26 Apr 2012 ... 2012 TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT PICKS. ROUND ...... Every superhero has a
sidekick. ...... It should be a great work ethic and a great tempo.
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012 NFL Draft Lists • Player Information Clips • Transcripts
2012 TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT PICKS ROUND 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
OVERALL 20 52 82 115 145 190 211
POSITION WR LB DT CB TE S DE
PLAYER Kendall Wright Zach Brown Mike Martin Coty Sensabaugh Taylor Thompson Markelle Martin Scott Solomon
SCHOOL Baylor North Carolina Michigan Clemson Southern Methodist Oklahoma State Rice
2012 TITANS DRAFT REVIEW CONTENTS 2012 Draft Roster NFL Draft Recap (Position, College and Conference Summaries, Underclassmen) Complete Draft Lists: Round-by-Round Selections Team-by-Team Selections Alphabetical Selections Selections by Position Selections by School 2012 Trades 2012 Titans Draft Picks WR Kendall Wright (Round 1, No. 20 Overall) o Bio o Draftee Questionnaire o Conference Call Transcript o Feature Clips Above contents repeated for each draftee LB Zach Brown (Round 2, No. 52 Overall) DT Mike Martin (Round 3, No. 82 Overall) CB Coty Sensabaugh (Round 4, No. 115 Overall) TE Taylor Thompson (Round 5, No. 145 Overall) S Markelle Martin (Round 6, No. 190 Overall) DE Scott Solomon (Round 7, No. 211 Overall) Draft Clips Press Conference Transcripts
2012 TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT ROSTER RD. SEL# NAME 1 20 Kendall Wright
POS. WR
HT. 5-10
WT. 196
BIRTHDATE COLLEGE 11/12/89 Baylor
HOMETOWN Pittsburg, Texas
2
52
Zach Brown
LB
6-1
242
10/23/89 North Carolina
Columbia, Md.
3
82
Mike Martin
DT
6-1
306
9/1/90
Detroit, Mich.
4
115
Coty Sensabaugh CB
5-11
189
11/15/88 Clemson
5*
145
Taylor Thompson TE
6-6
259
10/19/89 Southern Methodist Prosper, Texas
6
190
Markelle Martin
S
6-1
207
6/20/90
Oklahoma State
Wichita Falls, Texas
7*
211
Scott Solomon
DE
6-3
262
11/5/88
Rice
San Antonio, Texas
*
Selection obtained in trade
Michigan
Kingsport, Tenn.
TRADES AFFECTING 2012 DRAFT: Trade Date/Teams Compensation 1. April 28, 2012 (Draft Day Trade) Miami Receives: Draft Choice: Draft Choice:
Round 5, 2012 Round 7, 2012
#155 #227
LB Josh Kaddu WR Rishard Matthews
Tennessee Receives:
Draft Choice:
Round 5, 2012
#145
TE Taylor Thompson
2. April 28, 2012 (Draft Day Trade) Minnesota Receives: Draft Choice:
Round 6, 2013
Tennessee Receives:
Round 7, 2012
#211
DE Scott Solomon
Draft Choice:
Overall Player Selected
TITANS 2012 ROOKIE FREE AGENT SIGNEES: Devin Aguilar
WR
Washington
LaQuinton Evans WR
Southern
Brandon Barden
TE
Vanderbilt
Christian Scott
S
Texas
Will Batson
P/K
North Alabama
Nick Stephens
QB
Tarleton State
George Bias
T
Stephen F. Austin
William Vlachos
C
Alabama
Beau Brinkley
TE/LS
Missouri
Alex Watkins
LB
Alabama
Chandler Burden
G
Kentucky
Darryl Whiting
RB
Fordham
Chase Deadder
WR
Sacramento State
Gary Wilburn
CB
Connecticut
DaJohn Harris
DT
Southern California
Derrick Woods
WR
Cincinnati
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
DRAFT RECAP
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 RECAP AT THE END OF ROUND 7 POSITIONS
Position
Selected
Underclassmen
Center
3
Guard
18
3
Tackle
24
4
Defensive End
22
4
Defensive Tackle
18
2
Linebacker
33
5
Kicker
4
Punter
2
Nose Tackle
2
1
Tight End
12
2
Defensive Back
50
5
Wide Receiver
33
7
Running Back
21
8
Quarterback
11
3
Total:
253
44
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 COLLEGES College
Selected
Underclassmen
Abilene Christian
1
Alabama
8
Alabama-Birmingham
1
Albion
1
Appalachian State
1
Arizona
3
Arizona State
2
Arkansas
4
Arkansas State
1
Ashland
1
Auburn
1
Baylor
5
Boise State
6
Boston College
1
Cal Poly
1
California
6
Central Florida
1
Cincinnati
4
Clemson
4
Coastal Carolina
1
Colorado
2
Connecticut
1
Delaware
1
Eastern Washington
1
Florida
2
Florida Atlantic
1
Florida International
1
Florida State
4
Fresno State
1
Georgia
7
Georgia State
1
Georgia Tech
1
Hawaii
1
Idaho
1
Illinois
4
1
Iowa
6
1
Iowa State
1
Kansas State
1
3
1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 COLLEGES College
Selected
Underclassmen
Kentucky
2
Louisiana State
5
Louisiana-Lafayette
2
Louisville
1
Maine
1
Marshall
1
Memphis
1
1
Miami
6
4
Miami, O.
1
Michigan
3
Michigan State
6
Midwestern State
1
Mississippi
1
1
Mississippi State
3
1
Missouri
1
Missouri Western
1
Montana
2
Nebraska
4
Nevada
4
New Mexico State
1
North Alabama
1
North Carolina
2
North Carolina State
5
Northern Illinois
1
Northwestern
2
Northwestern State, La.
1
Notre Dame
4
Ohio
1
Ohio State
4
Oklahoma
7
1
Oklahoma State
3
1
Oregon
4
1
Oregon State
1
Penn State
4
Presbyterian
1
Purdue
2
Regina, Can.
1
Rice
1
3
2
1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 COLLEGES College
Selected
Rutgers
1
Samford
1
San Diego State
4
1
South Carolina
6
2
South Carolina State
1
South Dakota
1
Southern California
3
Southern Methodist
4
Southern Mississippi
1
Stanford
4
3
Syracuse
2
1
Temple
3
1
Tennessee
1
Tennessee-Chattanooga
1
Texas
3
Texas A&M
4
Texas Christian
2
Troy
1
Utah
1
Utah State
3
Vanderbilt
2
Virginia
1
Virginia Tech
3
2
Wake Forest
4
1
Washington
2
West Virginia
3
Western Michigan
2
Western Oregon
1
Wisconsin
6
1
253
44
Total:
Underclassmen 1
2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 CONFERENCES College
Selected
Underclassmen
Atlantic Coast Conference
31
11
Big East
12
2
Big Sky Conference
3
Big South Conference
2
Big Ten Conference
41
5
Big Twelve Conference
25
4
Canada West Universities Athletic Association
1
Colonial Athletic Association
2
Conference USA
10
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
1
Great West Football Conference
2
Gulf South Conference
1
Independent
5
Lone Star Conference
2
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1
Mid-American Conference
8
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
1
Mountain West Conference
12
1
Pacific Twelve Conference
28
7
Southeastern Conference
42
11
Southern Conference
3
Southland Conference
1
Sun Belt Conference
6
Western Athletic Conference
11
Total:
253
2
1
44
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
ROUND-BY-ROUND
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 ROUND 1 START OF ROUND: 8:03PM #
1-1.
INDIANAPOLIS
Luck, Andrew
QB
Stanford
#
2-2.
WASHINGTON
Griffin, Robert
QB
Baylor
Richardson, Trent
RB
Alabama
Kalil, Matt
T
Southern California
Blackmon, Justin
WR
Oklahoma State
Claiborne, Morris
DB
Louisiana State
Barron, Mark
DB
Alabama
from ST. LOUIS #
3-3.
CLEVELAND from MINNESOTA
#
4-4.
MINNESOTA from CLEVELAND
#
5-5.
JACKSONVILLE from TAMPA BAY
#
6-6.
DALLAS
from WASHINGTON through ST. LOUIS 7-7.
TAMPA BAY
8-8.
MIAMI
Tannehill, Ryan
QB
Texas A&M
#
9-9.
CAROLINA
Kuechly, Luke
LB
Boston College
#
10-10.
BUFFALO
Gilmore, Stephon
DB
South Carolina
#
11-11.
KANSAS CITY
Poe, Dontari
NT
Memphis
#
12-12.
PHILADELPHIA
Cox, Fletcher
DT
Mississippi State
from JACKSONVILLE
from SEATTLE #
13-13.
ARIZONA
Floyd, Michael
WR
Notre Dame
14-14.
ST. LOUIS
Brockers, Michael
DT
Louisiana State
Irvin, Bruce
DE
West Virginia
from DALLAS 15-15.
SEATTLE from PHILADELPHIA
#
16-16.
NEW YORK JETS
Coples, Quinton
DE
North Carolina
17-17.
CINCINNATI
Kirkpatrick, Dre
DB
Alabama
from OAKLAND
#
18-18.
SAN DIEGO
Ingram, Melvin
LB
South Carolina
19-19.
CHICAGO
McClellin, Shea
DE
Boise State
20-20.
TENNESSEE
Wright, Kendall
WR
Baylor
21-21.
NEW ENGLAND
Jones, Chandler
DE
Syracuse
Weeden, Brandon
QB
Oklahoma State
from CINCINNATI 22-22.
CLEVELAND from ATLANTA
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 #
23-23.
DETROIT
Reiff, Riley
T
Iowa
#
24-24.
PITTSBURGH
DeCastro, David
G
Stanford
#
25-25.
