A local tight end, hailed as a top prospect, could be the perfect fit for the Titans' evolving offensive scheme. Tennessee wouldn't have to go very far to get him, either.
The Tennessee Titans will look different at several positions in 2026.
The biggest moves in free agency were Wan'Dale Robinson, John Franklin-Myers, Alontae Taylor and Cor'Dale Flott.
Starters like Chig Okonkwo, Lloyd Cushenberry, L'Jarius Sneed and Kevin Zeitler were either released or left the team in free agency.
It became clear what the Titans' plan was for the tight end room after they didn't re-sign Okonkwo. Although he led the Titans with 560 receiving yards in 2025, the majority of his time in the Music City was very inconsistent. There was no reason for Tennessee to offer him a second contract.
The team added Daniel Bellinger to pair with Gunnar Helm. Bellinger has been more of a blocking tight end throughout his NFL career, and Helm showed promise in the receiving game multiple times as a rookie.
There's a prospect with a similar skill set to Bellinger that Justin Melo of Sports Illustrated considered the total package, and he didn't grow up too far away from the Titans.
The Titans are hosting a Local Pro Day this weekend, and Melo highlighted Stanford tight end Sam Roush, calling him a top-75 prospect and the best prospect attending the event.
Roush spent all four years of his college career at Stanford, but he started his football journey at Lipscomb Academy here in Nashville, Tennessee. He was a four-star prospect in the 2022 class, per On3 Sports.
He just had his best season at Stanford in 2025, finishing with 545 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Roush's size and length will help him as a blocker as well.
He comes in at 6-foot-6, 267 pounds, ran a 4.70 40-yard dash, and had a broad jump of 38.5.
Roush does everything the Titans want for a tight end under Robert Saleh. The mold of a tight end who can help as a blocker and be a threat in the receiving game is exactly what the Titans are looking for.
The question is where a player like Roush will be drafted. Melo believes Roush is a top-75 pick, which would have him going on Day 3 or 4.
I highlighted another player the Titans could take later on in the draft to fill one of their needs. Georgia State receiver Ted Hurst has been gaining interest from the Titans, according to ESPN's Jordan Reid.
The Titans will have many options in the later rounds of the draft and will face tough decisions about players like Hurst and a local product like Roush.
It all goes back to who General Manager Mike Borgonzi considers the best player available at the time.