AFC South

The Tennessee Titans will have a wide array of options with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. believes Travis Hunter should be the selection.

In a conversation with ESPN's Field Yates regarding the Titans' choice with the No. 1 pick, Kiper confirmed he would add the Colorado two-way standout.

"If you asked me the question, I would take Travis Hunter," Kiper said (32:15 mark).

He also explained why he's been impressed with Hunter throughout the predraft process.

"Travis Hunter, what he does, he's effortless," Kiper said (28:00 mark). "He is so smooth. You don't realize how fast he is because he's such a smooth athlete. He's so smart. He's so tough. His stamina and endurance level is through the roof. I'm taking Travis Hunter if I'm taking the best player in this draft."

Tennessee's intentions with the top pick aren't clear. ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Saturday that he talked to "multiple people who think the Titans could trade out of the top pick."

If the Titans decide to stay put, they could target a quarterback given the struggles of starter Will Levis in 2024. Still, Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker didn't commit to selecting a signal-caller.

"We won't pass on a generational talent with the first pick in the NFL draft," Brinker said, via NFL.com's Eric Edholm. "We won't do that."

Hunter, the winner of the 2024 Heisman Trophy, is coming off an incredible season with the Buffaloes. He excelled at both wide receiver and cornerback, recording 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wideout. He also racked up 36 tackles, 11 passes defensed and four interceptions at cornerback.

Hunter was ranked as the No. 1 overall player in the 2025 draft class on the latest big board from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.

The Titans could look to move down from the top pick or select a quarterback, but Kiper is adamant that they should stay put and acquire Hunter.

The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft may be available for the highest bidder.

Dan Graziano of ESPN reported that multiple insiders believe the Tennessee Titans could consider trading out of the top pick and instead look to fill the hole at quarterback with other options:

There is still a long way to go until April's draft and a lot of evaluations to make before then, but I've talked to multiple people who think the Titans could trade out of the top pick and look for their QB solution elsewhere. That could mean either another shot for Will Levis or adding young free agent such as Sam Darnold or Justin Fields.The thinking is that the Titans' roster needs are so extensive that, unless they're absolutely sold on one of the quarterbacks as a franchise-changer, they're better off seeing what teams would be willing to offer for the pick. If they moved back to No. 2 (Browns) or No. 3 (Giants) -- or even to No. 6 (Raiders) or No. 7 (Jets) -- they could still land a franchise cornerstone player in the first round and be in position to address QB in next year's draft if necessary.

Tennessee went 3-14 in 2024 and fired general manager Ran Carthon after the season. The Titans finished on a six-game losing streak and had their worst season since 2015.

2023 second-round pick Will Levis saw the most action at quarterback and showed some flashes but was mostly inconsistent. He threw for 2,091 yards with 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 12 games. Mason Rudolph appeared in eight games and threw for 1,530 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Neither Levis or Rudolph truly look like the answer at quarterback but the 2025 NFL Draft class may not satisfy that either. Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders are viewed as the top two options but neither are considered to be top-five prospects in the class.

While holding the top pick gives the Titans free reign to pick any quarterback they prefer, the deep issues in other areas of the roster could make gaining draft capital an intriguing option in order to take a player such as Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter.

Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. may be feeling snubbed after Thursday's NFL Honors.

Stingley did not finish as a finalist for the 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, which was awarded to Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

Following the announcement. Stingley took to social media to post a meme referencing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers' historic comeback during the 2016 NBA Finals.

Derek Stingley feeling snubbed for DPOY? 👀 pic.twitter.com/ulnmhQNlIw

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 7, 2025

Surtain won the award over Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. He is the first defensive back to win the award since Stephon Gilmore in 2019.

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This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

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Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year at the NFL Honors on Thursday.

The award is given annually to the players who "excel on the field and demonstrate a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game." This year was the first time Armstead has won the award, and he also earned his fifth nomination in 2024.

Jaguars DE Arik Armstead is the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by @Nationwide! #WPMOY #NFLHonors@arikarmstead @Jaguars pic.twitter.com/O83L76668R

— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2025

Arik Armstead is the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year 🙌 pic.twitter.com/5fWJiE0JWc

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 7, 2025

Arik Armstead wins Walter Payton Man of the Year. His community work in Sacramento and the Bay Area, started during his long tenure with the 49ers, was heavily featured at the NFL Honors

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 7, 2025

Arik Armstead.
No script.
Salute sir.
Thank you for all you do for your community.