NEW ENGLAND
Hightower, Dont'a
LB
Alabama
#
26-26.
HOUSTON
Mercilus, Whitney
LB
Illinois
27-27.
CINCINNATI
Zeitler, Kevin
G
Wisconsin
from DENVER
from NEW ORLEANS through NEW ENGLAND #
28-28.
GREEN BAY
Perry, Nick
LB
Southern California
29-29.
MINNESOTA
Smith, Harrison
DB
Notre Dame
from BALTIMORE 30-30.
SAN FRANCISCO
Jenkins, A.J.
WR
Illinois
31-31.
TAMPA BAY
Martin, Doug
RB
Boise State
RB
Virginia Tech
from NEW ENGLAND through DENVER #
32-32.
#
NEW YORK GIANTS
Wilson, David
END OF ROUND:
11:03PM
TIME OF ROUND:
3 HOURS, 0 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
3 HOURS, 0 MINUTES
Underclassman
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 ROUND 2 START OF ROUND: 7:02PM 1-33.
ST. LOUIS
Quick, Brian
WR
Appalachian State
2-34.
INDIANAPOLIS
Fleener, Coby
TE
Stanford
3-35.
BALTIMORE
Upshaw, Courtney
LB
Alabama
4-36.
DENVER
Wolfe, Derek
DT
Cincinnati
from MINNESOTA from TAMPA BAY 5-37.
CLEVELAND
Schwartz, Mitchell
T
California
6-38.
JACKSONVILLE
Branch, Andre
DE
Clemson
7-39.
ST. LOUIS
Jenkins, Janoris
DB
North Alabama
from WASHINGTON 8-40.
CAROLINA
Silatolu, Amini
G
Midwestern State
9-41.
BUFFALO
Glenn, Cordy
T
Georgia
#
10-42.
MIAMI
Martin, Jonathan
T
Stanford
#
11-43.
NEW YORK JETS
Hill, Stephen
WR
Georgia Tech
from SEATTLE #
12-44.
KANSAS CITY
Allen, Jeff
T
Illinois
13-45.
CHICAGO
Jeffery, Alshon
WR
South Carolina
from DALLAS through ST. LOUIS 14-46.
PHILADELPHIA
Kendricks, Mychal
LB
California
15-47.
SEATTLE
Wagner, Bobby
LB
Utah State
16-48.
NEW ENGLAND
Wilson, Tavon
DB
Illinois
from NEW YORK JETS from OAKLAND 17-49.
SAN DIEGO
Reyes, Kendall
DE
Connecticut
18-50.
ST. LOUIS
Pead, Isaiah
RB
Cincinnati
19-51.
GREEN BAY
Worthy, Jerel
DE
Michigan State
from CHICAGO #
from ARIZONA through PHILADELPHIA
# #
20-52.
TENNESSEE
Brown, Zach
LB
North Carolina
21-53.
CINCINNATI
Still, Devon
DT
Penn State
22-54.
DETROIT
Broyles, Ryan
WR
Oklahoma
23-55.
ATLANTA
Konz, Peter
G
Wisconsin
24-56.
PITTSBURGH
Adams, Mike
T
Ohio State
25-57.
DENVER
Osweiler, Brock
QB
Arizona State
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 26-58.
TAMPA BAY
David, Lavonte
LB
Nebraska
from HOUSTON 27.
NEW ORLEANS
Choice Forfeited
28-59.
PHILADELPHIA
Curry, Vinny
DE
Marshall
from GREEN BAY #
29-60.
BALTIMORE
Osemele, Kelechi
T
Iowa State
30-61.
SAN FRANCISCO
James, LaMichael
RB
Oregon
31-62.
GREEN BAY
Hayward, Casey
DB
Vanderbilt
NEW YORK GIANTS
Randle, Rueben
WR
Louisiana State
END OF ROUND:
9:08PM
TIME OF ROUND:
2 HOURS, 6 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
5 HOURS, 6 MINUTES
from NEW ENGLAND #
32-63.
#
Underclassman
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 ROUND 3 START OF ROUND: 9:08PM #
1-64.
INDIANAPOLIS
Allen, Dwayne
TE
Clemson
2-65.
ST. LOUIS
Johnson, Trumaine
DB
Montana
#
3-66.
MINNESOTA
Robinson, Josh
DB
Central Florida
#
4-67.
DENVER
Hillman, Ronnie
RB
San Diego State
Posey, DeVier
WR
Ohio State
Graham, T.J.
WR
North Carolina State
from CLEVELAND 5-68.
HOUSTON from TAMPA BAY
6-69.
BUFFALO from WASHINGTON
7-70.
JACKSONVILLE
Anger, Bryan
P
California
8-71.
WASHINGTON
LeRibeus, Josh
G
Southern Methodist
from BUFFALO #
9-72.
MIAMI
Vernon, Olivier
DE
Miami
10-73.
SAN DIEGO
Taylor, Brandon
DB
Louisiana State
from CAROLINA through CHICAGO and MIAMI 11-74.
KANSAS CITY
Stephenson, Donald
T
Oklahoma
12-75.
SEATTLE
Wilson, Russell
QB
Wisconsin
13-76.
HOUSTON
Brooks, Brandon
G
Miami, O.
LB
Arkansas State
from PHILADELPHIA 14-77.
NEW YORK JETS
Davis, Demario
15.
OAKLAND
Choice Exercised in 2011 Supplemental Draft for Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State
16-78.
MIAMI
Egnew, Michael
TE
Missouri
from SAN DIEGO 17-79.
CHICAGO
Hardin, Brandon
DB
Oregon State
18-80.
ARIZONA
Fleming, Jamell
DB
Oklahoma
19-81.
DALLAS
Crawford, Tyrone
DE
Boise State
20-82.
TENNESSEE
Martin, Mike
DT
Michigan
#
21-83.
CINCINNATI
Sanu, Mohamed
WR
Rutgers
#
22-84.
BALTIMORE
Pierce, Bernard
RB
Temple
from ATLANTA 23-85.
DETROIT
Bentley, Dwight
DB
Louisiana-Lafayette
24-86.
PITTSBURGH
Spence, Sean
LB
Miami
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 25-87.
CLEVELAND
Hughes, John
DT
Cincinnati
Foles, Nick
QB
Arizona
from DENVER 26-88.
PHILADELPHIA
27-89.
NEW ORLEANS
Hicks, Akiem
DT
Regina, Can.
28-90.
NEW ENGLAND
Bequette, Jake
DE
Arkansas
Holmes, Lamar
T
Southern Mississippi
Hilton, T.Y.
WR
Florida International
Thompson, Brandon
DT
Clemson
from HOUSTON
from GREEN BAY 29-91.
ATLANTA from BALTIMORE
30-92.
INDIANAPOLIS from SAN FRANCISCO
31-93.
CINCINNATI from NEW ENGLAND
# +
32-94.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Hosley, Jayron
DB
Virginia Tech
33-95.
OAKLAND
Bergstrom, Tony
G
Utah
END OF ROUND:
10:50PM
TIME OF ROUND:
1 HOUR, 42 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
6 HOURS, 48 MINUTES
+
Compensatory Pick
#
Underclassman
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 ROUND 4 START OF ROUND: 12:02PM #
1-96.
ST. LOUIS
Givens, Chris
WR
Wake Forest
#
2-97.
MIAMI
Miller, Lamar
RB
Miami
Gradkowski, Gino
G
Delaware
Jones, Ben
C
Georgia
from INDIANAPOLIS through SAN FRANCISCO 3-98.
BALTIMORE from MINNESOTA
4-99.
HOUSTON
from TAMPA BAY through PHILADELPHIA 5-100.
CLEVELAND
Benjamin, Travis
WR
Miami
6-101.
DENVER
Bolden, Omar
DB
Arizona State
from JACKSONVILLE through TAMPA BAY 7-102.
WASHINGTON
Cousins, Kirk
QB
Michigan State
8-103.
CAROLINA
Alexander, Frank
DE
Oklahoma
9-104.
CAROLINA
Adams, Joe
WR
Arkansas
10-105. BUFFALO
Bradham, Nigel
LB
Florida State
11-106. SEATTLE
Turbin, Robert
RB
Utah State
12-107. KANSAS CITY
Wylie, Devon
WR
Fresno State
13-108. DENVER
Blake, Philip
C
Baylor
Ta'amu, Alameda
DT
Washington
from MIAMI through SAN FRANCISCO
from NEW YORK JETS 14-109. PITTSBURGH
from OAKLAND through WASHINGTON
#
15-110. SAN DIEGO
Green, Ladarius
TE
Louisiana-Lafayette
16-111. CHICAGO
Rodriguez, Evan
TE
Temple
17-112. ARIZONA
Massie, Bobby
T
Mississippi
18-113. DALLAS
Wilber, Kyle
DE
Wake Forest
19-114. SEATTLE
Howard, Jaye
DT
Florida
20-115. TENNESSEE
Sensabaugh, Coty
DB
Clemson
21-116. CINCINNATI
Charles, Orson
TE
Georgia
22-117. SAN FRANCISCO
Looney, Joe
G
Wake Forest
Wright, Jarius
WR
Arkansas
from PHILADELPHIA #
from DETROIT 23-118. MINNESOTA
from ATLANTA through CLEVELAND
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 24-119. WASHINGTON
Robinson, Keenan
LB
Texas
Johnson, James-Michael
LB
Nevada
26-121. HOUSTON
Martin, Keshawn
WR
Michigan State
27-122. NEW ORLEANS
Toon, Nick
WR
Wisconsin
28-123. PHILADELPHIA
Boykin, Brandon
DB
Georgia
Brooks, Ron
DB
Louisiana State
Lewis, Ronnell
DE
Oklahoma
Crick, Jared
DE
Nebraska
from PITTSBURGH 25-120. CLEVELAND from DENVER
from GREEN BAY 29-124. BUFFALO from BALTIMORE #
30-125. DETROIT from SAN FRANCISCO 31-126. HOUSTON
from NEW ENGLAND through DENVER and TAMPA BAY 32-127. NEW YORK GIANTS
Robinson, Adrien
TE
Cincinnati
+
33-128. MINNESOTA
Ellison, Rhett
TE
Southern California
+
34-129. OAKLAND
Burris, Miles
LB
San Diego State
+
35-130. BALTIMORE
Thompson, Christian
DB
South Carolina State
+
36-131. NEW YORK GIANTS
Mosley, Brandon
T
Auburn
+
37-132. GREEN BAY
Daniels, Mike
DE
Iowa
+
38-133. GREEN BAY
McMillian, Jerron
DB
Maine
+
39-134. MINNESOTA
Childs, Greg
WR
Arkansas
+
40-135. DALLAS
Johnson, Matt
DB
Eastern Washington
END OF ROUND:
1:55PM
TIME OF ROUND:
1 HOUR, 53 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
8 HOURS, 41 MINUTES
+
Compensatory Pick
#
Underclassman
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 ROUND 5 START OF ROUND: 1:55PM 1-136.
