His burst and ability to work off linemen makes him an impossible prospect to ignore.
Echoles is the more popular pick at DT, evidenced by his top-10 spot in Jordan Reid's draft ranking, and is the other DT that Saleh and Tennessee should have circled to succeed Simmons next year.
What Echoles lacks in explosiveness he makes up for in diehard consistency. The Rebels' DT has 21 total tackles and 1.5 sacks in his first year as a starter, finding ways to disrupt opposing offenses with a great footwork and ability to get pressure fast.
Last month in a win over the LSU Tigers, Echoles posted an absurd seven pressures, three TFLs, and one sack. He's got the tools to develop into a star at the next level, and at just 20 years old, all it would take is the right system to get him there.
You can say a lot about Robert Saleh, but the one thing that can't be knocked is his system. The Titans' defense poses a promising laboratory for a player like Echoles to grow within.
While it may be natural for the Titans to draft a DT to patch up Simmons' absence, stretching out to the edge for arguably the best defensive talent in the draft would be nothing to wave a hand at.
A South Carolina Gamecock in his third year, Dylan Stewart has shot up draft boards with two sacks and three forced fumbles this year. His movement as an EDGE and burst are simply unmatched in this draft class.
Stewart's ability to find holes in opposing offense lines - and then beat everyone to those holes - suggests the sort of invaluable high IQ that elevates a playmaker's floor. He's likely going to be a top five pick (if not higher) regardless of the team or fit.
If Tennessee ends up with a high selection as expected, it may be a matter of going talent-first and taking Stewart. He's the sort of player you're thankful to grab at any spot; the details can be worked out later.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/titans/onsi as Who the Titans Must Target in 2027 NFL Draft After Trading Away Jeffery Simmons .
