An Unfair Assessment Of The Titans’ Rookie Class Based On Jersey Numbers
Image: Pro Football Network
By Sam Beard
You can throw the NFL Draft near the top of my favorite parts of the NFL offseason. Watching your favorite college players find the next stop in their careers, sifting through all the “draft experts” who give their letter grades to every draft, and most importantly- ROOKIE NUMBERS.
I don’t care about anything you’ve done on the field prior, don’t care about what round you were drafted in, and I damn sure don’t care about what school you went to. This article is based purely on vibes. Gut reactions only here, baby.
-Franchise cornerstone
QB Cam Ward - 1
I’m not just throwing him in this category because I’m drinking the Kool-Aid on my brand new QB becoming the truth. I am all-in on the Cam Ward era in Tennessee, but the announcement from Warren Moon giving away his number 1 was all I needed to hear. Nobody has worn 1 in Tennessee since 2006, when Moon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Moon said himself that he was hesitant to hand the number over, but eventually said he wanted Ward to create his own legacy with the number for the Titans, just like Moon did when he was an Oiler. Not that you need my advice, but I think this is a great decision, Mr. Moon. I can’t wait to watch Cam Ward change my franchise.
-Welcome to the Pro Bowl
WR Elic Ayomanor - 5
Draft experts out there would tell you the Titans might’ve gotten the steal of the draft at pick 136, but again, that’s not what this article is about. When the Titans tweeted the list of rookie numbers out, I almost jumped out of my seat. 5 just works. I close my eyes and see my new X receiver streaking down the sideline, catching a beautiful ball from Cam Ward. Lace ‘em up Travis Hunter- Elic Ayomanor is here to bust your ass twice a year much like he did to you in college.
-You just found a decade long starter
TE Gunnar Helm - 84
One of the great numbers in football- when you think of the all-time greats at 84 you’ll soon think of Gunnar Helm in the same light. Randy Moss, Shannon Sharpe (on the field, not off), Andre Reed, Antonio Brown, Roddy White… and now Gunnar Helm. At Texas, he was the 2nd leading receiver on the roster only behind first rounder Matthew Golden. A great safety blanket to give Cam Ward to work with for the duration of his career. That’s too many stats though, 84 on an athletic TE goes together like peanut butter and jelly.
G Jackson Slater - 64
We’ve already got six Hall of Fame members who have rocked 64 as their jersey number throughout their career. I’m not gonna go that far yet- because, frankly, I had no idea who this kid was when we drafted him. He’s got all you want in a scrappy guard in the trenches: Sacramento State alum, Senior Bowl stand out, and FCS All-American. You just give me those three things to worth with and I would tell you he sounds like a player in the 60’s range. Seeing him draw 64 off the jump makes me want to sign him to a contract through 2035.
-Skeptical pick, but with a good jersey number
WR Chimere Dike - 17
If you asked me on draft night to analyze this pick, I would’ve told you that I kinda hated it. Taking Dike with the top pick of the 4th round was a head scratcher to me. But I’m no draft expert- I’m a vibes expert. I’m getting some good vibes from 17- he wore it at Florida, and he’ll get it again in the NFL. Had we taken this dude at the top of the 4th round and he had to change his number, I would have thrown him into my “cut by the end of camp” group. Continuity is a good thing. I think rolling with 17 can earn Mr. Dike a 2nd contract.
-Skeptical pick, but with a bad number too
DB Marcus Harris - 26
Hard to get too excited about a 6th round corner, but what if I told you he started his career as a preferred walk on, transferred to Idaho, and then made his name at Cal? I honestly like what this guy brings in terms of a late rounder, but having to switch from 5 in college to 26 is brutal. Single digit corners just feel lockdown to me. When I think of a 26 at corner, I just imagine the fastest player on the opposing team absolutely torching him. I’m gonna give him a chance, but I don’t have a ton of optimism.
-All Pro or bust, no in-between
Edge Femi Oladejo - 53
Moved from ILB to EDGE in the middle of the year at UCLA and was touted as one of the highest upside prospects we had in the draft. Feels like he was already going to fall in the “All Pro or bust” category to begin with, but go ahead and double down on that bet with a number like 53. Oladejo looked like a total badass in college wearing #2. I feel like we just took all his super powers away by switching to 53. Any extra burst or athletic edge he had vanished as soon as that Titans equipment manager brought him into his office and said “How does 53 sound?”
S Kevin Winston - 23
23 isn’t THAT bad, but I just go back and look at his Penn State numbers and know we could’ve done better. He wore both 2 and 21 during his time there, and those are just so much better than 23. There’s a rich history of great secondary players who have worn 24- guys like Champ Bailey, Darrelle Revis, and Charles Woodson- but you can’t find much with 23. Damn shame. Prove me wrong Kevin Winston. I have faith in you. The experts said if he didn’t have the injury history, he would’ve been picked much higher- but we’re here for vibes, not draft experts.
-Special teams demon
RB Kalel Mullings - 28
The LB turned RB in the middle of his career at Michigan, but he seems like he’s made of the right stuff. A true Michigan man as they would say. The Titans’ RB room needed a physical back to pair with Pollard and Spears, but I feel like he won’t have much of a role. John Fassel, as the new ST coach is going to love this kid I feel like. He falls at the bottom of my list, but I think there’s a solid chance he carves out a role on this team in some fashion.
Once I get my hands on every first-rounder’s number, I’ll create a projection for them too. At first glance, put me down for Shemar Stewart (97) and Matthew Golden (22) as the biggest busts of the 2025 first round.