INDIANAPOLIS
Chapman, Josh
DT
Alabama
2-137.
DENVER
Jackson, Malik
DE
Tennessee
Whitehead, Tahir
LB
Temple
Blanton, Robert
DB
Notre Dame
from ST. LOUIS 3-138.
DETROIT from MINNESOTA
4-139.
MINNESOTA from CLEVELAND
5-140.
TAMPA BAY
Goode, Najee
LB
West Virginia
6-141.
WASHINGTON
Gettis, Adam
G
Iowa
7-142.
JACKSONVILLE
Marshall, Brandon
LB
Nevada
8-143.
CAROLINA
Norman, Josh
DB
Coastal Carolina
9-144.
BUFFALO
Sanders, Zebrie
T
Florida State
Thompson, Taylor
TE
Southern Methodist
11-146. KANSAS CITY
Menzie, DeQuan
DB
Alabama
12-147. BUFFALO
Carder, Tank
LB
Texas Christian
Greenwood, Chris
DB
Albion
14-149. SAN DIEGO
Troutman, Johnnie
G
Penn State
15-150. ST. LOUIS
Watkins, Rokevious
G
South Carolina
16-151. ARIZONA
Kelemete, Senio
G
Washington
17-152. DALLAS
Coale, Danny
WR
Virginia Tech
18-153. PHILADELPHIA
Kelly, Dennis
T
Purdue
19-154. SEATTLE
Toomer, Korey
LB
Idaho
Kaddu, Josh
LB
Oregon
21-156. CINCINNATI
Prater, Shaun
DB
Iowa
22-157. ATLANTA
Ewing, Bradie
RB
Wisconsin
23-158. OAKLAND
Crawford, Jack
DE
Penn State
Rainey, Chris
RB
Florida
10-145. TENNESSEE from MIAMI
from SEATTLE 13-148. DETROIT from OAKLAND
from CHICAGO
from NEW YORK JETS 20-155. MIAMI from TENNESSEE
from DETROIT 24-159. PITTSBURGH
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 25-160. CLEVELAND
Miller, Ryan
T
Colorado
26-161. HOUSTON
Bullock, Randy
K
Texas A&M
27-162. NEW ORLEANS
White, Corey
DB
Samford
28-163. GREEN BAY
Manning, Terrell
LB
North Carolina State
Massaquoi, Jonathan
DE
Troy
30-165. SAN FRANCISCO
Fleming, Darius
LB
Notre Dame
31-166. CINCINNATI
Jones, Marvin
WR
California
Iloka, George
DB
Boise State
from DENVER
#
Reacquired through NEW ENGLAND 29-164. ATLANTA from BALTIMORE
from NEW ENGLAND 32-167. CINCINNATI from NEW YORK GIANTS +
33-168. OAKLAND
Criner, Juron
WR
Arizona
+
34-169. BALTIMORE
Jackson, Asa
DB
Cal Poly
+
35-170. INDIANAPOLIS
Ballard, Vick
RB
Mississippi State
END OF ROUND:
3:34PM
TIME OF ROUND:
1 HOUR, 39 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
10 HOURS, 20 MINUTES
+
Compensatory Pick
#
Underclassman
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 ROUND 6 START OF ROUND: 3:34PM 1-171.
ST. LOUIS
Zuerlein, Greg
K
Missouri Western
2-172.
SEATTLE
Lane, Jeremy
DB
Northwestern State, La.
Morris, Alfred
RB
Florida Atlantic
from INDIANAPOLIS through PHILADELPHIA 3-173.
WASHINGTON from MINNESOTA
4-174.
TAMPA BAY
Tandy, Keith
DB
West Virginia
5-175.
MINNESOTA
Walsh, Blair
K
Georgia
6-176.
JACKSONVILLE
Harris, Mike
DB
Florida State
7-177.
ARIZONA
Bethel, Justin
DB
Presbyterian
from CLEVELAND
from WASHINGTON 8-178.
BUFFALO
Asper, Mark
G
Oregon
9-179.
NEW ORLEANS
Tiller, Andrew
G
Syracuse
Robinson, Trenton
DB
Michigan State
11-181. SEATTLE
Guy, Winston
DB
Kentucky
12-182. KANSAS CITY
Gray, Cyrus
RB
Texas A&M
13-183. MIAMI
Cunningham, B.J.
WR
Michigan State
14-184. CHICAGO
Frey, Isaiah
DB
Nevada
15-185. ARIZONA
Lindley, Ryan
QB
San Diego State
16-186. DALLAS
Hanna, James
TE
Oklahoma
17-187. NEW YORK JETS
Bush, Josh
DB
Wake Forest
Trevathan, Danny
LB
Kentucky
19-189. OAKLAND
Bilukidi, Christo
DT
Georgia State
20-190. TENNESSEE
Martin, Markelle
DB
Oklahoma State
21-191. CINCINNATI
Herron, Dan
RB
Ohio State
22.
Choice Forfeited
from MIAMI 10-180. SAN FRANCISCO from CAROLINA
from SAN DIEGO
from PHILADELPHIA through INDIANAPOLIS 18-188. DENVER from NEW YORK JETS
DETROIT
23-192. ATLANTA
Mitchell, Charles
DB
Mississippi State
24-193. WASHINGTON
Compton, Tom
T
South Dakota
from PITTSBURGH
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 25-194. PHILADELPHIA
McNutt, Marvin
WR
Iowa
26-195. HOUSTON
Mondek, Nick
T
Purdue
27-196. DETROIT
Green, Jonte
DB
New Mexico State
Ebner, Nate
DB
Ohio State
29-198. BALTIMORE
Streeter, Tommy
WR
Miami
30-199. SAN FRANCISCO
Slowey, Jason
T
Western Oregon
31-200. PHILADELPHIA
Washington, Brandon
G
Miami
32-201. NEW YORK GIANTS
McCants, Matt
T
Alabama-Birmingham
+
33-202. NEW YORK JETS
Ganaway, Terrance
RB
Baylor
+
34-203. NEW YORK JETS
Griffin, Robert
G
Baylor
+
35-204. CLEVELAND
Acho, Emmanuel
LB
Texas
+
36-205. CLEVELAND
Winn, Billy
DT
Boise State
+
37-206. INDIANAPOLIS
Brazill, LaVon
WR
Ohio
+
38-207. CAROLINA
Nortman, Brad
P
Wisconsin
from DENVER
from NEW ORLEANS through MIAMI and SAN FRANCISCO 28-197. NEW ENGLAND from GREEN BAY # #
from NEW ENGLAND
END OF ROUND:
5:19PM
TIME OF ROUND:
1 HOUR, 45 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
12 HOURS, 5 MINUTES
+
Compensatory Pick
#
Underclassman
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 ROUND 7 START OF ROUND: 5:19PM 1-208.
INDIANAPOLIS
Anderson, Justin
G
Georgia
2-209.
ST. LOUIS
Brown, Aaron
LB
Hawaii
3-210.
MINNESOTA
Cole, Audie
LB
North Carolina State
4-211.
TENNESSEE
Solomon, Scott
DE
Rice
from CLEVELAND through MINNESOTA 5-212.
TAMPA BAY
Smith, Michael
RB
Utah State
6-213.
WASHINGTON
Crawford, Richard
DB
Southern Methodist
7-214.
INDIANAPOLIS
Fugger, Tim
LB
Vanderbilt
from JACKSONVILLE through NEW YORK JETS 8-215.
MIAMI
Randall, Kheeston
DT
Texas
9-216.
CAROLINA
Campbell, D.J.
DB
California
Bernstine, Jordan
DB
Iowa
11-218. KANSAS CITY
Long, Jerome
DT
San Diego State
12-219. MINNESOTA
Guyton, Trevor
DT
California
10-217. WASHINGTON from BUFFALO
from SEATTLE through DETROIT 13-220. CHICAGO
McCoy, Greg
DB
Texas Christian
14-221. ARIZONA
Potter, Nate
T
Boise State
15-222. DALLAS
McSurdy, Caleb
LB
Montana
16-223. DETROIT
Lewis, Travis
LB
Oklahoma
from PHILADELPHIA through NEW ENGLAND and MINNESOTA 17-224. NEW ENGLAND
Dennard, Alfonzo
DB
Nebraska
Sweezy, J.R.
