By all accounts, general manager Mike Borgonzi and the Tennessee Titans had an outstanding 2025 NFL draft, landing what many believe is a franchise quarterback along with some outstanding young depth pieces that flashed their potential during the season.
Although some may disagree with that assessment and dismiss the class’s quality, their opinions don’t align with reality. Cam Ward started slow, but finished the season on an upswing and was playing above-average football down the stretch. Chimere Dike set a rookie record, leading the league in all-purpose yards, and is a threat to score any time he finds space. Elic Ayomanor, Kevin Winston Jr., Marcus Harris, and Gunnar Helm all look like future contributors. Not to mention Femi Oladejo, Jackson Slater, and Kalel Mullings, who had limited opportunities during the season.
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If that isn’t enough to show the quality of the Titans’ 2025 class, maybe the NFL.com end-of-season draft grades by analyst Gennaro Filice will do the trick, where he has the Titans solidly in the top 10.
6. Tennessee Titans
Grade: B+
Draft picks:
Round 1 (No. 1): QB Cam Ward | 17 games/starts
Round 2 (No. 52): Edge Oluwafemi Oladejo | 6 games/2 starts
Round 3 (No. 82): S Kevin Winston Jr. | 10 games/6 starts
Round 4 (No. 103): WR Chimere Dike | 17 games/10 starts
Round 4 (No. 120): TE Gunnar Helm | 16 games/10 starts
Round 4 (No. 136): WR Elic Ayomanor | 16 games/14 starts
Round 5 (No. 167): OG Jackson Slater | 12 games/0 starts
Round 6 (No. 183): CB Marcus Harris | 14 games/5 starts
Round 6 (No. 188): RB Kalel Mullings | 9 games/0 starts
Analysis:
After C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels authored transcendent Offensive Rookie of the Year campaigns in consecutive seasons, we became accustomed to quarterbacks entering the league and immediately taking it by storm. That was not the case with Cam Ward. The No. 1 overall pick won just three of his 17 starts, posting unremarkable stats beyond his league-high 55 sacks taken. And yet, I couldn’t help but come away impressed with the former zero-star recruit’s breathtaking arm talent and dogged determination.
Despite operating in a destructive environment — his head coach was fired 36 days into the season, and his offensive line was largely offensive — Ward routinely exhibited the kind of ability that keeps me bullish on his NFL upside. And Tennessee’s decision to triple dip on targets in the fourth round of last year’s draft paid off in spades, as Chimere Dike, Gunnar Helm and Elic Ayomanor each eclipsed 40 receptions, giving Ward a pass-catching core to grow with. Dike’s playmaking ability actually stood out most on special teams, as he earned first-team All-Pro honors as a punt return and led the entire league with 2,427 all-purpose yards (a rookie record). New head coach Robert Saleh has plenty of work to do in Nashville, but the cupboard isn’t bare. Brian Daboll has enticing pieces to coordinate in this offense.
Now, it will be up to Borgonzi and Saleh to put together another solid class and truly put the Titans on a path toward success.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Analyst regrades every NFL team’s 2025 draft: how did Titans fare?