— J Book (@jaynovel) February 7, 2025

Welcome to the club @arikarmstead, honored to have you in the #WPMOY brotherhood! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 https://t.co/LFFkEjYaFY

— Troy Vincent, Sr. (@TroyVincentSr) February 7, 2025

"I believe in humanity." - @arikarmstead#WPMOY | #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/1TNm1l76w3

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 7, 2025

Bigger than football. ❤️

Arik Armstead makes it his mission to impact the younger generations in the classroom. pic.twitter.com/X2J8ZpCU3x

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 7, 2025

An unwavering commitment to community.

Congratulations to @arikarmstead, named 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year!#NFLHonors | #WPMOY

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 7, 2025

Wow. Very impressed with Arik Armstead’s speech. #nfl

— Hannah (@wizzy314) February 7, 2025

Loved the one Duuuval during Arik Armstead’s Walter Payton Man of the Year speech

— Lauren Brooks (@1010XLLauren) February 7, 2025

Arik Armstead just gave such a beautiful, empowering speech. Truly embodies what someone who wins the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Congratulations @arikarmstead

— Daniel Diez (@_Daniel_Diez) February 7, 2025

Arik Armstead, what a speech. Straight from the heart. Amazing work.

— Chief BlueNote (@ChiefBlueNote) February 7, 2025

Great speech from Arik Armstead👏🏿👏🏿

— Peter Propane (@peterpropane) February 7, 2025

Armstead, a 10-year veteran, had a commendable year on the field, picking up 29 tackles and two sacks in his first year in Jacksonville. What was more impressive is what Armstead did off the field this year.

His organization, Armstead Academic Project, has raised more than $2 million for STEM opportunities for children in the Sacramento and Bay Area since its inception in 2019.

"What inspired me to start the Armstead Academic Project - I was a kid who struggled in school at a young age and if it wasn't for people who poured into my life, I wouldn't have had a shot at being successful," Armstead said, via NFL.com. "There's a lot of kids who are just like me, who just need some nurturing and some resources to be poured into; their potential is endless. Those are the kids we're trying to reach and serve."

This season, Armstead donated $50,000 to the Department of Sound, which helped create a "Sound Mind" production workshop for 60 young people to "explore STEAM education and social emotional wellness." He also donated $100,000 to Teach for America and Square Root Academy.

Armstead's reading program, "Storytime with Arik Armstead," aims to help improve literacy rates. After joining the Jaguars this year, he also participated in the EverBank Touchdowns for Tomorrow program, which focuses on the importance of financial education to kids from Duval County Public Schools.

The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is one of the most prestigious recognitions a player can earn, and now Armstead has earned that honor.

Youth and inexperience aren't hindrances to joining the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff this offseason.

The team announced Wednesday night they're hiring Grant Udinski as their next offensive coordinator. At 29, he's the second-youngest assistant in that role after the Chicago Bears tabbed 28-year-old Declan Doyle as their next OC.

We have agreed to terms with Grant Udinski to become our Offensive Coordinator. pic.twitter.com/5PKBOOynrm

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) February 6, 2025

"Grant will bring a wealth of knowledge, energy and a winning mindset to help lead our offense here in Jacksonville," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said. "He is a rising star in this league that has been a pillar of success for the Vikings organization and we can't wait to have him lead our offense."

The Jaguars also agreed to bring on former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron as their new pass-game coordinator, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The team will also hire John Van Dam as a pass-game specialist, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Udinski has had a quick rise up the coaching ranks.

ESPN's Michael DiRocco noted he was briefly living out of his car as a graduate assistant at Baylor in 2019. His first NFL gig came a year later as an assistant with the Carolina Panthers. He followed Matt Rhule from Waco, Texas, to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Udinski had been on the Minnesota Vikings' coaching staff since 2022, moving his way up to become the assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach last season.

His hiring, along with that of Doyle, isn't unprecedented in the NFL.

Sean McVay was 28 in his first year as the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator in 2014, while Kyle Shanahan was a year older when he accepted the Houston Texans OC job in 2008.

Udinski's work with Sam Darnold likely played a big role in Coen's decision to bring him aboard. Darnold had a career year in 2024, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns to 12 interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl.

The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling profiled Udinski in November and wrote how he also worked closely with rookie signal-caller J.J. McCarthy, who missed the entire year due to a torn meniscus.

"Their communication this spring was so frequent that McCarthy said he sensed Udinski was 'a little disheartened when I didn't give him that 11:30 p.m. phone call,'" Goessling wrote. "They sit together in meetings, both furiously typing notes into Google spreadsheets. Now that McCarthy can attend practices again following knee surgery, Udinski drills him on reciting play calls like he's the starter."

As the Jaguars offensive coordinator, getting Trevor Lawrence's development back on track will be one of Udinski's top priorities.