T
North Carolina State
19-226. SAN DIEGO
Molk, David
C
Michigan
20-227. MIAMI
Matthews, Rishard
WR
Nevada
Pendleton, Jeris
DT
Ashland
Brown, Bryce
RB
Kansas State
Stupar, Nathan
LB
Penn State
from NEW YORK JETS through GREEN BAY 18-225. SEATTLE from OAKLAND
from TENNESSEE 21-228. JACKSONVILLE from CINCINNATI #
22-229. PHILADELPHIA from ATLANTA 23-230. OAKLAND from DETROIT
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 24-231. PITTSBURGH
Clemons, Toney
WR
Colorado
25-232. SEATTLE
Scruggs, Greg
DE
Louisville
Dunsmore, Drake
TE
Northwestern
27-234. NEW ORLEANS
Jones, Marcel
T
Nebraska
28-235. NEW ENGLAND
Ebert, Jeremy
WR
Northwestern
29-236. BALTIMORE
Tyson, DeAngelo
DE
Georgia
30-237. SAN FRANCISCO
Johnson, Cam
LB
Virginia
31-238. KANSAS CITY
Hemingway, Junior
WR
Michigan
32-239. NEW YORK GIANTS
Kuhn, Markus
DT
North Carolina State
+
33-240. PITTSBURGH
Paulson, David
TE
Oregon
+
34-241. GREEN BAY
Datko, Andrew
T
Florida State
+
35-242. NEW YORK JETS
Allen, Antonio
DB
South Carolina
+
36-243. GREEN BAY
Coleman, B.J.
QB
Tennessee-Chattanooga
+
37-244. NEW YORK JETS
White, Jordan
WR
Western Michigan
+
38-245. CLEVELAND
Wade, Trevin
DB
Arizona
+
39-246. PITTSBURGH
Frederick, Terrence
DB
Texas A&M
+
40-247. CLEVELAND
Smelley, Brad
RB
Alabama
+
41-248. PITTSBURGH
Beachum, Kelvin
T
Southern Methodist
+
42-249. ATLANTA
Robertson, Travian
NT
South Carolina
43-250. SAN DIEGO
Baker, Edwin
RB
Michigan State
+
44-251. BUFFALO
Potter, John
K
Western Michigan
+
45-252. ST. LOUIS
Richardson, Daryl
RB
Abilene Christian
+
46-253. INDIANAPOLIS
Harnish, Chandler
QB
Northern Illinois
from DENVER through NEW YORK JETS 26-233. TAMPA BAY from HOUSTON
from GREEN BAY
from NEW ENGLAND
+
#
END OF ROUND:
7:19PM
TIME OF ROUND:
2 HOURS, 0 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
14 HOURS, 5 MINUTES
+
Compensatory Pick
#
Underclassman
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
SELECTIONS BY TEAM
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) ARIZONA CARDINALS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
WR
Notre Dame
13
1
Floyd, Michael
2
Choice to GREEN BAY
3
Fleming, Jamell
DB
Oklahoma
80
4
Massie, Bobby
T
Mississippi
112
5
Kelemete, Senio
G
Washington
151
6
Bethel, Justin
DB
Presbyterian
177
through PHILADELPHIA #
from WASHINGTON 6
Lindley, Ryan
QB
San Diego State
185
7
Potter, Nate
T
Boise State
221
TEAM TOTAL: 7
ATLANTA FALCONS Round Name #
1
Choice to CLEVELAND
2
Konz, Peter
3
Choice to BALTIMORE
3
Holmes, Lamar
Pos
College
Overall
G
Wisconsin
55
T
Southern Mississippi
91
from BALTIMORE 4
Choice to MINNESOTA through CLEVELAND
5
Ewing, Bradie
RB
Wisconsin
157
5
Massaquoi, Jonathan
DE
Troy
164
DB
Mississippi State
192
NT
South Carolina
249
from BALTIMORE
+
6
Mitchell, Charles
7
Choice to PHILADELPHIA
7
Robertson, Travian
TEAM TOTAL: 6
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) BALTIMORE RAVENS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
LB
Alabama
35
1
Choice to MINNESOTA
2
Upshaw, Courtney
2
Osemele, Kelechi
T
Iowa State
60
3
Pierce, Bernard
RB
Temple
84
G
Delaware
98
DB
South Carolina State
130
from MINNESOTA #
from ATLANTA 3
Choice to ATLANTA
4
Gradkowski, Gino from MINNESOTA
+ + #
4
Choice to BUFFALO
4
Thompson, Christian
5
Choice to ATLANTA
5
Jackson, Asa
DB
Cal Poly
169
6
Streeter, Tommy
WR
Miami
198
7
Tyson, DeAngelo
DE
Georgia
236
TEAM TOTAL: 8
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) BUFFALO BILLS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
1
Gilmore, Stephon
DB
South Carolina
10
2
Glenn, Cordy
T
Georgia
41
3
Graham, T.J.
WR
North Carolina State
69
from WASHINGTON 3
Choice to WASHINGTON
4
Bradham, Nigel
LB
Florida State
105
4
Brooks, Ron
DB
Louisiana State
124
from BALTIMORE 5
Sanders, Zebrie
T
Florida State
144
5
Carder, Tank
LB
Texas Christian
147
G
Oregon
178
K
Western Michigan
251
from SEATTLE
+
6
Asper, Mark
7
Choice to WASHINGTON
7
Potter, John
TEAM TOTAL: 9
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) CAROLINA PANTHERS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
1
Kuechly, Luke
LB
Boston College
9
2
Silatolu, Amini
G
Midwestern State
3
Choice to SAN DIEGO DE
Oklahoma
103
40
through CHICAGO and MIAMI 4
Alexander, Frank
from MIAMI through SAN FRANCISCO
+
4
Adams, Joe
WR
Arkansas
104
5
Norman, Josh
DB
Coastal Carolina
143
6
Choice to SAN FRANCISCO
6
Nortman, Brad
P
Wisconsin
207
7
Campbell, D.J.
DB
California
216
TEAM TOTAL: 7
CHICAGO BEARS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
1
McClellin, Shea
DE
Boise State
19
2
Jeffery, Alshon
WR
South Carolina
45
2
Choice to ST. LOUIS
3
Hardin, Brandon
DB
Oregon State
79
4
Rodriguez, Evan
TE
Temple
111
5
Choice to ST. LOUIS
6
Frey, Isaiah
DB
Nevada
184
7
McCoy, Greg
DB
Texas Christian
220
from DALLAS through ST. LOUIS
TEAM TOTAL: 6
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) CINCINNATI BENGALS Round Name #
1
Kirkpatrick, Dre
Pos
College
Overall
DB
Alabama
17
G
Wisconsin
27
from OAKLAND 1
Choice to NEW ENGLAND
1
Zeitler, Kevin
from NEW ORLEANS through NEW ENGLAND #
2
Still, Devon
DT
Penn State
53
3
Sanu, Mohamed
WR
Rutgers
83
3
Thompson, Brandon
DT
Clemson
93
from NEW ENGLAND #
4
Charles, Orson
TE
Georgia
116
5
Prater, Shaun
DB
Iowa
156
5
Jones, Marvin
WR
California
166
DB
Boise State
167
RB
Ohio State
191
from NEW ENGLAND 5
Iloka, George from NEW YORK GIANTS
6
Herron, Dan
7
Choice to JACKSONVILLE TEAM TOTAL: 10
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) CLEVELAND BROWNS Round Name #
1
Richardson, Trent
Pos
College
Overall
RB
Alabama
QB
Oklahoma State
22
T
California
37
DT
Cincinnati
87
3
from MINNESOTA 1
Choice to MINNESOTA
1
Weeden, Brandon from ATLANTA
2
Schwartz, Mitchell
3
Choice to DENVER
3
Hughes, John from DENVER
4
Benjamin, Travis
WR
Miami
100
4
Johnson, James-Michael
LB
Nevada
120
5
Choice to MINNESOTA
5
Miller, Ryan
T
Colorado
160
from DENVER
from DENVER 6
Choice to MINNESOTA
+
6
Acho, Emmanuel
LB
Texas
204
+
6
Winn, Billy
DT
Boise State
205
7
Choice to TENNESSEE
+
7
Wade, Trevin
DB
Arizona
245
+
7
Smelley, Brad
RB
Alabama
247
through MINNESOTA
TEAM TOTAL: 11
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) DALLAS COWBOYS Round Name #
1
Claiborne, Morris
Pos
College
DB
Louisiana State
Overall 6
from WASHINGTON through ST. LOUIS 1
Choice to ST. LOUIS
2
Choice to CHICAGO through ST. LOUIS
+
3
Crawford, Tyrone
DE
Boise State
81
4
Wilber, Kyle
DE
Wake Forest
113
4
Johnson, Matt
DB
Eastern Washington
135
5
Coale, Danny
WR
Virginia Tech
152
6
Hanna, James
TE
Oklahoma
186
7
McSurdy, Caleb
LB
Montana
222
TEAM TOTAL: 7
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) DENVER BRONCOS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
DT
Cincinnati
36
1
Choice to NEW ENGLAND
2
Wolfe, Derek
#
2
Osweiler, Brock
QB
Arizona State
57
#
3
Hillman, Ronnie
RB
San Diego State
67
DB
Arizona State
from TAMPA BAY
from CLEVELAND 3
Choice to CLEVELAND
4
Bolden, Omar
101
from JACKSONVILLE through TAMPA BAY 4
Blake, Philip
C
Baylor
108
DE
Tennessee
137
LB
Kentucky
188
from NEW YORK JETS 4
Choice to CLEVELAND
5
Jackson, Malik from ST. LOUIS
5
Choice to CLEVELAND
6
Trevathan, Danny from NEW YORK JETS
6
Choice to PHILADELPHIA
7
Choice to SEATTLE through NEW YORK JETS TEAM TOTAL: 7
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) DETROIT LIONS Round Name #
#
Pos
College
Overall
1
Reiff, Riley
T
Iowa
23
2
Broyles, Ryan
WR
Oklahoma
54
3
Bentley, Dwight
DB
Louisiana-Lafayette
85
4
Choice to SAN FRANCISCO
4
Lewis, Ronnell
DE
Oklahoma
125
LB
Temple
138
DB
Albion
148
DB
New Mexico State
196
from SAN FRANCISCO 5
Whitehead, Tahir from MINNESOTA
5
Greenwood, Chris from OAKLAND
5
Choice to OAKLAND
6
Choice Forfeited
6
Green, Jonte
from NEW ORLEANS through MIAMI and SAN FRANCISCO 7
Lewis, Travis
7
Choice to OAKLAND
LB
Oklahoma
from PHILADELPHIA through NEW ENGLAND and MINNESOTA TEAM TOTAL: 8
223
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) GREEN BAY PACKERS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
#
1
Perry, Nick
LB
Southern California
28
#
2
Worthy, Jerel
DE
Michigan State
51
2
Choice to PHILADELPHIA
2
Hayward, Casey
DB
Vanderbilt
62
from ARIZONA through PHILADELPHIA
from NEW ENGLAND 3
Choice to NEW ENGLAND
4
Choice to PHILADELPHIA
+
4
Daniels, Mike
DE
Iowa
132
+
4
McMillian, Jerron
DB
Maine
133
5
Manning, Terrell
LB
North Carolina State
163
6
Choice to NEW ENGLAND
7
Choice to NEW ENGLAND
+
7
Datko, Andrew
T
Florida State
241
+
7
Coleman, B.J.
