In the aftermath of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, many Tennessee Titans fans were left wondering how the front office would address the defense's most pressing needs. General manager Mike Borgonzi answered those questions emphatically on Day 2, engineering a pair of picks that scream both high-floor reliability and ceiling-shattering potential. By selecting Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and adding Keldric Faulk from the edge, the Titans have injected a jolt of aggression into a unit that desperately needed it.
Let's break down exactly what Tennessee is getting in these two new defensive pillars.
Anthony Hill Jr.: The Pressure-Tested Instinct Machine
When you watch Anthony Hill Jr. on tape, one thing becomes immediately clear: this is a linebacker who plays with his hair on fire. The former Texas Longhorn brings a blend of sideline-to-sideline range, violent hitting ability, and a football IQ that has drawn comparisons to some of the best second-level defenders in recent draft classes.
A Texas-based draft analyst provided an inside look at what makes Hill so special, and the consensus is that the Titans landed a player who is uniquely prepared for the rigors of NFL Sundays. "He's pressure-tested in ways most prospects aren't," the analyst noted. "Playing in the SEC and then in Big 12 title games, the College Football Playoff -- he's seen every type of offense and every type of scheme. He doesn't get fooled."
That processing speed is what separates Hill from other linebacker prospects in this class. In a league where offenses are constantly trying to create mismatches and confusion, having a linebacker who can diagnose a run-pass option, trigger downhill against the run, or drop seamlessly into zone coverage is a superpower. Hill possesses that ability naturally.
At 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, he has the frame to hold up between the tackles but the long speed to chase plays to the boundary. He finished his final season at Texas with 98 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and an interception returned for a touchdown. Those numbers only tell part of the story. The real value lies in his leadership and his ability to elevate the play of those around him.
For the Titans, Hill is likely an immediate starter alongside Kenneth Murray Jr. His arrival instantly improves a linebacker room that too often was a step slow in 2025. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson can now deploy Hill as a true three-down linebacker, capable of affecting the game on early downs against the run and staying on the field in obvious passing situations.
The pick is excellent not just for what Hill brings physically, but for what he represents schematically. The Titans have been searching for a dynamic, playmaking linebacker who can wear the green dot and communicate the defensive calls. Hill is that player. He is a plug-and-play starter with a ceiling that could see him become the heart of this defense for the next five to seven years.
Keldric Faulk: The "Biggest Value Steal of the Night"
If Hill was the safe, high-floor selection, Keldric Faulk is the home-run swing that could pay off in a major way.
Shortly after the pick was made, Faulk admitted to reporters that he was genuinely surprised to still be on the board when the Titans called. "I thought I'd be drafted in the first round," Faulk said, his candor refreshing in an era of polished draft-night media training. He went on to explain exactly why the Titans came up to get him, praising the front office for recognizing what he calls the "biggest value steal of the night."
That might sound like typical post-draft bluster, but the tape backs up the confidence. Faulk is a long, explosive edge defender who simply dominated at times during his college career. Standing 6-foot-5 with arms that seem to extend for miles, he has the physical tools to win on the outside against offensive tackles who lack his length and burst.
Faulk's game is built around getting after the quarterback. He has a devastating first step that allows him to turn the corner before blockers can set their anchor. He also possesses a surprisingly deep bag of pass-rush moves for a player his age, blending power rushes with speed-to-power conversions and an effective long-arm extension.
His final season saw him rack up 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, numbers that typically push an edge rusher into the top-15 conversation. That he fell to Day 2 speaks more to the unprecedented depth of this draft class than to any deficiency in his game. Evaluators noted that Faulk can occasionally play too high at the point of attack against the run, but that is a coachable flaw. The raw talent -- the get-off, the bend, the violent hands -- are not.
The Titans made a calculated gamble here. They traded up to ensure they got their guy, and Faulk took it as a sign of belief. "They came and got me for a reason," he said. "I'm going to prove them right."
How These Two Picks Fit Together
Look at the Titans' defense over the past two seasons and one trend stands out: they struggled to generate consistent pressure without blitzing. That left the secondary exposed, especially on third-and-long. The additions of Hill and Faulk directly address that deficiency.
Hill gives the defensive coordinator a linebacker who can blitz effectively from the second level. He is a heat-seeking missile on A-gap pressures and has the instincts to time his run perfectly. Offenses can no longer assume that when they double-team Jeffery Simmons on the interior, they have free access to the second level. Hill will make them pay.
Faulk, meanwhile, is the complementary edge rusher that every great defensive front needs. He can line up opposite Harold Landry III and create a two-headed pass-rush monster that offensive coordinators will have to account for on every snap. If the Titans can keep both players fresh, they now have a rotation that can apply heat from both sides for four quarters.
Together, Hill and Faulk represent a philosophical shift. The Titans are betting that the fastest way to a championship is through the quarterback. They have stockpiled defensive backs in recent drafts, and now they have given that secondary a pass rush that can shorten windows and force rushed decisions.
A New Identity Taking Shape
No one is handing the Titans the AFC South crown based on a single draft class. The Houston Texans remain the division favorites, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have made significant investments of their own. But what Borgonzi and head coach Brian Callahan have done with these two selections is send a clear message: this defense will no longer be soft. It will no longer be easy to move the ball against. It will have teeth.
Anthony Hill Jr. and Keldric Faulk bring different skill sets but share a common trait -- they both play with an edge that has been missing in Nashville. Hill brings the discipline and football IQ of a veteran leader. Faulk brings the explosive, ceiling-shattering potential of a player who believes he should have been a first-round pick and is determined to prove it.
The value of this Day 2 haul cannot be overstated. In Hill, the Titans got a sure thing -- a pressure-tested, high-floor linebacker who can start immediately and anchor the defense. In Faulk, they got a potential star -- a player who fell through the cracks due to a deep class and the Titans had the conviction to go get.
If Faulk hits his ceiling, this will go down as one of the great value picks in recent Titans history. If Hill plays to his floor, Tennessee is already a better defense than they were 48 hours ago.
The 2026 Titans are starting to take shape. And for the first time in a long time, it looks like a defense opponents will not want to face.