Lawrence's production has pretty much plateaued after he made the Pro Bowl in 2022, and that's not what Jacksonville wants to see from a player it signed to a $275 million extension.

Perhaps Coen and Udinski will help the 25-year-old make his breakthrough. If that happens, the Jaguars' long-term outlook is drastically different.

Miami quarterback Cam Ward received a strong endorsement from Tennessee Titans safety Quandre Diggs.

Responding to a fan question on X, Diggs called Ward the "best QB and LEADER in the draft!!":

Best QB and LEADER in the draft!! https://t.co/vLG0sK62Fl

— Nino (@qdiggs6) February 3, 2025

Having a member of the Titans weigh in on the quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL draft class is notable because Tennessee owns the No. 1 overall pick. Should it want to pivot from Will Levis as the long-term solution under center, it will have the freedom to choose between Ward, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or anybody else.

Diggs' opinion is the conventional wisdom to this point.

Ward is the top-ranked quarterback on Bleacher Report's big board and sits eighth overall. After scouting the Hurricanes star, B/R NFL scout Dame Parson compared him to two-time Pro Bowler Geno Smith.

"In conclusion, Cam Ward is among the most gifted throwers in the NFL draft class," Parson said. "The combination of arm talent, mobility/athleticism, and accuracy is growing among NFL scouts. He is comfortable using hard counts to force the defense out of their disguises, then set the protection to pick up any indicating extra rushers from the second or third levels of the defense. He has superstar potential if he can cut down on mistakes/risky decisions."

Having transferred to Miami for his final year of college ball, Ward emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2024, ultimately losing out on the award to Colorado's Travis Hunter. He threw for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns and finished with a 171.1 passer rating.

Ward boosted his draft stock and cemented himself as a first-round talent, something that may not have been true if he had come out a year earlier.

Titans fans might be a little divided as to what the team should do once it's officially on the clock on April 24. Maybe Sanders is the better choice over Ward, or Tennessee could go with the best pure talent available and take Hunter.

But Diggs won't be alone in believing Ward is the way to go.

The Houston Texans hired Nick Caley as their new offensive coordinator on Monday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

Caley served as a tight ends coach on the Los Angeles Rams over the past two seasons and also operated as the Rams' passing game coordinator in 2024.

He'll be replacing Bobby Slowik in Houston, as Slowik was fired following the Texans' 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Caley has experience as a member of the New England Patriots' coaching staff from 2015-22 as well.

He started as an offensive assistant before he became New England's tight ends coach from 2017 through 2022. He also coached fullbacks for five seasons throughout his tenure with the Patriots.

During Caley's final season with the Rams in 2024, Los Angeles owned the NFL's No. 10 passing attack.

STAFFORD. PUKA. WOW.

📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/CJa15yMhp3

— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025

Houston interviewed several candidates for its offensive coordinator vacancy including Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, Minnesota Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski, Texans senior offensive assistant Bill Lazor and Washington Commanders passing game coordinator Brian Johnson (h/t Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle).

Despite wrapping up a second consecutive divisional-round playoff appearance in 2024, Houston's offense took a notable step back compared to its first year under Slowik.

The Texans' averages of 342.4 yards and 22.2 points per game in 2023 both decreased to 319.7 yards and 21.9 points per game this past season.

C.J. Stroud wasn't able to build upon his stellar rookie season, recording just 219.2 passing yards per game. He also threw 12 interceptions in 17 games after he was picked off just five times in 15 starts as a rookie.

Kyle Hamilton lays out for the pick! #NFLonNetflix#BALvsHOU on @Netflix pic.twitter.com/hJ1UneV2My

— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2024

As Houston looks to make a third consecutive playoff appearance and get its offense back on track in 2025, Caley will now reportedly take over.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud capped off his second NFL season with a mention from Travis Scott.

The song "Houstatlantaville" by EST Gee, Lil Baby and Travis Scott features the line "In the 7 / quarterbacking like I'm C.J.," as noted by Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle.

The song is featured on EST Gee's new album I Ain't Feeling You, which was released last Friday.

This isn't the first time Stroud, who was selected by the Texans with the No. 2 pick of the 2023 draft, has been connected to Scott, a Houston native.

Stroud participated in Scott's celebrity softball game last February, and later joined Scott and other celebrities including Tom Brady in playing beach volleyball ahead of Michael Rubin's annual White Party last July.

The Texans quarterback recently followed up his Pro Bowl rookie campaign by leading the Texans to 10 regular-season wins and a Wild Card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

After Houston's playoffs ended with a Divisional round loss to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, Stroud will look to take the Texans on a deeper run next winter when he returns for his third NFL season.

Owning the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan isn't shying away from hyping up Shedeur Sanders.

