The Tennessee Titans add experienced SEC lineman Fernando Carmona with the 142nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, betting on his toughness and passing on some high-caliber centers in the process.
At long last, the Tennessee Titans have answered the call of the fanbase and addressed the interior offensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft.
They waited until the fifth round and the 142nd overall pick to do it, but with their first selection on Day 3, the Titans landed Arkansas offensive lineman Fernando Carmona—a highly experienced, tough SEC lineman with versatility at both tackle and guard.
Carmona transferred from San Jose State and started 25 games for the Razorbacks over the past two seasons. He’s made 49 collegiate starts across four years, and in 2025, he logged 790 snaps while allowing just one sack and 16 pressures.
Let’s start with the positives. The experience is a major plus, and you won’t find many interior linemen in this draft class with a tackle background in the SEC.
Carmona plays with a brawler’s mentality. He’s tough, physical, and does a good job working laterally to reach the second level. He was also a team captain at Arkansas in 2025 and is widely praised for his leadership, with the potential to become a voice in an NFL offensive line room.
However, scouts have been more critical of his body control than anything else. His technique can be inconsistent, and pad level will be a major area of focus for him if he's going to stick as a pro. For such an experienced player, it’s a bit concerning that he can still look raw on tape at times.
That said, there’s plenty of room for development here, Tennessee probably won't expect him to contribute right away. They made free agent additions in Cordell Volson and Austin Schlottmann, and the Titans are internally very high on Jackson Slater, a fifth-round pick from the 2025 draft.
It’s pretty easy to see what the Titans were going for with this selection. They get an ultra-competitive, high-effort lineman who adds size and physicality to the interior. Still, it’s worth mentioning the alternatives they passed on.
Kansas State center Sam Hecht was widely expected to come off the board on Day 2. He’s quick, technically sound, and profiles as a potential Day 1 starter along the interior. Center is his natural position, and on paper, he looked like a strong fit for the Titans—especially at No. 142 overall.
Instead, Tennessee opted for Carmona, and Hecht came off the board just two picks later at No. 144 to the Carolina Panthers—a selection that originally belonged to the Titans before their trade-up with the Chicago Bears on Friday night.
As things currently stand, Carmona joins a competition that includes Schlottmann, Volson, and Slater for two starting spots along the interior. And, of course, a potential return from veteran Kevin Zeitler could still be in play before Week 1.