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Titans use draft to fill biggest need

The Titans landed a play making receiver on the first day of the NFL Draft, but it wasn't the polished veteran many fans had been hoping for.

In Rutgers wideout Kenny Britt, however, the team added a young but vastly talented player. Taken 30th overall, he became the first receiver selected by the Titans in the first round since 1998.

Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, meanwhile, became yesterday's news, a trade to the Titans failing to materialize.

"He is one of those guys who truly has a chance to be a No. 1 on your team,'' Titans General Manager Mike Reinfeldt said of Britt. "I think he does everything well — he has the big-play potential, the route running. I think he is a total package. He is a young player and we just have to develop him and get him ready to go.''

In the second round, the Titans drafted Auburn defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks, who'll do his part to make up for two-time All-Pro Albert Haynesworth's departure to the Redskins in free agency.

"I know I have my work cut out for me and it's going to be hard work,'' said Marks, who described Haynesworth as one of his idols. "But I am ready for it."

The Titans are scheduled to make eight more picks in rounds 3-7 today. Priorities are cornerback and linebacker.

The Titans said they filled some big needs Saturday, beginning with Britt, a 6-foot-3, 218-pounder who had 87 catches for 1,371 yards and seven touchdowns in 2008. In his three-year career with the Scarlet Knights he had 178 catches for 3,043 yards — including 14 100-yard games — and 17 touchdowns.

Britt will join a receiving corps in need of help for veterans Justin Gage and Nate Washington. Behind those two is an inexperienced group that includes Lavelle Hawkins, a fourth-round pick in 2008, and Paul Williams and Chris Davis, a pair of 2007 picks who have underachieved.

"I'd like to have as big as impact as possible,'' Britt said. "I just want to do whatever I can for the team. I am a big, physical receiver with great hands. My game is just to come play football. I know God chose me for a team and God chose me to be with the best team possible with good people around me.

"Once I learn the program and once I learn how fast the game is, I think I can come out my rookie year (and contribute).''

The 20-year-old Britt is the first receiver taken by the Titans in the first round since Kevin Dyson in 1998.

Some draft analysts have questioned Britt's level of maturity and consider him an unpolished player. History has proved it takes awhile for rookie receivers to make an impact, but the Titans think Britt is different.

So when it was their time on the clock, they passed on Southern Cal linebacker Rey Maualuga and a good group of cornerbacks. Britt came at the recommendation of three-time Pro Bowl receiver Rod Smith, a former Bronco who worked with Britt leading up to the draft.

"Kenny has been very well taught,'' Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said. "So it's just a matter of how fast we can get him up to speed on the offense and how much he can handle.''

Coach Jeff Fisher agreed.

"We are very, very excited about Kenny. He is a big, strong, physical receiver who can get out of cuts and make catches," Fisher said. "We think he comes in and he helps us. As far as where he fits in, we are going to try and get him on the field as fast as we can and have him catch passes for us and make big plays for us. We feel like he is what we have been missing in our passing game.''

As for Boldin, he remained with Arizona. The Titans contacted the Cardinals and discussed a possible trade, but Fisher said a deal was never close.

"Let me clarify things,'' Fisher said. "There was a lot of speculation, a lot of reports (Friday) evening. We never at any time made an offer to the Arizona Cardinals. We left several messages with them (Friday) night but they never returned our calls. We didn't get in touch with them until before the draft today, and they said that they weren't interested in moving him.''

LINK >> Titans use draft to fill biggest need | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean

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