Speaking to ESPN's Turron Davenport from the Senior Bowl in Alabama, Callahan praised Sanders by comparing his skill set to Joe Burrow's:

"People had questions about Burrow's arm strength in general coming out. One of the things that's makes Joe so unique, and I think you can probably put Shedeur in the same conversation. ... They anticipate when they throw it, they have the timing and accuracy on top of it. That makes up for the arm strength.

"Those things are how you make up for maybe not having the biggest arm. If you're throwing on time and putting a ball when and where you're supposed to go, you're not going to have too many problems."

There are some physical concerns that scouts have raised about Sanders as he is starting to undergo serious evaluation for the draft.

Sanders isn't an imposing physical presence. B/R's NFL scouting department lists him at 6'1" and 198 pounds. That's not necessarily a red flag on its own because Caleb Williams is undersized and no one was concerned about him being the top pick one year ago.

B/R's scouting report also praises Sanders for being a "high-level passer" who "throws with great accuracy, and ball placement from the pocket."

That sounds a lot like how Burrow plays the position.

The Burrow-Sanders comparison also works because of their tendency to sit in the pocket even when pressure is bearing down on them. Burrow has been sacked 196 times in 69 NFL games. Sanders was sacked 94 times over the past two seasons, more than any other FBS quarterback.

To recap:

Shedeur’s FBS Ranks out of 94 qualified QBs

1st in pressures dropbacks
2nd in pressures allowed by QB
70th in pressures allowed by OL
28th in P2S% (2.5+ secs)
1st in pressures after 2.5 secs
1st in sacks after 2.5 secs
2nd in screens thrown
5th in screen %

— CLEology (@_CLEology) January 8, 2025

Sanders, 22, was fantastic for the Buffaloes in the 2024 season when he wasn't being sacked, throwing for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing 74 percent of his passes. He led Colorado to a 9-4 record and a berth in the Alamo Bowl against BYU, where it suffered a 36-14 loss.

That followed a statistically impressive 2023 campaign that saw him throw for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and three interceptions. Colorado went just 4-8, however.

SHEDEUR FINDS TRAVIS HUNTER ON 4TH & 8 😱

(via @CFBONFOX)
pic.twitter.com/pXAxbsIvhb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 16, 2024

Comparing anyone to Burrow is naturally dangerous because he's one of the most unique quarterbacks in the NFL right now. He's an old-school pocket passer who really doesn't run that much, but executes the offense at such a high level with his pre-snap intelligence and accuracy to all levels of the field.

Burrow is able to do all of this with an arm that would be considered average. Sanders is also not regarded as having the strongest arm, but he makes it worth with accuracy and anticipation.

Callahan knows first hand of what he speaks. The 40-year-old was Cincinnati's offensive coordinator for each of Burrow's first four seasons from 2020 to '23 before being hired by the Titans in January 2024.

If Callahan thinks there's a chance Sanders could play anywhere close to the level Burrow has, the Titans will probably be running the card up to the podium when they go on the clock in the first round of the 2025 draft.

As the Tennessee Titans dive deep into the top prospects in the 2025 draft, there appears to be growing buzz around Cam Ward being the top pick.

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, there has been a "building sentiment" from scouts and executives at the Senior Bowl this week that Ward "is likely" to be selected No. 1 overall.

The lack of a consensus top signal-caller in the draft has left open the possibility that the teams picking at the top, starting with the Titans, might opt to go for the best player available and try to fill quarterback either later in the draft, via trade or free agency.

This isn't a particularly deep year for free-agent quarterbacks. Sam Darnold, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are the top three who will be available. The pool could get deeper with players like Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins candidates to be released by their current teams, but none of these are players you want to build a franchise around at this point.

Ward and Shedeur Sanders are battling to be the top quarterback in the draft, though neither is particularly close to being regarded as the best player available.

B/R's NFL scouting department's most recent big board has Ward ranked as the top quarterback, but he's only the sixth-best player in the class. Sanders comes in at No. 16 overall.

A team like the Titans that has significant needs on both sides of the ball could justify simply going with the best player available. Of course, that's rarely how the top of the draft works for a team with a glaring need at quarterback.

The only time in the previous seven drafts a quarterback didn't go No. 1 overall was 2022, and that was because the Jacksonville Jaguars had the top pick one year after selecting Trevor Lawrence.

Ward has huge physical tools that are going to be tantalizing for several teams at the top of the draft. He's got a rocket arm and isn't afraid to show it off. The 22-year-old threw for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 13 starts for Miami last season.

The Titans secured the top pick in the 2025 draft after finishing 3-14 this season. They haven't picked No. 1 overall since 1978 when they were the Houston Oilers and traded up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to select Earl Campbell.