Does Whisenhunt want his 'own' quarterback for Titans?

• Titans QB Jake Locker%2C recovering from foot surgery%2C will be limited in next week%27s minicamp.
• The Titans have taken a closer look at one of the top QB prospects%2C Fresno State%27s Derek Carr.
• The Titans currently have the 11th and 42nd overall picks atop the May 8-10 draft.

With the NFL draft rapidly approaching, a popular theory suggests new Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt wants his "own" quarterback.

The theory apparently hasn't made its way to Whisenhunt, who reiterated on Thursday he likes what he's seen from Jake Locker. Yet the coach was also vague when asked about the team's draft plans at the position.

"To be honest, I haven't really thought about it that way," said Whisenhunt, who replaced Mike Munchak in January. "I am excited about the little bit of time I have spent with Jake. He exhibits a lot of the qualities I like. He has been great in the meeting rooms, I like the way our exchanges have gone. So our focus is on that."

Locker has started to jog as he continues recovery from Lisfranc surgery on his right foot in November, but the fourth-year pro will be limited to stationary throwing next week when the Titans hold a three-day minicamp. Backups Charlie Whitehurst and Tyler Wilson will handle the workload.

Whisenhunt said the minicamp could play a big role in determining needs at several offensive and defensive positions for the draft.

Asked if the Titans would take a quarterback with one of their six picks, he said: "I don't know that I would say that. There's a lot of good football players in this draft. How the board stacks up and where we are with our team, you just don't know."

This much is certain: the Titans are checking out quarterback prospects, and they are clearly intrigued with Fresno State's Derek Carr.

They spent time with him at the Senior Bowl in January, the NFL combine in February and at Saint Thomas Sports Park earlier this month. They also sent offensive coordinator Jason Michael and quarterbacks coach John McNulty to California recently to see Carr.

The Titans have no plans to exercise the fifth-year option on Locker's contract, which makes 2014 his last chance to prove he can be the franchise quarterback after missing 14 of 32 potential starts the last two seasons with injuries.

"It is a make-or-break year for a lot of guys in the league. Jake is one of the guys," Whisenhunt said. "That is the nature of this business. He just happens to play a position that gets a lot of attention."

In addition to Carr, the Titans recently worked out Georgia's Aaron Murray, are scheduled to work out LSU's Zach Mettenberger and had Eastern Illinois' Jimmy Garoppolo in for a visit recently.

At the combine the Titans interviewed the top three QB prospects: Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, Central Florida's Blake Bortles and Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater. Alabama's A.J. McCarron missed a visit with the Titans because he was sick, and the meeting was not rescheduled.

The Titans have the 11th and 42nd overall picks, but currently do not have a third-rounder.

"There will be a good player when we get a chance to pick, especially early in this draft, because there's a lot of good football players," Whisenhunt said. "So we'll get somebody good that will help us."

Reach Jim Wyatt at 615-259-8015 and on Twitter @jwyattsports.