Grading every pick the Tennessee Titans made on defense during the 2025 NFL Draft
The Tennessee Titans made nine total selections in the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager Mike Borgonzi made just three of those picks on defense, including his second and third rounders. The hope is to provide defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson with more firepower this coming season.
With draft-grade pieces running rampant, we assigned our personal letter grades to each pick on defense. You can read our grades for the offense here.
Round 2, No. 52: Femi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA
The Titans traded back with the Seattle Seahawks from No. 35 overall to No. 52, dropping 17 spots in the second round in order to recoup the third-round selection they forfeited in last offseason’s L’Jarius Sneed trade. Borgonzi waited patiently and drafted UCLA EDGE Femi Oladejo, a player he hosted on a pre-draft visit.
Oladejo made a midseason switch from off-ball linebacker to EDGE. In-season position changes are rare. Oladejo is understandably raw as a result, and he himself has said he felt like he began fully unlocking his potential during the Senior Bowl. Can the Titans afford to be patient with his development, given the lack of talent on the edges? The Bruins standout is explosive, athletic, and long, offering him the potential to mature into an impactful defender.
Grade: B
Round 3, No. 82: Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State
With the third-round selection Tennessee acquired from the Seahawks, Borgonzi took Penn State safety Kevin Winston Jr. Winston Jr. suffered a partially torn ACL during the 2024 college football campaign. Borgonzi recently said the Titans had a high second-round grade on him before the injury. The Titans addressed safety a little earlier than most expected, but it’s clear he was among the top prospects on their board.
The Titans currently have Amani Hooker and Xavier Woods at safety. Hooker is entering a contract year and Woods is a short-term solution. Winston Jr. may not be an instant starter in 2025, but he’ll almost certainly be a starter as a sophomore in 2026. The injury limited him to just 15 career starts, so he’s a little inexperienced, but he posted a team-high 61 tackles in 2023. On tape, the Columbia, Maryland native is a reliable tackler who is physical and engaging when playing forward.
Grade: B+
Round 6, No. 183: Marcus Harris, CB, California
The Titans needed a little depth at cornerback. Sneed is coming off a tricky season-ending injury and is currently dealing with an alleged off-field situation. Chido Awuzie was released from his contract, making Jarvis Brownlee Jr. a full-time starter. Darrell Baker Jr. is the only backup outside corner on the roster with proven ability.
Nickel Roger McCreary is entering a contract year. Marcus Harris has inside-outside versatility, but his size (5-foot-11, 189 pounds) tends to indicate nickel. Harris had a career-best year after transferring to Cal from Idaho this past season, totaling 46 tackles, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions. He also ran 4.38 at Pro Day.
Grade: C+