SI’s Don Banks Has BYU’s Ziggy Ansah to Titans at #10

Sports Illustrated columnist Don Banks has the Titans using their 10th overall pick on 6-5, 271-pound defensive end Ziggy Ansah out of BYU.

Banks’ latest mock draft shows Alabama guard Chance Warmack going to Arizona at #7 and North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper selected by Buffalo at #8.

Banks says: “The top-eight run on offensive linemen unfortunately leaves the Titans out in the cold on that front, but they can also readily use more pass rush and some disruptive defenders. In this scenario Tennessee would have its choice between the raw but intriguing Ansah and the play-making (Barkevious) Mingo. The Titans could also put the pick up for auction if anybody has to have either of those players, quarterback Geno Smith, or even Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes (Miami, we’re looking in your direction).”

Here’s how Banks sees the first round going down:

1. Kansas City: OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
2. Jacksonville: DE/OLB Dion Jordan, Oregon
3. Oakland: DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida
4. Philadelphia: DT Star Lotulelei, Utah
5. Detroit: OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
6. San Diego: OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
7. Arizona: G Chance Warmack, Alabama
8. Buffalo: G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
9. N.Y. Jets: CB Dee Milliner, Alabama
10. Tennessee: DE Ziggy Ansah, BYU
11. Cleveland: QB Geno Smith, West Virginia
12. Miami: CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
13. N.Y. Jets: DE/OLB Barkevious Mingo, LSU
14. Carolina: DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
15. New Orleans: OLB Jarvis Jones, Georgia
16. St. Louis: WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia
17. Pittsburgh: DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State
18. Dallas: DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
19. N.Y. Giants: DE Tank Carradine, Florida State
20. Chicago: TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
21. Cincinnati: LB Alec Ogletree, Georgia
22. St. Louis: S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
23. Minnesota: CB Desmond Trufant, Washington
24. Indianapolis: OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama
25. Minnesota: LB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
26. Green Bay: OT Menelik Watson, Florida State
27. Houston: WR Keenan Allen, California
28. Denver: DE Datone Jones, UCLA
29. New England: CB D.J. Hayden, Houston
30. Atlanta: CB Jamar Taylor, Boise State
31. San Francisco: WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee
32. Baltimore: S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International

So let’s hear from Titans fans — who would be your pick at #10 should the draft go down like Banks says it will in the first nine picks?

Mock Drafts Show Different Options for Titans

With the NFL Draft just around the corner, we have accumulated the latest mock drafts from a variety of analysts. So here they are, and feel free to chime in with your opinion.

Don Banks, SI.com – G Chance Warmack, Alabama

Brian Billick, NFL Network – G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

Gil Brandt, NFL.com — G Chance Warmack, Alabama

Bucky Brooks, NFL Network – DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

Dan Brugler, NFLDraftScout – G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

Charley Casserly, NFL Network – G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

Charles Davis, NFL Network – G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

Akbar Gbajabiamila, NFL Network – G Chance Warmack, Alabama

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network – G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

Mel Kiper, ESPN – G Chance Warmack, Alabama

Todd McShay, ESPN – DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida

Josh Norris, NFL.com – S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

Tony Pauline, Draft Analyst – DE Ezekiel Ansah, Brigham Young

Scott Pioli, NFL Network – S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout – LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia

Matt Smith, NFL.com – G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

Mike Tannenbaum, NFL Network – DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri

Clay Travis, Nashville’s 104.5 the Zone – DE Barkevious Mingo, LSU

Preseason Slate Offers Titans Top-Level Competition

The Titans will face four playoff teams in the preseason — Washington, Cincinnati, Atlanta and Minnesota — giving them a high level of preparation entering the 2013 regular season.

“It will be a great opportunity for us to evaluate our own players and see where we stand against some of the better teams in the National Football League,” GM Ruston Webster told Titans Online Thursday.

The four opponents also present a variety of different style quarterbacks for Tennessee’s defense to prepare for.

“We’ll see it all,” Webster said. “We’ll see spread and read options, we’ll see drop-back passers and some outstanding NFL players.”