QB
Tennessee-Chattanooga
243
#
Reacquired through NEW ENGLAND
TEAM TOTAL: 8
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) HOUSTON TEXANS Round Name #
1
Mercilus, Whitney
2
Choice to TAMPA BAY
3
Posey, DeVier
Pos
College
Overall
LB
Illinois
26
WR
Ohio State
68
G
Miami, O.
76
C
Georgia
99
from TAMPA BAY 3
Brooks, Brandon from PHILADELPHIA
3
Choice to PHILADELPHIA
4
Jones, Ben
from TAMPA BAY through PHILADELPHIA 4
Martin, Keshawn
WR
Michigan State
121
4
Crick, Jared
DE
Nebraska
126
5
Bullock, Randy
K
Texas A&M
161
6
Mondek, Nick
T
Purdue
195
7
Choice to TAMPA BAY
from NEW ENGLAND through DENVER and TAMPA BAY
TEAM TOTAL: 8
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Round Name # #
Pos
College
Overall
1
Luck, Andrew
QB
Stanford
1
2
Fleener, Coby
TE
Stanford
34
3
Allen, Dwayne
TE
Clemson
64
3
Hilton, T.Y.
WR
Florida International
92
from SAN FRANCISCO 4
Choice to MIAMI
5
Chapman, Josh
DT
Alabama
136
5
Ballard, Vick
RB
Mississippi State
170
6
Choice to SEATTLE
through SAN FRANCISCO +
through PHILADELPHIA +
6
Brazill, LaVon
WR
Ohio
206
7
Anderson, Justin
G
Georgia
208
7
Fugger, Tim
LB
Vanderbilt
214
from JACKSONVILLE through NEW YORK JETS +
7
Harnish, Chandler
QB
Northern Illinois
TEAM TOTAL: 10
253
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Round Name #
1
Blackmon, Justin
Pos
College
WR
Oklahoma State
Overall 5
from TAMPA BAY 1
Choice to TAMPA BAY
2
Branch, Andre
DE
Clemson
38
3
Anger, Bryan
P
California
70
4
Choice to DENVER
5
Marshall, Brandon
LB
Nevada
142
6
Harris, Mike
DB
Florida State
176
7
Choice to INDIANAPOLIS DT
Ashland
228
through TAMPA BAY
through NEW YORK JETS 7
Pendleton, Jeris from CINCINNATI
TEAM TOTAL: 6
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
1
Poe, Dontari
NT
Memphis
11
2
Allen, Jeff
T
Illinois
44
3
Stephenson, Donald
T
Oklahoma
74
4
Wylie, Devon
WR
Fresno State
107
5
Menzie, DeQuan
DB
Alabama
146
6
Gray, Cyrus
RB
Texas A&M
182
7
Long, Jerome
DT
San Diego State
218
7
Hemingway, Junior
WR
Michigan
238
from NEW ENGLAND TEAM TOTAL: 8
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) MIAMI DOLPHINS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
1
Tannehill, Ryan
QB
Texas A&M
8
#
2
Martin, Jonathan
T
Stanford
42
#
3
Vernon, Olivier
DE
Miami
72
3
Egnew, Michael
TE
Missouri
78
RB
Miami
97
from SAN DIEGO #
4
Miller, Lamar
4
Choice to CAROLINA
from INDIANAPOLIS through SAN FRANCISCO through SAN FRANCISCO 5
Choice to TENNESSEE
5
Kaddu, Josh
6
Choice to NEW ORLEANS
6
Cunningham, B.J.
LB
Oregon
155
WR
Michigan State
183
from TENNESSEE
from SAN DIEGO 7
Randall, Kheeston
DT
Texas
215
7
Matthews, Rishard
WR
Nevada
227
from TENNESSEE TEAM TOTAL: 9
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) MINNESOTA VIKINGS Round Name #
1
Choice to CLEVELAND
1
Kalil, Matt
1
Smith, Harrison
Pos
College
Overall
T
Southern California
DB
Notre Dame
29
DB
Central Florida
66
WR
Arkansas
118
4
from CLEVELAND from BALTIMORE #
2
Choice to BALTIMORE
3
Robinson, Josh
4
Choice to BALTIMORE
4
Wright, Jarius
from ATLANTA through CLEVELAND +
4
Ellison, Rhett
TE
Southern California
128
+
4
Childs, Greg
WR
Arkansas
134
5
Choice to DETROIT
5
Blanton, Robert
DB
Notre Dame
139
K
Georgia
175
from CLEVELAND 6
Choice to WASHINGTON
6
Walsh, Blair from CLEVELAND
7
Cole, Audie
LB
North Carolina State
210
7
Guyton, Trevor
DT
California
219
from SEATTLE through DETROIT TEAM TOTAL: 10
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Round Name #
1
Jones, Chandler
Pos
College
Overall
DE
Syracuse
21
LB
Alabama
25
DB
Illinois
48
DE
Arkansas
90
DB
Ohio State
197
DB
Nebraska
224
from CINCINNATI #
1
Hightower, Dont'a from DENVER
1
Choice to TAMPA BAY through DENVER
2
Wilson, Tavon from OAKLAND
2
Choice to GREEN BAY
3
Bequette, Jake from GREEN BAY
3
Choice to CINCINNATI
4
Choice to HOUSTON through DENVER and TAMPA BAY
5
Choice to CINCINNATI
6
Ebner, Nate from GREEN BAY
6
Choice to PHILADELPHIA
7
Dennard, Alfonzo
7
Ebert, Jeremy
from NEW YORK JETS through GREEN BAY WR
Northwestern
from GREEN BAY 7
Choice to KANSAS CITY TEAM TOTAL: 7
235
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Round Name 1
Pos
College
Overall
Choice to CINCINNATI through NEW ENGLAND
2
Choice Forfeited
3
Hicks, Akiem
DT
Regina, Can.
