Nashville gave up a massive haul to jump from No. 4 to No. 2, sending the 4th, 35th, and 101st picks to the Jets. Critics might argue about the value of taking a running back this high, but Love isn’t a “three yards and a cloud of dust” player. He’s a tactical weapon who averaged 6.9 yards per carry and dominated the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine with a blazing 4.33-second 40-yard dash. The Titans spent free agency beefing up the defensive line; now, they’ve landed the offensive engine they’ve lacked since the peak Derrick Henry era.
The move also signals a massive shift for the New York Jets. By sliding down to No. 4, the Jets still managed to land their man while accumulating draft capital for their ongoing rebuild. New York focused on the defensive side of the ball, tabbing Ohio State’s Arvell Reese at four. Reese is a freakish hybrid who scouts compare to a young Micah Parsons. He finished 2025 with 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks, providing the Jets with the elite edge-to-off-ball versatility their new-look defense craves.
While the trade at the top stole the headlines, the 2026 wide receiver class proved its depth early. Two pass-catchers flew off the board in the first ten picks, led by Ohio State’s Carnell Tate. Cleveland stayed local at No. 6, drafting the technically refined Buckeye who grabbed 9 touchdowns last season. Tate’s route running is already pro-level, making him the immediate WR1 the Browns desperately need.
The atmosphere at the Titans’ facility today is electric. You can feel the shift in expectation. This wasn’t a safe pick; it was a statement. Tennessee wants to be the fastest team in the AFC South, and with Love in the backfield, they might just be.
“We knew we had to be aggressive. You don’t get many chances to draft a guy who can score every time he touches the ball. Jeremiyah Love is a rare talent, and he fits exactly what we’re building here in Nashville.”
— Ran Carthon, Tennessee Titans General Manager
This trade forces the Arizona Cardinals (picking at No. 3) into a corner. With the Titans and Jets swapping spots, Arizona is the new pivot point of the draft. Do they stick with offensive tackle help like Spencer Fano, or do they auction off the pick to a quarterback-hungry team? The Raiders already locked in Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, leaving the remaining QB needy teams—like the Giants—scrambling. Expect the phones in the desert to be ringing off the hook as we approach April.