All in all, an attractive preseason slate for Titans fans with the Redskins and Falcons offering some star power and regional flare at LP Field.

Will Titans and Falcons Practice Again in Training Camp?

Will the Titans conduct another joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons during training camp?

They did so last year in Dalton, Ga., and both sides deemed it a success.

With Thursday’s announcement showing the Titans hosting Atlanta in the third week of the preseason, the question was broached to Titans GM Ruston Webster.

“We’ve talked about that and we’ll just have to see if it works out with both of our schedules,” Webster said. “We had great work with Atlanta last year. I really felt like it was good for us and Coach Munchak felt like it was good for us. We’ve had talks, but we’ll just see.”

Mike Mayock’s Top 5 Players at Each Position in Draft

NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock recently unveiled the third edition of his list of top five players at each position in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Quarterback
1. Geno Smith, West Virginia
2. EJ Manuel, Florida State
3. Matt Barkley, USC
4. Mike Glennon, N.C. State
T-5. Ryan Nassib, Syracuse
T-5. Landry Jones, Oklahoma

Running Back
1. Eddie Lacy, Alabama
2. Montee Ball, Wisconsin
3. Andre Ellington, Clemson
4. Giovani Bernard, North Carolina
5. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

Wide Receiver
1. Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee
2. Keenan Allen, Cal
3. Tavon Austin, West Virginia
4. Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech
5. DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson

Tight End
1. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
2. Zach Ertz, Stanford
3. Gavin Escobar, San Diego State
4. Travis Kelce, Cincinnati
5. Vance McDonald, Rice

Center
1. Travis Frederick, Wisconsin
2. Brian Schwenke, Cal
3. Barrett Jones, Alabama
4. Khaled Holmes, USC
5. Braxston Cave, Notre Dame

Guard
1. Chance Warmack, Alabama
2. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
3. Larry Warford, Kentucky
4. Kyle Long, Oregon
5. Brian Winters, Kent State

Tackle
1. Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
2. Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
3. Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
4. D.J. Fluker, Alabama
T-5. Menelik Watson, Florida State
T-5. Justin Pugh, Syracuse

4-3 Defensive End
1. Bjoern Werner, Florida State
2. Ezekiel Ansah, BYU
3. Damontre Moore, Texas A&M
4. Sam Montgomery, LSU
T-5. Tank Carradine, Florida State
T-5. Alex Okafor, Texas

3-4 Defensive End
1. Star Lotulelei, Utah
2. Margus Hunt, SMU
3. Datone Jones, UCLA
4. Jesse Williams, Alabama
5. William Gholston, Michigan State

Defensive Tackle
1. Sharrif Floyd, Florida
2. Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
3. Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
4. Kawann Short, Purdue
5. Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State

4-3 Outside Linebacker
1. Jarvis Jones, Georgia
2. Arthur Brown, Kansas State
3. Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
4. Sio Moore, Connecticut
5. Chase Thomas, Stanford

3-4 Outside Linebacker
1. Dion Jordan, Oregon
2. Jamie Collins, Southern Miss
3. Barkevious Mingo, LSU
4. Michael Buchanan, Illinois
5. Corey Lemonier, Auburn

Inside Linebacker
1. Alec Ogletree, Georgia
2. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
3. Kevin Minter, LSU
4. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina
5. Kiko Alonso, Oregon

Cornerback
1. Dee Milliner, Alabama
2. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
3. D.J. Hayden, Houston
4. Desmond Trufant, Washington
5. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, Connecticut

Safety
1. Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
2. Matt Elam, Florida
3. Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International
4. Eric Reid, LSU
5. Shamarko Thomas, Syracuse

Titans Listed Among AFC’s Winners in Free Agency

The Titans entered the 2013 off-season with a calculated plan.

They specifically targeted players they felt would fill needs and wasted little time acquiring them once free agency began.

Three weeks into free agency, rave reviews continue to pour in for the job GM Ruston Webster and his staff have done playing an aggressive role in improving Tennessee’s roster on both sides of the ball.

In a recent story on NFL.com, the Titans are mentioned as one of three free agency winners in the AFC, along with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.

