Defense continued to be the name of the game for the Tennessee Titans on Sunday as the team used all three of its fourth round picks on defense, making it six of six picks in all on the defensive side of the football.
With their first two picks, Nos. 110 and 115, the Titans took cornerbacks Mike Echols and Tony Beckham, respectively.
Echols is from the University of Wisconsin and Beckham played at Division III Wisconsin-Stout. Ironically, the two have become workout partners since the off-season began and also become good friends.
With the 133rd pick, the compensatory selection, the Titans took Rocky II. After adding Oklahoma linebacker Rocky Calmus in round three on Saturday, the Titans selected Rocky Boiman of Notre Dame. Both linebackers are projected as outside linebackers for the Ttians.
Echols had a second-round grade on the Titans’ board, according to head coach Jeff Fisher and might have been drafted on the first day were it not for the fact that he suffered a stress fracture of his left shin in January during workouts.
“I thought at first I might go [Saturday], but I knew because of the stress fracture some teams were going to pass,” Echols said. “It was a stressful night overall, but I’m glad I got picked early in the fourth.”
According to Echols, who ran 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, the Titans got a bargain with the pick.
“I feel like I was and still am the best corner in the draft,” he said.
While Echols is a small speed corner at 5-9, 190, Beckham has both size and speed. He is 6-0, 195 pounds and runs a 4.35 in the 40.
Fisher said Beckham is a bit raw, but the Titans saw enough on film to know he could be a potential standout, even playing against lesser competition.
“You look for flexibility, ability to get to the ball and would expect him to dominate there and he did,” Fisher said, adding that Beckham fared well against better competition at the Blue-Gray Game after the season.
Boiman, at 6-3, 242 pounds, has some room to bulk up. He should contribute immediately on special teams and eventually could become a decent rusher at strongside linebacker.
The Titans finally addressed offense in round five with the selection of Akron’s Jake Schifino. Schifino ran under 4.4 in the 40 in three different workouts and could address the team’s need for a speed receiver. At 6-1, 200, he has decent size as well.