A highly-touted college prospect brings elite skills to Nashville. If he can overcome past injuries, this explosive playmaker could secure a surprise spot in a crowded secondary.
The Tennessee Titans have an interesting crop of undrafted free agents this offseason.
There's Tyren Montgomery, who didn't play a snap of football until just a few years ago. He is absolutely a great story to root for this season.
Then, you have Hank Beatty.
Beatty just had a breakout season with Illinois, recording 864 receiving yards and three touchdowns. In his three previous years with the program, his total yards didn't even reach that amount.
Fans of the Tennessee Volunteers know Jalen McMurray, who also played college football at Temple before transferring.
The Titans also signed some experienced offensive linemen, including Notre Dame's Aamil Wagner and Louisville's Rasheed Miller.
Three more defensive backs joined the team as UDFAs, with Clemson's Jeadyn Lukus, Houston's Latrell McCutchin Sr., and USC's Bishop Fitzgerald.
Before transferring to USC last year, he played two years at N.C. State.
Last season, Fitzgerald was named a Consensus All-American. However, he wasn't able to play a full season after suffering an injury midway through the year against Iowa, which helps explain why a player like him wasn't selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Still, he was able to record five interceptions, 51 total tackles, 2.5 TFLs and one sack before the injury sidelined him.
Imagine the kind of production he would've had if he had stayed healthy? That alone is why I think the Titans might have a hidden gem in Fitzgerald.
Now, it won't be easy for him to earning a spot at safety.
Amani Hooker is returning to be this team's strong safety. Second-year player Kevin Winston looks to be the favorite to win the free safety job.
Fitzgerald will also have to compete with fellow safeties Sanoussi Kane, Tony Adams, Kendell Brooks and Jerrick Reed.
However, there are the injury concerns for Winston.
Like Fitzgerald, he came into the NFL after suffering an injury in his final year of college football. Winston played for Penn State and partially tore his ACL during his junior season.
The injury occurred in September and still wasn't fully recovered by the time the 2025 NFL Draft rolled around in April. Winston didn't suit up for the Titans until Week 5 as he was still recovering from his college injury.
Then, he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 15 later that season. The Titans later put Winston on injured reserve, ending his rookie season.
It may be a tough road for Fitzgerald to climb his way into the rotation at safety, but there is definitely a path for him to get playing time if Winston's injury issues persist in 2026.