4
Toon, Nick
WR
Wisconsin
122
5
White, Corey
DB
Samford
162
6
Tiller, Andrew
G
Syracuse
179
Nebraska
234
89
from MIAMI 6
Choice to DETROIT through MIAMI and SAN FRANCISCO
7
Jones, Marcel
T
TEAM TOTAL: 5
NEW YORK GIANTS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
#
1
Wilson, David
RB
Virginia Tech
32
#
2
Randle, Rueben
WR
Louisiana State
63
#
3
Hosley, Jayron
DB
Virginia Tech
4
Robinson, Adrien
TE
Cincinnati
127
4
Mosley, Brandon
T
Auburn
131
5
Choice to CINCINNATI
6
McCants, Matt
T
Alabama-Birmingham
201
7
Kuhn, Markus
DT
North Carolina State
239
+
TEAM TOTAL: 7
94
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) NEW YORK JETS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
1
Coples, Quinton
DE
North Carolina
16
2
Hill, Stephen
WR
Georgia Tech
43
2
Choice to SEATTLE
3
Davis, Demario
LB
Arkansas State
77
4
Choice to DENVER
5
Choice to SEATTLE
6
Bush, Josh
DB
Wake Forest
from SEATTLE
187
from PHILADELPHIA through INDIANAPOLIS 6
Choice to DENVER
+
6
Ganaway, Terrance
RB
Baylor
202
+
6
Griffin, Robert
G
Baylor
203
7
Choice to NEW ENGLAND through GREEN BAY
+
7
Allen, Antonio
DB
South Carolina
242
+
7
White, Jordan
WR
Western Michigan
244
TEAM TOTAL: 8
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) OAKLAND RAIDERS Round Name
Pos
1
Choice to CINCINNATI
2
Choice to NEW ENGLAND
3
Choice Exercised in 2011 Supplemental Draft
College
Overall
for Pryor, Terrelle, QB, Ohio State +
3
Bergstrom, Tony
4
Choice to PITTSBURGH
G
Utah
95
LB
San Diego State
129
DE
Penn State
158
through WASHINGTON +
4
Burris, Miles
5
Choice to DETROIT
5
Crawford, Jack from DETROIT
+
5
Criner, Juron
WR
Arizona
168
6
Bilukidi, Christo
DT
Georgia State
189
7
Choice to SEATTLE
7
Stupar, Nathan
LB
Penn State
230
from DETROIT TEAM TOTAL: 6
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Round Name #
1
Cox, Fletcher
Pos
College
Overall
DT
Mississippi State
12
from SEATTLE 1
Choice to SEATTLE
2
Kendricks, Mychal
LB
California
46
2
Curry, Vinny
DE
Marshall
59
QB
Arizona
88
DB
Georgia
123
T
Purdue
153
WR
Iowa
194
G
Miami
200
Kansas State
229
from GREEN BAY 3
Choice to HOUSTON
3
Foles, Nick from HOUSTON
4
Choice to SEATTLE
4
Boykin, Brandon
5
Kelly, Dennis
6
Choice to NEW YORK JETS
from GREEN BAY
through INDIANAPOLIS 6
McNutt, Marvin from DENVER
#
6
Washington, Brandon from NEW ENGLAND
7
Choice to DETROIT through NEW ENGLAND and MINNESOTA
#
7
Brown, Bryce
RB
from ATLANTA TEAM TOTAL: 9
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) PITTSBURGH STEELERS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
1
DeCastro, David
G
Stanford
24
2
Adams, Mike
T
Ohio State
56
3
Spence, Sean
LB
Miami
4
Ta'amu, Alameda
DT
Washington
109
RB
Florida
159
86
from OAKLAND through WASHINGTON 4
Choice to WASHINGTON
5
Rainey, Chris
6
Choice to WASHINGTON
7
Clemons, Toney
WR
Colorado
231
+
7
Paulson, David
TE
Oregon
240
+
7
Frederick, Terrence
DB
Texas A&M
246
+
7
Beachum, Kelvin
T
Southern Methodist
248
TEAM TOTAL: 9
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
1
Ingram, Melvin
LB
South Carolina
18
2
Reyes, Kendall
DE
Connecticut
49
3
Taylor, Brandon
DB
Louisiana State
73
from CAROLINA through CHICAGO and MIAMI
# +
3
Choice to MIAMI
4
Green, Ladarius
TE
Louisiana-Lafayette
110
5
Troutman, Johnnie
G
Penn State
149
6
Choice to MIAMI
7
Molk, David
C
Michigan
226
7
Baker, Edwin
RB
Michigan State
250
TEAM TOTAL: 7
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
1
Jenkins, A.J.
WR
Illinois
30
2
James, LaMichael
RB
Oregon
61
3
Choice to INDIANAPOLIS
4
Looney, Joe
G
Wake Forest
117
from DETROIT 4
Choice to DETROIT
5
Fleming, Darius
LB
Notre Dame
165
6
Robinson, Trenton
DB
Michigan State
180
from CAROLINA 6
Slowey, Jason
T
Western Oregon
199
7
Johnson, Cam
LB
Virginia
237
TEAM TOTAL: 7
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Round Name 1
Choice to PHILADELPHIA
1
Irvin, Bruce
2
Choice to NEW YORK JETS
2
Wagner, Bobby
Pos
College
Overall
DE
West Virginia
15
LB
Utah State
47
from PHILADELPHIA
from NEW YORK JETS 3
Wilson, Russell
QB
Wisconsin
75
4
Turbin, Robert
RB
Utah State
106
4
Howard, Jaye
DT
Florida
114
LB
Idaho
154
DB
Northwestern State, La.
172
from PHILADELPHIA 5
Choice to BUFFALO
5
Toomer, Korey from NEW YORK JETS
6
Lane, Jeremy
from INDIANAPOLIS through PHILADELPHIA 6
Guy, Winston
7
Choice to MINNESOTA
DB
Kentucky
181
T
North Carolina State
225
DE
Louisville
232
through DETROIT 7
Sweezy, J.R.
7
Scruggs, Greg
from OAKLAND from DENVER through NEW YORK JETS TEAM TOTAL: 10
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) ST. LOUIS RAMS Round Name #
Pos
College
Overall
DT
Louisiana State
14
1
Choice to WASHINGTON
1
Brockers, Michael
2
Quick, Brian
WR
Appalachian State
33
2
Jenkins, Janoris
DB
North Alabama
39
RB
Cincinnati
50
from DALLAS
from WASHINGTON 2
Pead, Isaiah from CHICAGO
#
3
Johnson, Trumaine
DB
Montana
65
4
Givens, Chris
WR
Wake Forest
96
5
Choice to DENVER
5
Watkins, Rokevious
G
South Carolina
150
from CHICAGO
+
6
Zuerlein, Greg
K
Missouri Western
171
7
Brown, Aaron
LB
Hawaii
209
7
Richardson, Daryl
RB
Abilene Christian
252
TEAM TOTAL: 10
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS Round Name 1
Choice to JACKSONVILLE
1
Barron, Mark
1
Martin, Doug
Pos
College
Overall
DB
Alabama
RB
Boise State
31
LB
Nebraska
58
7
from JACKSONVILLE from NEW ENGLAND through DENVER 2
Choice to DENVER
2
David, Lavonte from HOUSTON
3
Choice to HOUSTON
4
Choice to HOUSTON through PHILADELPHIA
5
Goode, Najee
LB
West Virginia
140
6
Tandy, Keith
DB
West Virginia
174
7
Smith, Michael
RB
Utah State
212
7
Dunsmore, Drake
TE
Northwestern
233
from HOUSTON TEAM TOTAL: 7
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) TENNESSEE TITANS Round Name
Pos
College
Overall
1
Wright, Kendall
WR
Baylor
20
2
Brown, Zach
LB
North Carolina
52
3
Martin, Mike
DT
Michigan
82
4
Sensabaugh, Coty
DB
Clemson
115
5
Thompson, Taylor
TE
Southern Methodist
145
from MIAMI 5
Choice to MIAMI
6
Martin, Markelle
DB
Oklahoma State
190
7
Solomon, Scott
DE
Rice
211
from CLEVELAND through MINNESOTA 7
Choice to MIAMI TEAM TOTAL: 7
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 TEAM-BY-TEAM AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) WASHINGTON REDSKINS Round Name #
1
Griffin, Robert
Pos
College
QB
Baylor
G
Southern Methodist
Overall 2
from ST. LOUIS 1
Choice to DALLAS through ST. LOUIS
2
Choice to ST. LOUIS
3
Choice to BUFFALO
3
LeRibeus, Josh
71
from BUFFALO 4
Cousins, Kirk
QB
Michigan State
102
4
Robinson, Keenan
LB
Texas
119
from PITTSBURGH 5
Gettis, Adam
G
Iowa
141
6
Morris, Alfred
RB
Florida Atlantic
173
T
South Dakota
193
from MINNESOTA 6
Choice to ARIZONA
6
Compton, Tom from PITTSBURGH
7
Crawford, Richard
DB
Southern Methodist
213
7
Bernstine, Jordan
DB
Iowa
217
from BUFFALO TEAM TOTAL: 9 OVERALL TOTAL: 253
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
SELECTIONS BY POSITION
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 OFFENSE
Center (C) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
99
HST
Georgia
4
Jones, Ben
4
Blake, Philip
108
DEN
Baylor
7
Molk, David
226
SD
Michigan POSITION TOTAL: 3
Guard (G) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
1
DeCastro, David
24
PIT
Stanford
1
Zeitler, Kevin
27
CIN
Wisconsin
2
Silatolu, Amini
40
CAR
Midwestern State
2
Konz, Peter
55
ATL
Wisconsin
3
LeRibeus, Josh
71
WAS
Southern Methodist
3
Brooks, Brandon
76
HST
Miami, O.
3
Bergstrom, Tony
95
OAK
Utah
4
Gradkowski, Gino
98
BLT
Delaware
4
Looney, Joe
117
SF
Wake Forest
5
Gettis, Adam
141
WAS
Iowa
5
Troutman, Johnnie
149
SD
Penn State
5
Watkins, Rokevious
150
SL
South Carolina
5
Kelemete, Senio
151
ARZ
Washington
6
Asper, Mark
178
BUF
Oregon
6
Tiller, Andrew
179
NO
Syracuse
6
Washington, Brandon
200
PHI
Miami
6
Griffin, Robert
203
NYJ
Baylor
7
Anderson, Justin
208
IND
Georgia POSITION TOTAL: 18
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 OFFENSE
Tackle (T) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
1
Kalil, Matt
4
MIN
Southern California
1
Reiff, Riley
23
DET
Iowa
2
Schwartz, Mitchell
37
CLV
California
2
Glenn, Cordy
41
BUF
Georgia
2
Martin, Jonathan
42
MIA
Stanford
2
Allen, Jeff
44
KC
Illinois
2
Adams, Mike
56
PIT
Ohio State
2
Osemele, Kelechi
60
BLT
Iowa State
3
Stephenson, Donald
74
KC
Oklahoma
3
Holmes, Lamar
91
ATL
Southern Mississippi
4
Massie, Bobby
112
ARZ
Mississippi
4
Mosley, Brandon
131
NYG
Auburn
5
Sanders, Zebrie
144
BUF
Florida State
5
Kelly, Dennis
153
PHI
Purdue
5
Miller, Ryan
160
CLV
Colorado
6
Compton, Tom
193
WAS
South Dakota
6
Mondek, Nick
195
HST
Purdue
6
Slowey, Jason
199
SF
Western Oregon
6
McCants, Matt
201
NYG
Alabama-Birmingham
7
Potter, Nate
221
ARZ
Boise State
7
Sweezy, J.R.
