Andrew Buller-Russ
Barring a trade, the Tennessee Titans are less than 48 hours away from deciding on which prospect they’ll select with the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Most expect the Titans to go with either a running back, pass-rusher, or linebacker.
Back when Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi initially spoke on Tennessee’s plans with the fourth overall pick, they stated that they would go with the best player available. Many came away from that with the belief that the Titans would be targeting Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love (if he’s available), as he’s the top-ranked prospect on the draft boards of several evaluators.
Yet, that may not be the case at all.
Recently, Essentially Sports’ NFL insider Tony Pauline revealed his intel, stating that Texas Tech’s edge rusher David Bailey is the “game-changer new head coach Robert Saleh covets.”
“I mentioned from the Senior Bowl that edge rusher David Bailey fits the Titans defense like a duck on water, and I’m told he is the game-changer new head coach Robert Saleh covets. Bailey led the FBS in the 2025 season with 14.5 sacks and a 21.3 % pressure rate. Yet it’s unlikely the Texas Tech product falls into the Titans’ laps.”
Tony Pauline on Titans draft plans
That’s fine, but there may be a problem. What if Bailey is the pass-rusher that the Jets covet at No. 2 as well? There’s been talk that New York is either down to Arvell Reese or Bailey, and that could toss a wrench into the Titans’ plans. Heck, the Cardinals at No. 3 may also decide they want one of this year’s elite pass-rushing prospects and take whoever the Jets don’t take.
In other words, based on Pauline’s reporting, it doesn’t appear that Jeremiyah Love is Tennessee’s top prospect, but it is also smokescreen season, so you never really know.
Related: Tennessee Titans May Be Leaning Toward Jeremiyah Love at 4
