DRAFT WATCH: Titans re-load defense

UT's Albert Haynesworth leads the seven defensive picks by the Tennessee Titans but the later-round picks could have some serious impact.

Give the Tennessee Titans 2002 draft a grade of D.

But that’s not D as in below average; that’s D as in defense.

The Titans spent their first six picks and seven of 10 overall on defense in an attempt to upgrade a defensive unit that sank from first overall in 2000 to 25th in 2001.

And grabbing a pair of players at the top who could project to immediate starters wasn’t a bad place to start.

“We knew we were going to have to do something to the defense. I think everybody realized that,” Titans general manager Floyd Reese said.

The Titans not only went for defense, but also found size and speed throughout the draft.

“You look at this draft and you’re going to see tremendous size, speed and intelligence,” Reese said.

The big prize was University of Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth with the 15th choice in the draft. The 6-5, 320-pound Haynesworth was projected near the top of the Titans’ draft board and they were amazed to see him there at 14. But knowing that the New York Giants wanted to ensure themselves of getting tight end Jeremy Shockey, Tennessee moved back one and picked up an extra fourth-round choice in the process.

Haynesworth was happy to be moving down the road three hours to play for the Titans between ends Jevon Kearse and Kevin Carter. Haynesworth, who fell to Tennessee much the same way Kearse did three years ago, said he would use his draft-day slide as motivation against opponents – again the same as Kearse.

“Once I get to Nashville, I’m hitting the weight room and I’m going to remember every team that passed me by. I’m going to make them wish they never had,” Haynesworth said.

The Titans also appeared quite excited at getting second-round pick Clevan “Tank” Williams with the 45th pick at strong safety. Titans coach Jeff Fisher said Williams is another who could have an immediate impact on the Tennessee defense.

“He should have the same kind of impact on our defense as Randall [Godfrey] did,” Fisher said of Williams, who will graduate from Stanford in June. “He’s a sideline-to-sideline player who can minimize gains. The year before [year before last year, when Godfrey joined the Titans] a 10 yard gain became a four-yard gain because of speed.”

The Titans are now weighing whether or not to continue their pursuit of Victor Green, though Fisher has said he wouldn’t mind a veteran presence at strong safety as well.

Fisher said drafting Williams was the next step of the bolstering process in the secondary that actually began with the Lance Schulters deal two weeks ago.

“We started a week or so ago with Lance, and I thought that was significant,” Fisher said. “And then to start off the way we did [Saturday] was a big improvement. We’ve got a lot of work to do. These guys aren’t ready to play tomorrow. We’ve got to get them ready to play and get them to a point where they can compete. But we selected each one of these guys because we believe they can do it very quickly. I feel very good about where we are in the secondary.”

Fisher had good reason to feel that way after the Titans made their first two picks in the fourth round, grabbing cornerback Mike Echols of Wisconsin (with the Giants’ pick) and Tony Beckham of Wisconsin-Stout five slots later with their own choice. Both have been timed at below 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and could contribute quickly as extra cornerbacks. Echols, in particular, could be steal as only a stress fracture in his left leg kept him from being a day one pick. Beckham, who played Division III football because of academic deficiencies out of high school, is raw, but has the size and speed to make it as an NFL cornerback.

“For us, they’ll be cover corners,” Reese said. “What does that mean? It means they can line up and eliminate receivers. Are they going to be great tacklers or great instinctive players? Maybe not at this point. But to do what we need them to do, which is eliminate receivers, they’ll be fine.”

The defensive upgrade, promised by Fisher the day after the 2001 season ended, was felt in the linebacker ranks as well with Rocky I and Rocky II.

In round three, the Titans grabbed playmaking linebacker Rocky Calmus of Oklahoma, then added Rocky Boiman of Notre Dame with their final pick in the fourth round.

Calmus, a two-time All-America pick and winner of the Butkus Award, impressed the Titans’ personnel with keen instinct of being around the football.

Likewise, Boiman showed skills both as a nickel rusher and in coverage, while also having a knack for being around the football. Both are big (6-3, 240-pound range) and both run sub-4.7 times in the 40. The both project to be outside linebackers.

The Titans lost starters Eddie Robinson and Greg Favors in the off-season. Keith Bulluck will take over one of the spots, but the other spot will likely be decided in training camp. While Calmus or Boiman could eventually contribute as starters or in certain packages, their most immediate contributions should come on special team.

Finally, the Titans also added some defensive end depth with Arkansas’ Carlos Hall. Hall, a 6-5, 260-pounder, is the type of speed rusher the Titans like to use to chase quarterbacks out of the nickel defense and has a great opportunity to earn a roster spot, despite being taken last among the picks. He was recruited to Arkansas by Titans defensive line coach Jim Washburn.

In between adding lots of defense, the Titans did manage to add three players on offense.

Tennessee added two receivers from the Mid-America Conference, tabbing Jake Schifino in the fifth round and Darrell Hill of Northern Illinois with their first seventh-round choice.

Schifino impressed with his sub-4.4 speed at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, coupled with his size (6-1, 200 pounds). Hill is in the same mold, though bigger at 6-4, 197. Both possess great leaping ability as well and, according to Reese, are in the Justin McCareins’ mold of receiver. McCareins and Hill were teammates at Northern Illinois.

The Titans added their obligatory offensive line pick in the draft, nabbing Justin Hartwig of Kansas in the sixth round. Hartwig, (6-4, 300) played tackle for the Jayhawks, but projects as a guard for the Titans. Hartwig surrendered just one sack in his final two seasons at Kansas.

The only place Tennessee came up empty where it wanted to score in this year’s draft was a center. Twice the Titans had a center candidate they wanted snatched out from under them on Saturday, losing LeCharles Bentley of Ohio State in round two and Melvin Fowler of Maryland in the third round. Re-signing Kevin Long or grabbing another free agent will now be the likely route. Also, since no backup running back was drafted, that increases the odds of Skip Hicks remaining a Titan.

Still, Tennessee was pleased with its draft haul.

“This draft fell into place as good as it has in years because of the job Floyd and his staff did,” Fisher said. “It came off the way we thought it would, and we were able to satisfy needs at every pick today.”