225
SEA
North Carolina State
7
Jones, Marcel
234
NO
Nebraska
7
Datko, Andrew
241
GB
Florida State
7
Beachum, Kelvin
248
PIT
Southern Methodist POSITION TOTAL: 24
Wide Receiver (WR) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
5
JAX
Oklahoma State
1
Blackmon, Justin
1
Floyd, Michael
13
ARZ
Notre Dame
1
Wright, Kendall
20
TEN
Baylor
1
Jenkins, A.J.
30
SF
Illinois
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 OFFENSE 2
Quick, Brian
33
SL
Appalachian State
2
Hill, Stephen
43
NYJ
Georgia Tech
2
Jeffery, Alshon
45
CHI
South Carolina
2
Broyles, Ryan
54
DET
Oklahoma
2
Randle, Rueben
63
NYG
Louisiana State
3
Posey, DeVier
68
HST
Ohio State
3
Graham, T.J.
69
BUF
North Carolina State
3
Sanu, Mohamed
83
CIN
Rutgers
3
Hilton, T.Y.
92
IND
Florida International
4
Givens, Chris
96
SL
Wake Forest
4
Benjamin, Travis
100
CLV
Miami
4
Adams, Joe
104
CAR
Arkansas
4
Wylie, Devon
107
KC
Fresno State
4
Wright, Jarius
118
MIN
Arkansas
4
Martin, Keshawn
121
HST
Michigan State
4
Toon, Nick
122
NO
Wisconsin
4
Childs, Greg
134
MIN
Arkansas
5
Coale, Danny
152
DAL
Virginia Tech
5
Jones, Marvin
166
CIN
California
5
Criner, Juron
168
OAK
Arizona
6
Cunningham, B.J.
183
MIA
Michigan State
6
McNutt, Marvin
194
PHI
Iowa
6
Streeter, Tommy
198
BLT
Miami
6
Brazill, LaVon
206
IND
Ohio
7
Matthews, Rishard
227
MIA
Nevada
7
Clemons, Toney
231
PIT
Colorado
7
Ebert, Jeremy
235
NE
Northwestern
7
Hemingway, Junior
238
KC
Michigan
7
White, Jordan
244
NYJ
Western Michigan POSITION TOTAL: 33
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 OFFENSE
Tight End (TE) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
2
Fleener, Coby
34
IND
Stanford
3
Allen, Dwayne
64
IND
Clemson
3
Egnew, Michael
78
MIA
Missouri
4
Green, Ladarius
110
SD
Louisiana-Lafayette
4
Rodriguez, Evan
111
CHI
Temple
4
Charles, Orson
116
CIN
Georgia
4
Robinson, Adrien
127
NYG
Cincinnati
4
Ellison, Rhett
128
MIN
Southern California
5
Thompson, Taylor
145
TEN
Southern Methodist
6
Hanna, James
186
DAL
Oklahoma
7
Dunsmore, Drake
233
TB
Northwestern
7
Paulson, David
240
PIT
Oregon POSITION TOTAL: 12
Quarterback (QB) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
1
Luck, Andrew
1
IND
Stanford
1
Griffin, Robert
2
WAS
Baylor
1
Tannehill, Ryan
8
MIA
Texas A&M
1
Weeden, Brandon
22
CLV
Oklahoma State
2
Osweiler, Brock
57
DEN
Arizona State
3
Wilson, Russell
75
SEA
Wisconsin
3
Foles, Nick
88
PHI
Arizona
4
Cousins, Kirk
102
WAS
Michigan State
6
Lindley, Ryan
185
ARZ
San Diego State
7
Coleman, B.J.
243
GB
Tennessee-Chattanooga
7
Harnish, Chandler
253
IND
Northern Illinois POSITION TOTAL: 11
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 OFFENSE
Running Back (RB) Round
Name
Overall 3
Club
College
CLV
Alabama
1
Richardson, Trent
1
Martin, Doug
31
TB
Boise State
1
Wilson, David
32
NYG
Virginia Tech
2
Pead, Isaiah
50
SL
Cincinnati
2
James, LaMichael
61
SF
Oregon
3
Hillman, Ronnie
67
DEN
San Diego State
3
Pierce, Bernard
84
BLT
Temple
4
Miller, Lamar
97
MIA
Miami
4
Turbin, Robert
106
SEA
Utah State
5
Ewing, Bradie
157
ATL
Wisconsin
5
Rainey, Chris
159
PIT
Florida
5
Ballard, Vick
170
IND
Mississippi State
6
Morris, Alfred
173
WAS
Florida Atlantic
6
Gray, Cyrus
182
KC
Texas A&M
6
Herron, Dan
191
CIN
Ohio State
6
Ganaway, Terrance
202
NYJ
Baylor
7
Smith, Michael
212
TB
Utah State
7
Brown, Bryce
229
PHI
Kansas State
7
Smelley, Brad
247
CLV
Alabama
7
Baker, Edwin
250
SD
Michigan State
7
Richardson, Daryl
252
SL
Abilene Christian POSITION TOTAL: 21
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 DEFENSE
Nose Tackle (NT) Round
Name
1
Poe, Dontari
7
Robertson, Travian
Overall
Club
College
11
KC
Memphis
249
ATL
South Carolina POSITION TOTAL: 2
Defensive End (DE) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
1
Irvin, Bruce
15
SEA
West Virginia
1
Coples, Quinton
16
NYJ
North Carolina
1
McClellin, Shea
19
CHI
Boise State
1
Jones, Chandler
21
NE
Syracuse
2
Branch, Andre
38
JAX
Clemson
2
Reyes, Kendall
49
SD
Connecticut
2
Worthy, Jerel
51
GB
Michigan State
2
Curry, Vinny
59
PHI
Marshall
3
Vernon, Olivier
72
MIA
Miami
3
Crawford, Tyrone
81
DAL
Boise State
3
Bequette, Jake
90
NE
Arkansas
4
Alexander, Frank
103
CAR
Oklahoma
4
Wilber, Kyle
113
DAL
Wake Forest
4
Lewis, Ronnell
125
DET
Oklahoma
4
Crick, Jared
126
HST
Nebraska
4
Daniels, Mike
132
GB
Iowa
5
Jackson, Malik
137
DEN
Tennessee
5
Crawford, Jack
158
OAK
Penn State
5
Massaquoi, Jonathan
164
ATL
Troy
7
Solomon, Scott
211
TEN
Rice
7
Scruggs, Greg
232
SEA
Louisville
7
Tyson, DeAngelo
236
BLT
Georgia POSITION TOTAL: 22
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 DEFENSE
Defensive Tackle (DT) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
1
Cox, Fletcher
12
PHI
Mississippi State
1
Brockers, Michael
14
SL
Louisiana State
2
Wolfe, Derek
36
DEN
Cincinnati
2
Still, Devon
53
CIN
Penn State
3
Martin, Mike
82
TEN
Michigan
3
Hughes, John
87
CLV
Cincinnati
3
Hicks, Akiem
89
NO
Regina, Can.
3
Thompson, Brandon
93
CIN
Clemson
4
Ta'amu, Alameda
109
PIT
Washington
4
Howard, Jaye
114
SEA
Florida
5
Chapman, Josh
136
IND
Alabama
6
Bilukidi, Christo
189
OAK
Georgia State
6
Winn, Billy
205
CLV
Boise State
7
Randall, Kheeston
215
MIA
Texas
7
Long, Jerome
218
KC
San Diego State
7
Guyton, Trevor
219
MIN
California
7
Pendleton, Jeris
228
JAX
Ashland
7
Kuhn, Markus
239
NYG
North Carolina State POSITION TOTAL: 18
Linebacker (LB) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
CAR
Boston College
1
Kuechly, Luke
9
1
Ingram, Melvin
18
SD
South Carolina
1
Hightower, Dont'a
25
NE
Alabama
1
Mercilus, Whitney
26
HST
Illinois
1
Perry, Nick
28
GB
Southern California
2
Upshaw, Courtney
35
BLT
Alabama
2
Kendricks, Mychal
46
PHI
California
2
Wagner, Bobby
47
SEA
Utah State
2
Brown, Zach
52
TEN
North Carolina
2
David, Lavonte
58
TB
Nebraska
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 DEFENSE 3
Davis, Demario
77
NYJ
Arkansas State
3
Spence, Sean
86
PIT
Miami
4
Bradham, Nigel
105
BUF
Florida State
4
Robinson, Keenan
119
WAS
Texas
4
Johnson, James-Michael
120
CLV
Nevada
4
Burris, Miles
129
OAK
San Diego State
5
Whitehead, Tahir
138
DET
Temple
5
Goode, Najee
140
TB
West Virginia
5
Marshall, Brandon
142
JAX
Nevada
5
Carder, Tank
147
BUF
Texas Christian
5
Toomer, Korey
154
SEA
Idaho
5
Kaddu, Josh
155
MIA
Oregon
5
Manning, Terrell
163
GB
North Carolina State
5
Fleming, Darius
165
SF
Notre Dame
6
Trevathan, Danny
188
DEN
Kentucky
6
Acho, Emmanuel
204
CLV
Texas
7
Brown, Aaron
209
SL
Hawaii
7
Cole, Audie
210
MIN
North Carolina State
7
Fugger, Tim
214
IND
Vanderbilt
7
McSurdy, Caleb
222
DAL
Montana
7
Lewis, Travis
223
DET
Oklahoma
7
Stupar, Nathan
230
OAK
Penn State
7
Johnson, Cam
237
SF
Virginia POSITION TOTAL: 33
Defensive Back (DB) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
1
Claiborne, Morris
6
DAL
Louisiana State
1
Barron, Mark
7
TB
Alabama
1
Gilmore, Stephon
10
BUF
South Carolina
1
Kirkpatrick, Dre
17
CIN
Alabama
1
Smith, Harrison
29
MIN
Notre Dame
2
Jenkins, Janoris
39
SL
North Alabama
2
Wilson, Tavon
48
NE
Illinois
2
Hayward, Casey
62
GB
Vanderbilt
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 DEFENSE 3
Johnson, Trumaine
65
SL
Montana
3
Robinson, Josh
66
MIN
Central Florida
3
Taylor, Brandon
73
SD
Louisiana State
3
Hardin, Brandon
79
CHI
Oregon State
3
Fleming, Jamell
80
ARZ
Oklahoma
3
Bentley, Dwight
85
DET
Louisiana-Lafayette
3
Hosley, Jayron
94
NYG
Virginia Tech
4
Bolden, Omar
101
DEN
Arizona State
4
Sensabaugh, Coty
115
TEN
Clemson
4
Boykin, Brandon
123
PHI
Georgia
4
Brooks, Ron
124
BUF
Louisiana State
4
Thompson, Christian
130
BLT
South Carolina State
4
McMillian, Jerron
133
GB
Maine
4
Johnson, Matt
135
DAL
Eastern Washington
5
Blanton, Robert
139
MIN
Notre Dame
5
Norman, Josh
143
CAR
Coastal Carolina
5
Menzie, DeQuan
146
KC
Alabama
5
Greenwood, Chris
148
DET
Albion
5
Prater, Shaun
156
CIN
Iowa
5
White, Corey
162
NO
Samford
5
Iloka, George
167
CIN
Boise State
5
Jackson, Asa
169
BLT
Cal Poly
6
Lane, Jeremy
172
SEA
Northwestern State, La.
