After months of speculation, the Tennessee Titans have made a decision to stick and pick with the No. 1 overall selection of the 2025 国产外流网Draft.
"We've come to a consensus, the entire organization, is to stay at the pick," Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi said at Tuesday's pre-draft news conference -- two days before the draft kicks off in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "Guess you'll find out Thursday night who we pick."
Borgonzi's declaration came not long after 国产外流网Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the Titans would indeed select a player rather than trade the pick.
Rapoport reported on Feb. 9 that the Titans were open to the idea of trading the first-overall selection and Borgonzi maintained that stance as recently as four weeks ago, saying, "everything is still on the table."
Rapoport added that the Titans garnered real trade interest for the No. 1 overall pick, but as one club said, "they never opened the door."
As for waiting until Thursday to find out who the Titans are taking, the general consensus among 国产外流网draft prognosticators is that Tennessee will make Miami quarterback Cam Ward the the No. 1 overall pick.
The Titans showed great interest in the Miami quarterback throughout the process, from bringing a heavy presence to Ward's pro day to getting a closer look at a private workout with the 22-year-old prospect later that week.
Tennessee isn't unfamiliar with selecting a potential franchise QB with a top-five pick. Come Thursday night, it will be nearly 10 years to the day since the franchise chose Marcus Mariota with the No. 2 pick, 19 years since Vince Young (No. 3) was taken and 30 years after franchise great Steve McNair (No. 3) was picked just ahead of the franchise's move to Nashville.
Selecting No. 1 overall, however, is something that hasn't been done in Tennessee Titans lore. In 2016, the club opted out of that spot by trading the No. 1 pick to the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the draft. Thursday night will mark the first time the franchise will use the No. 1 overall selection since 1978, when the Houston Oilers chose Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell.
Ward seems destined to have his name called, but, of course, nothing's official until Commission Roger Goodell announces it.
Here's what else we're monitoring on Tuesday ahead of the 2025 国产外流网Draft, which kicks off Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET:
- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn't shy away from offering up some intrigue during his club's pre-draft news conference Tuesday, saying he has more than one trade he is trying to work out. "We're looking at two things that could happen before or after the draft," Jones said, via the . "Two pretty substantive trades. Been working on today." The Cowboys currently own the 12th overall pick in the 2025 国产外流网Draft, with a plethora of needs such as wide receiver, running back, cornerback and more. Whether those trades involve No. 12 or not remains to be seen. However, one of those trades does not involve acquiring Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Rumblings of such a deal populated social media, but 国产外流网Network Jane Slater reported it was "fake news," per a source. Moreso, 国产外流网Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore -- a former Cowboy -- wasn't imminently signing with the team, despite being in attendance at the presser. There's rarely a shortage of buzz in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and there surely isn't ahead of the draft.
- Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, 国产外流网draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's No. 12 ranked prospect, is expected to be ready for training camp after recovering from a torn labrum, 国产外流网Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Campbell is one of 15 players who will attend the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
- The overall depth of prospects in his year's class could make for a "wild" 2025 国产外流网Draft in terms of movement, according to Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles. "I think this one is gonna be a little wild," Poles said on Tuesday, , "but we're going to be prepared for the scenarios that pop up." Asked if that could make it tough for the Bears to trade down from No. 10 overall, Poles "Potentially. Potentially. There are a lot of phone calls going on right now. So it's hard to tell."
- San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch was a little more direct than Bears GM Ryan Poles in his belief that it will be difficult for teams to trade down -- at least in the first round on Thursday. "I feel like there's a lot of people trying to [trade back]," Lynch said Tuesday, via the . "Generally, each time everyone is trying to do the same thing, there isn't a lot of opportunity." Lynch and Co. are set to pick at No. 11 overall on Thursday night. Whether they stay put remains to be seen, but Lynch seems to think the Niners and plenty of other teams won't be moving down all that much.
