The Tennessee Titans have added an inside linebacker to their roster after picking Georgia product Monty Rice at No. 92 overall in the 2021 NFL draft.
The Titans decided to trade out of the No. 85 overall pick, sending it to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for No. 92 overall and No. 132 overall (fourth round). Of course, the former pick was spent on Rice.
Rice is a bit undersized at 6-foot and 230 pounds, but he plays with great speed and is a solid tackler. The Georgia product has also flashed in coverage and should be a thumper against the run.
Taking Rice creates an interesting scenario in Tennessee, as the Titans now have a logjam at the position with Jayon Brown, Rashaan Evans, David Long, and now Rice.
We already assumed Tennessee would decline Evans’ fifth-year option, but now one has to wonder if a trade of the former first-round pick could be in the cards in the days and weeks ahead.
Putting that aside for now, here’s how Twitter reacted to the pick. There’s no question many were surprised by this one.
#Titans get an excellent leader in Monty Rice. Exceptionally high football IQ and leadership grades. Injury affected my ranking of him. He's STOUT at the point of attack.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) May 1, 2021
I don’t mind the idea of inside linebacker, but Monty Rice is definitely not someone I had on my radar. Biggest head scratcher so far from Jon Robinson.
— Mike Herndon (@MikeMiracles) May 1, 2021
New Titans LB Monty Rice is on his THIRD agent.
Before the draft even started. 🟥🟥🟥
— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) May 1, 2021
I won’t act like I know anything about Monty Rice. But buddy looked like he was 5’9 in those clips they showed lmao.
— Nick Lombardi (@NF_Lombardi) May 1, 2021
Monty Rice is an excellent linebacker. GREAT pick Titans
— Preston Penn (@TheRealPres10) May 1, 2021
My lord. I wrote up Monty Rice as a guy the Titans might grab on Day 3. Still no WR, TE or Edge … I don't know anymore.
— Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) May 1, 2021
#Titans take LB Monty Rice from Ga. … just as we all expected.
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) May 1, 2021
You never want to judge a player by his school, but Jon Robinson has taken two Georgia players in the last two drafts and got a combined 4 snaps out of them. Hopefully Monty Rice doesn’t follow that trend.
— Mike Herndon (@MikeMiracles) May 1, 2021
I got nothing for ya on Monty Rice.
Didn't see that coming.
— Allan Bell (@AllanBell247) May 1, 2021
The #Titans will decline Rashaan Evans' fifth-year option by May 3 unless they are insane. Monty Rice will be part of the solution to that in 2022, I'd imagine.
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 1, 2021
How does one select Monty Rice over Jabril Cox?
(This is just one of many questions I have, the Titans have drafted nothing like I expected them to outside of the first round)
— Crissy Froyd (@crissy_froyd) May 1, 2021
[lawrence-related id=62479,62410,62418]
[listicle id=62440]