One of the eight founding teams of the American Football League, the Houston Oilers took the field for the first time in 1960. The first two AFL titles were won by the team. The team joined the AFC Central after the merger in 1970. The franchise became the Tennessee Oilers after relocating to Tennessee in 1997.
The Oilers were renamed the Titans in 1999. They became a part of the newly established AFC South in 2002, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts.
The Titans selected University of Alabama tackle J.C. Latham with the seventh overall selection on Thursday night in Detroit. Over the next two days, they will have six more picks.
Even before the leagues merged on the field, the NFL and AFL finally began selecting players together in 1967 in what is known as the Common Draft. Here’s a look at the franchise’s top steals in the draft since ’67, all but one selected in the fourth round or lower.
Greatest draft steals in the history of the Oilers/Titans
10. LB Gregg Bingham (1973: Round 4)
It was 10 years ago that the Tennessee Titans used a fourth-round draft choice on linebacker Avery Williamson. He played for the organization for four seasons, missing only one game, and the Titans reached the playoffs in his final year in 2017. The versatile defender led Tennessee in tackles twice.
Just over four decades earlier, the Oilers used a fourth-round selection on linebacker Gregg Bingham. He played and started 173 games for the club over 12 seasons, missing only two contests. He racked up 21 interceptions and 14 fumbles recoveries. Bingham was a solid interior defender with a nose for the ball.
9. CB Cortland Finnegan (2006: Round 7)
Of the 10 performers on this list, the 215th overall pick in the ’06 draft is the only player actually selected by the Tennessee Titans. Defensive back Cortland Finnegan from Samford wasted little time making his presence felt on a defense that needed an intimidator, as well as someone always around the ball.
Finnegan had no interceptions as a rookie but finished with 58 stops, two sacks, seven passes defensed, and 12 special teams tackles. During his six seasons with the Titans, the 2008 Pro Bowler and All-Pro had 18 total takeaways (4 returned for TDs) and a celebrated battle with Hall of Fame wideout Andre Johnson.
8. WR Curtis Duncan (1987: Round 10)
Charlie Joiner was a fourth-round pick in 1969 but played with the team for three-plus seasons before being dealt to the Bengals (and eventually traded to the Chargers). All told, 82 of his 750 career receptions came with the Oilers. Meanwhile, Northwestern’s Curtis Duncan was the 258th overall selection in 1987.
Teamed with veteran Drew Hill, 1986 second-round pick Ernest Givins, and 1987 first-rounder Haywood Jeffires, quarterback Warren Moon ran the “Run and Shoot” offense to perfection. Duncan totaled 322 catches for 3,935 yards and 20 scores in seven seasons with the franchise and was a Pro Bowler in 1992.
7. S Blaine Bishop (1993: Round 8)
NFL free agency in its current form began in 1993. That year, the NFL draft was reduced from 12 to eight rounds, and then to its current format of seven rounds in 1994. In ’93, the Oilers drafted seven players, the final performer was heady Ball State defensive back Blaine Bishop with the 214th overall selection.
The hard-hitting performer spent his first nine seasons with the franchise before joining the Eagles in 2002. Bishop was named to four Pro Bowls during his days with the club. There were five interceptions (1 TD), as well as a dozen forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, and 15.5 sacks by the physical tone-setter.
6. WR/KR Derrick Mason (1997: Round 4)
The franchise’s first season in Tennessee was in 1997, and the team’s nom de guerre was still the Oilers. The club used a fourth-round pick that year on Michigan State wide receiver Derrick Mason. He ranks 19th in NFL history in total combined yards (17,150), but the focus here is his eight years with this organization.
There were 453 catches for 6,114 and 37 touchdowns. There were two punt returns and one kickoff return for scores, as well as an 80-yard KOR return for a touchdown in the 1999 AFC title game win at Jacksonville. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and earned All-Pro honors in 2000 in his days with Tennessee.
5. CB Cris Dishman (1988: Round 5)
A fifth-round pick in the 1988 draft, this former Purdue Boilermaker played a total of 13 seasons with four different franchises. However, it was the team that drafted him where he made the biggest impression. Cris Dishman spent nine seasons with the Oilers and ranks second in club history with 31 interceptions.
All told, Dishman finished with an impressive 43 takeaways during his days in Houston and would return three of those opponent miscues for touchdowns. He totaled 11 forced fumbles and was a member of six playoff teams. Dishman earned Pro Bowl honors in 1991 and was a First-Team All-Pro that same year.
4. LB Al Smith (1987: Round 6)
A sixth-round choice of the Houston Oilers in 1987, Al Smith started 11 of the 12 games he played as a rookie (he did play in the 3 “replacement” games). The stout defender totaled at least 75 stops in each of his first eight seasons. The two-time Pro Bowler and 1992 All-Pro racked up 100-plus tackles five times.
Injuries limited Smith to a combined three games in his final two seasons. He was a reliable tackler for this franchise for the vast majority of his career. Keep in mind that the Oilers were a playoff team in each of his first seven seasons in the league, although those very talented clubs failed to reach the AFC title game.
3. WR/KR Billy “White Shoes” Johnson (1974: Round 15)
Known for his flamboyant end zone dances, there was certainly reason to celebrate when it came to an explosive talent who lasted until the 15th round of the 1974 NFL Draft. Billy Johnson began his career in Houston. In seven seasons with the club, he was named to the Pro Bowl twice and was an All-Pro in 1977.
“White Shoes” Johnson was a threat as a receiver, as well as a runner. During his career with the Oilers, he totaled 2,357 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns. Of course, there were his celebrated exploits on special teams. With the Oilers alone, he took back five punts for touchdowns and also returned two kickoffs for scores.
2. DE Elvin Bethea (1968: Round 3)
Combine the fact that the relentless defender was a third-round draft choice (77th overall selection) from North Carolina A&T with the most sacks in franchise history (via Pro Football Reference) and you have a sleeper who was named to eight Pro Bowls and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
Elvin Bethea totaled 105.0 sacks and 16 fumble recoveries in 16 seasons in 210 regular-season contests with the Oilers, the latter the second-most in franchise history behind fellow Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews. The reliable pro added seven sacks in eight playoff contests and was enshrined in Canton in 2003.
1. S Ken Houston (1967: Round 9)
He was one of the top players at his position and was chosen by the Houston Oilers with the 214th overall pick in the first year of the Common Draft. Ken Houston would spend his first six seasons with the franchise, and the last eight seasons in Washington. His time with the Oilers was simply remarkable.
In 84 games, he picked off 25 passes and returned nine for scores. There were 11 fumble recoveries (1 TD) and a blocked field goal return for a touchdown. Five of his 12 Pro Bowl invites came while with Houston.
He would go on to play for eight seasons with Washington, where he totaled 25 more interceptions, and was not only named to seven more Pro Bowls but earned All-Pro honors in 1975 and ’78. A legend!
Be the first to comment