Titans add Cruikshank, Falk in final day of draft
NASHVILLE – The smallest draft class in Titans history promises to make a tremendous impact.
Titans general manager Jon Robinson continued to choose quality over quantity, trading up for the third time in as many days to select Arizona defensive back Dane Cruikshank with the 152nd overall pick in the fifth round of the NFL draft on Saturday.
The Titans drafted Washington State quarterback Luke Falk with the 199th pick in the sixth round, the same spot Tom Brady was drafted by the Patriots in 2000.
Tennessee also traded up on each of the first two days of the draft, selecting Alabama inside linebacker Rashaan Evans with the 22nd overall pick in the first round and Boston College outside linebacker Harold Landry with the 41st overall pick in the second round.
The moves left the Titans without a third- or fourth-round selection, but secured two players widely considered first-round talents — and at the team’s two biggest positions of need.
Tennessee gave picks No. 162 and 215 to the Ravens to move up to select Cruikshank.
The Titans entered the draft with only six picks, tied for the fewest in the league.
Dane Cruikshank, DB, Arizona
The 6-foot-1, 209-pound Cruikshank is expected to play safety and provide depth behind starters Kevin Byard and Johnathan Cyprien.
“Whatever they need me to play, I’m willing to play,” Cruikshank said. “I feel like I can do it all, so I don’t think I’ll have trouble playing free safety or strong safety. I can tackle, I can play in the box, I can roll to the post, so it doesn’t matter to me.”
Cruikshank played the “spur” safety role as a senior, when he usually lined up in the slot or just outside the tackle box. He thrived in that role, recording 75 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, five pass breakups and a forced fumble in 13 games.
Two of those picks were against Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold, two of the four quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 in the first round.
“Those are two great quarterbacks, you know?” Cruikshank said. “But, I made a lot good plays against a lot of good players. Those are just two of them.”
Cruikshank played cornerback as a junior, when he tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
“The versatility is huge,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. “If you only play one position in this league, you’d better be really good at it. We’re excited about the versatility.”
Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
The 6-4, 223-pound Falk will likely slot in as the third quarterback, behind Marcus Mariota and primary backup Blaine Gabbert.
Falk won the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top former walk-on, after completing 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,593 yards, 30 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season.
“He was a guy that was kind of sticking out at the top of our board,” Robinson said. “Quarterback is a premium position in this league, and to add a guy like him who’s had a really, really productive college career, and with his work ethic and his mindset at that position ... I’m really excited to add Luke, as well.”
Falk owns the Pac-12 and WSU career records for passing yards (14,486), passing touchdowns (119) and pass completions (357).
Falk has long been a Brady fan, and even compared his game to the fivetime Super Bowl champ.
“I just think that we kind of have the same similarities and style of play,” Falk said. “We are not the most mobile guys. We do stuff in the pocket, creating throws in a small space. We are accurate.
“He’s the best to do it and somebody I look up to and just try to model my game after. It’s a huge coincidence that it is pick 199 and Tennessee took a shot on me.”