NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans hold the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and the consensus mocks keep circling the same explosive names. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks locked in as the top overall selection, but the Titans stay out of the QB market. Instead, they eye weapons for second-year signal-caller Cam Ward or pieces to fit new head coach Robert Saleh’s aggressive defense.
Running Back Jeremiyah Love Emerges as Consensus Favorite
Multiple top analysts slot Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love to Tennessee at No. 4. Tim Crean of ClutchPoints, Mel Kiper Jr. at ESPN, Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah from NFL.com, plus the Bleacher Report staff all land on the dynamic back.
Love brings 4.36 speed in the 40, plus the vision and power to break tackles. He also catches passes out of the backfield with soft hands. One scout called him a potential 1,000-yard rusher and receiver who eases the load on Ward while giving new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll a true three-down threat. The ticket-selling angle in the team’s new stadium adds another layer many insiders whisper about.
No running back has gone in the top four since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Yet Love’s production and athletic profile make him the rare prospect who could break that trend. The Titans spent aggressively in free agency, but the run game still needs a jolt beyond Tony Pollard.
Defense Gets Love Too: Sonny Styles to Saleh’s Scheme
Field Yates of ESPN points to Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles as a strong fit under Saleh. Styles posted the third-highest tackle percentage in FBS last season at 97.5 percent. At the combine he exploded with a 43½-inch vertical — the highest for an off-ball linebacker since 2003 — and a 4.46 40-yard dash.
At 6-5 with long arms and instincts honed from safety experience, Styles covers, blitzes and stuffs the run. Saleh’s defense craves that kind of versatile middle linebacker to stabilize the unit after a busy offseason of additions from his old Jets squad.
Edge Rushers Dominate the Conversation
Charles Davis and Chad Reuter from NFL.com, along with Garrett Podell of CBS Sports, lean toward Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey. Bailey led college football in sacks in 2025 and brings the juice Saleh loves on the edge. The Titans already added Jermaine Johnson II, John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas up front. Bailey opposite Johnson would complete the picture in a 4-3 or sub-package attack.
Todd McShay at The Ringer highlights Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. despite shorter arms that scare some teams. Bain plays with violent hands, elite run defense and a nonstop motor. His power-based moves, including a nasty hump move reminiscent of Reggie White, make him a nightmare on passing downs. Film watchers insist the production overrides the measurables.
The debate stays hot right up to draft night in Pittsburgh on April 23. Will the Titans chase offense with Love to sell excitement around Ward? Or do they double down on Saleh’s vision with a linebacker or edge presence?
“Love would take the run game to another level while also serving as a dynamic pass catcher. His game features 4.36 speed, excellent vision, run-you-over power, and soft hands.” — Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN
What It Means for the Titans’ Future
Whoever Tennessee selects at No. 4 sets the tone for the entire rebuild. A skill player like Love gives Ward a reliable outlet and forces defenses to respect the run. A defensive stud accelerates Saleh’s scheme and turns a rebuilt front seven into a weekly problem for opposing quarterbacks.
The front office already traded and signed veterans to create flexibility. Now the draft pick must deliver immediate impact. Fans in Nashville want proof the offense can move the ball consistently and the defense can stop the run when it counts.
The pre-draft process ends with clear options but no obvious sleeper. The Titans pick early enough that the best players on the board will still sit there when their name gets called. Expect the decision to spark plenty of debate until the card goes in.
