Forgive us for looking into the future, but the current state of the 0-4 Tennessee Titans suggests that the 2027 NFL Draft will be another huge one for this franchise. Carnell Tate led what is turning out to be a productive draft class for Robert Saleh, but next year's pool could end up just as important, if not more so.

As is the nature of mock drafts, we're already seeing early returns based on the first month of this season. As one of only four remaining winless teams in the league, the Titans are topping charts with a predicted high pick next year. Justin Melo, with NFL Draft On SI, has Tennessee at the second spot.

With that selection, Melo forecasts a potentially surprising - and all too exciting - grab. In his latest mock, the Titans take Ohio State Buckeyes WR Jeremiah Smith. A bold pick? Potentially, but Smith is perhaps the most undeniable prospect in the 2027 class.

He's a superstar in the making, and his addition to Tennessee's WR room would make it perhaps the most promising group in the entire league.

Jeremiah Smith would take Titans' WR room to the moon

"Cam Ward isn't playing well enough, but it'd be premature to move on from a sophomore No. 1 overall quarterback," Melo explained. "Instead, the Tennessee Titans take a generational talent in Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith."

For detractors waiting to point out that Tennessee just took an elite Buckeye receiver this past draft, that's exactly the appeal of this selection. As Melo points out, adding more talent to Ward's arsenal would give the second-year passer an even better chance to reach his ceiling.

If Ward doesn't pan out? You're still reuniting a pair of Ohio State pass-catchers that defined one of the best offenses in college football together. Both of those guys together have the potential to make any offense better, whether or not the team has a defined answer under center.

The Tate-Smith pairing is too promising to deny

Carnell Tate just went off against the Baltimore Ravens for the best game of his rookie campaign. The first-year receiver hauled in nine catches for 145 yards, completing a late two-point conversion in the process. He leads Titans receivers comfortably with 22 receptions and 268 yards on the year.

Smith, on the other hand, already has nine scores and 823 yards for Ohio State through just five games. He's pacing for a third straight campaign with 1,000+ yards and double-digit touchdowns. Smith has the most receiving yards, receptions, and touchdown catches of any WR in Ohio State history.

The Titans simply could not pass on Smith if he's available, no matter why they end up on the draft ladder. The prospect of pairing him with Tate is one of such promise that it appears franchise-saving.

This season is far from over, and Saleh should be worried about winning games with the group he has right now. But if the Titans end up in a position like the one posed here, taking Smith could lay the foundation for an unstoppable pass-catching duo for years to come in Nashville.