NFL.com Around the League Editor Gregg Rosenthal said the the Titans’ approach to free agency “looked like a plan.”

“They got tougher,” Rosenthal wrote. “Guard Andy Levitre helps shore up their interior offensive line. Delanie Walker might be the best blocking tight end in football and could put up comparable numbers as a receiver to the departed Jared Cook. Defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill and safety George Wilson were smart, cheap pickups on defense.”

Webster told Titans Online.com Friday free agency signings will likely slow down now as the team turns its attention to the NFL Draft.

But don’t rule out additional signings if the right situation becomes available and makes sense.

Mike Munchak: “Jake’s Going to be Our Guy”

When the Titans agreed to terms with Ryan Fitzpatrick Monday after contract negotiations broke down with Matt Hasselbeck, it was with the understanding that he will serve as Jake Locker’s backup going forward.

Head coach Mike Munchak made that clear during an interview with Fox Sports.com’s Alex Marvez at the NFL owners meeting.

“I think (Fitzpatrick) understands his role,” Munchak said. “It’s Jake’s team. It’s Jake’s time. Jake’s going to be our guy. We made that decision last year after training camp.

“Ryan has been in this situation before … He’s going to compete with (Locker) and I think he’ll help him a lot throughout the week. It will be another great mentor for him. And we feel he can win if he has to play. That’s how we felt with Matt Hasselbeck also.”

Unlike last year when Munchak staged a training camp/preseason battle between Locker and Hasselbeck to determine the starting job, Locker will not be looking over his shoulder as he prepares for the 2013 season.

“This offseason, it’s nice that Jake will be going into camp knowing that he’s our quarterback,” Munchak said. “He’s got to stay healthy. We know that. That was probably the biggest problem last year. It’s hard to judge him because he didn’t play as much and he played injured.

“Unfortunately, when you have a quarterback who runs around a little bit they get hurt. There’s a chance that second quarterback is going to play a lot. We feel we had that situation with Matt and now with Ryan we have the same thing.”

Shonn Greene: “I Know What’s Needed to Get First Downs”

Shonn Greene knows how to pick up tough yards — that’s one of the reasons the Titans targeted him in free agency.

But the former New York Jets running back won’t be limited to just short-yardage carries.

“We haven’t really gotten into percentages or anything like that, but one thing they did tell me was they don’t look at me having just one role,” Greene told the Midday 180 on Nashville’s 104.5 The Zone. “They are going to be giving me carries here and there. They haven’t told me any number or anything like that, but I think it’s going to be more of a feel thing. I’m not going to be limited to just goal line or short yardage.”

Head coach Mike Munchak confirmed Greene’s comments in an interview with Fox Sports.com’s Alex Marvez at the NFL owners meeting.

“I know as a (former) line coach myself that we haven’t had a guy like that in a while,” Munchak said. “He reminds me of the Eddie George days — a guy that can fall forward, a guy that’s physical, a guy that can understand his role.

“We’re not going to have him as a short-yardage back, a goal-line back and four-minute back and that’s all he does. We feel he can play all three downs. He may get a series where he gets going and we’re taking over the line of scrimmage and you want that runner in there and we leave him in there.”

And when the Titans do need the first down, Greene has proven over time he can get the job done.

“As long as I was there (in New York) — even my rookie year — coming into games I’ve kind of been the short-yardage back and goal line type of back,” he said. “I think I just have a niche for that type of thing. I know what’s needed to get first downs and what’s needed to keep the chains moving.”

Munchak said Greene gives the Titans “a lot” more options.

“We haven’t stayed healthy in that (backup) spot the past two years so we’ve been very nervous. Luckily, C.J. has been very durable and hasn’t missed a game since he’s been in the league. We knew our luck was kind of running out on that idea so we had better get someone in.

“We feel that, especially with a young quarterback, we have to start moving the chains better and getting time of possession better. It’s hard to do when you just have a speed back. We thought the complement would be a huge plus for us.”

Greene understands his role and called Chris Johnson a great football player that is very explosive.

“He can be gone with any carry, so I don’t think it’s a matter of carries,” Greene said. “He’s very talented and it’s still a possibility he can reach his goals. I’m just here to help win football games.”

New DT Sammie Lee Hill Ready to Stop the Run, Harass Quarterbacks

New defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill is expected to provide the mammoth, run-stopping body in the middle of the defensive line the Titans have missed since the departure of Albert Haynesworth.

The former Lion was stuck behind Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley and Corey Williams in Detroit. In Tennessee he steps into a situation where he can provide immediate help.

“I’ve been given this wonderful opportunity to come in here,” Hill told the Midday 180 on Nashville’s 104.5 The Zone. “They needed a bigger guy. The way they want to utilize me, I can’t complain. I’m overwhelmed with joy. Everything they want me to do, I’m going to do my best to give it to them, too.”

When asked what he brings to the table, Hill didn’t hesitate.

“Just a powerful, big guy in the middle that will try to cause pressure and get in quarterbacks’ faces and be that presence,” Hill said. “My biggest thing is to help them stop the run. That’s what they brought me in for — to be the power guy that can stop the run on first and second down. And like Coach Munchak said, if I can stay in on third down and cause some pocket pressure, you get taller as you get closer to the quarterback. For me with my power, I think I can cause havoc in the middle by stopping the run and bringing the power side of the pass rush.”

Hill said the Titans haven’t given him a preferred weight to play at yet, but he said he moves around well between 335-340 pounds.

“Whatever size they want me at, I’m going to do my best to get it done, try to sustain it and do what I’ve got to do,” he said. “I know I’m powerful, but I think I can move around a little bit to be the size that I am.”

Knowing he would have a better chance of seeing legitimate playing time outside of Detroit, Hill kept his options open in free agency. The Titans had targeted him and wasted little time making the first offer.

“I knew I was a rotational guy at Detroit and had three great players in front of me, so this is a great situation for me,” Hill said. “I had some other offers, but nothing that would match my happiness of being close to home and playing for Tennessee.”

And Hill said he’ll take on any pressure that comes from playing with a larger contract.

“I embrace it because you know it’s a business and they don’t give you all this money just to be a lackluster player,” he said. “I know what I’ve got to do, I know the role they want me to play and I’m going to do my best to play it. One thing about pressure — if you don’t have it, you don’t care too much. I’ve got that pressure now and I’m ready to take it on to do my best for the Tennessee Titans and our fans.”

Best of the Remaining Available Free Agents

DE Osi Umenyiora

With a week of NFL free agency in the books, NFL.com Around the League Editor Gregg Rosenthal compiled a list of of the top remaining players available on the market.

1. OT Sebastian Vollmer
2. OT Andre Smith
3. DE Elvis Dumervil
4. CB Brent Grimes
5. CB Antoine Winfield
6. S Ed Reed
7. TE Fred Davis
8. G Brandon Moore
9. RB Ahmad Bradshaw
10. DE Dwight Freeney
11. DE Osi Umenyiora
12. DL Richard Seymour
13. S/CB Michael Huff
14. CB Nnamdi Asomugha
15. OT Eric Winston
16. LB James Harrison
17. Kickers Phil Dawson, Jason Hanson, Steven Hauschka
18. CB Adam Jones
19. DE Israel Idonije
20 RB Beanie Wells
21. LB Daryl Smith
22. DE John Abraham
23. P Shane Lechler
24. OT Bryant McKinne
25. WR Brandon Lloyd
26. CB Mike Jenkins
27. DT Sedrick Ellis
28. RB Felix Jones
29. S Charles Woodson
30. LB Brad Jones
31. LB Brian Urlacher
32. LB Victor Butler

Best of the Rest: Karlos Dansby, LB; Julian Edelman, WR; Michael Turner, RB; Kerry Rhodes, S; Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR; Kevin Kolb, QB; DeAngelo Hall, CB; Shaun Phillips, OLB; LaRod Stephens-Howling, RB; Dawan Landry, S; Ronde Barber, CB/S; Nick Barnett, LB; Kevin Walter, WR; Jason Campbell, QB; Peyton Hillis, RB; Michael Boley, LB; Bernard Scott, RB; Takeo Spikes, LB; Tracy Porter, CB; Cedric Benson, RB.