6
Tandy, Keith
174
TB
West Virginia
6
Harris, Mike
176
JAX
Florida State
6
Bethel, Justin
177
ARZ
Presbyterian
6
Robinson, Trenton
180
SF
Michigan State
6
Guy, Winston
181
SEA
Kentucky
6
Frey, Isaiah
184
CHI
Nevada
6
Bush, Josh
187
NYJ
Wake Forest
6
Martin, Markelle
190
TEN
Oklahoma State
6
Mitchell, Charles
192
ATL
Mississippi State
6
Green, Jonte
196
DET
New Mexico State
6
Ebner, Nate
197
NE
Ohio State
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 DEFENSE 7
Crawford, Richard
213
WAS
Southern Methodist
7
Campbell, D.J.
216
CAR
California
7
Bernstine, Jordan
217
WAS
Iowa
7
McCoy, Greg
220
CHI
Texas Christian
7
Dennard, Alfonzo
224
NE
Nebraska
7
Allen, Antonio
242
NYJ
South Carolina
7
Wade, Trevin
245
CLV
Arizona
7
Frederick, Terrence
246
PIT
Texas A&M POSITION TOTAL: 50
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY POSITION AT THE END OF ROUND 7 SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker (K) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
5
Bullock, Randy
161
HST
Texas A&M
6
Zuerlein, Greg
171
SL
Missouri Western
6
Walsh, Blair
175
MIN
Georgia
7
Potter, John
251
BUF
Western Michigan POSITION TOTAL: 4
Punter (P) Round
Name
Overall
Club
College
3
Anger, Bryan
70
JAX
California
6
Nortman, Brad
207
CAR
Wisconsin POSITION TOTAL: 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SUMMARY OF SELECTIONS Offense:
122 AFC: 66 NFC: 56
Defense:
125 AFC: 61 NFC: 64
Special Teams:
6
AFC: 3 NFC: 3 Total:
253
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
ALPHABETICAL SELECTIONS
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) Name
Pos.
College
Club
Round
Acho, Emmanuel
LB
Texas
CLV
6
204
Adams, Joe
WR
Arkansas
CAR
4
104
Adams, Mike
T
Ohio State
PIT
2
56
Alexander, Frank
DE
Oklahoma
CAR
4
103
+
Allen, Antonio
DB
South Carolina
NYJ
7
242
#
Allen, Dwayne
TE
Clemson
IND
3
64
Allen, Jeff
T
Illinois
KC
2
44
Anderson, Justin
G
Georgia
IND
7
208
Anger, Bryan
P
California
JAX
3
70
Asper, Mark
G
Oregon
BUF
6
178
+
Overall
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) Name
Pos.
College
Club
# +
Baker, Edwin
RB
Michigan State
SD
7
250
+
Ballard, Vick
RB
Mississippi State
IND
5
170
Barron, Mark
DB
Alabama
TB
1
7
Beachum, Kelvin
T
Southern Methodist
PIT
7
248
Benjamin, Travis
WR
Miami
CLV
4
100
Bentley, Dwight
DB
Louisiana-Lafayette
DET
3
85
Bequette, Jake
DE
Arkansas
NE
3
90
Bergstrom, Tony
G
Utah
OAK
3
95
Bernstine, Jordan
DB
Iowa
WAS
7
217
Bethel, Justin
DB
Presbyterian
ARZ
6
177
Bilukidi, Christo
DT
Georgia State
OAK
6
189
Blackmon, Justin
WR
Oklahoma State
JAX
1
5
Blake, Philip
C
Baylor
DEN
4
108
Blanton, Robert
DB
Notre Dame
MIN
5
139
Bolden, Omar
DB
Arizona State
DEN
4
101
Boykin, Brandon
DB
Georgia
PHI
4
123
Bradham, Nigel
LB
Florida State
BUF
4
105
Branch, Andre
DE
Clemson
JAX
2
38
+
Brazill, LaVon
WR
Ohio
IND
6
206
#
Brockers, Michael
DT
Louisiana State
SL
1
14
Brooks, Brandon
G
Miami, O.
HST
3
76
Brooks, Ron
DB
Louisiana State
BUF
4
124
Brown, Aaron
LB
Hawaii
SL
7
209
Brown, Bryce
RB
Kansas State
PHI
7
229
Brown, Zach
LB
North Carolina
TEN
2
52
Broyles, Ryan
WR
Oklahoma
DET
2
54
Bullock, Randy
K
Texas A&M
HST
5
161
Burris, Miles
LB
San Diego State
OAK
4
129
Bush, Josh
DB
Wake Forest
NYJ
6
187
+
+
#
#
+
Round
Overall
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) Name
Pos.
College
Club
Round
Campbell, D.J.
DB
California
CAR
7
216
Carder, Tank
LB
Texas Christian
BUF
5
147
Chapman, Josh
DT
Alabama
IND
5
136
#
Charles, Orson
TE
Georgia
CIN
4
116
+
Childs, Greg
WR
Arkansas
MIN
4
134
#
Claiborne, Morris
DB
Louisiana State
DAL
1
6
Clemons, Toney
WR
Colorado
PIT
7
231
Coale, Danny
WR
Virginia Tech
DAL
5
152
Cole, Audie
LB
North Carolina State
MIN
7
210
Coleman, B.J.
QB
Tennessee-Chattanooga
GB
7
243
Compton, Tom
T
South Dakota
WAS
6
193
Coples, Quinton
DE
North Carolina
NYJ
1
16
Cousins, Kirk
QB
Michigan State
WAS
4
102
Cox, Fletcher
DT
Mississippi State
PHI
1
12
Crawford, Jack
DE
Penn State
OAK
5
158
Crawford, Richard
DB
Southern Methodist
WAS
7
213
Crawford, Tyrone
DE
Boise State
DAL
3
81
Crick, Jared
DE
Nebraska
HST
4
126
Criner, Juron
WR
Arizona
OAK
5
168
Cunningham, B.J.
WR
Michigan State
MIA
6
183
Curry, Vinny
DE
Marshall
PHI
2
59
+
Daniels, Mike
DE
Iowa
GB
4
132
+
Datko, Andrew
T
Florida State
GB
7
241
David, Lavonte
LB
Nebraska
TB
2
58
Davis, Demario
LB
Arkansas State
NYJ
3
77
DeCastro, David
G
Stanford
PIT
1
24
Dennard, Alfonzo
DB
Nebraska
NE
7
224
Dunsmore, Drake
TE
Northwestern
TB
7
233
+
#
+
#
Overall
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) Name
Pos.
College
Club
Ebert, Jeremy
WR
Northwestern
NE
7
235
Ebner, Nate
DB
Ohio State
NE
6
197
Egnew, Michael
TE
Missouri
MIA
3
78
Ellison, Rhett
TE
Southern California
MIN
4
128
Ewing, Bradie
RB
Wisconsin
ATL
5
157
Fleener, Coby
TE
Stanford
IND
2
34
Fleming, Darius
LB
Notre Dame
SF
5
165
Fleming, Jamell
DB
Oklahoma
ARZ
3
80
Floyd, Michael
WR
Notre Dame
ARZ
1
13
Foles, Nick
QB
Arizona
PHI
3
88
Frederick, Terrence
DB
Texas A&M
PIT
7
246
Frey, Isaiah
DB
Nevada
CHI
6
184
Fugger, Tim
LB
Vanderbilt
IND
7
214
Ganaway, Terrance
RB
Baylor
NYJ
6
202
Gettis, Adam
G
Iowa
WAS
5
141
#
Gilmore, Stephon
DB
South Carolina
BUF
1
10
#
Givens, Chris
WR
Wake Forest
SL
4
96
Glenn, Cordy
T
Georgia
BUF
2
41
Goode, Najee
LB
West Virginia
TB
5
140
Gradkowski, Gino
G
Delaware
BLT
4
98
Graham, T.J.
WR
North Carolina State
BUF
3
69
Gray, Cyrus
RB
Texas A&M
KC
6
182
Green, Jonte
DB
New Mexico State
DET
6
196
Green, Ladarius
TE
Louisiana-Lafayette
SD
4
110
Greenwood, Chris
DB
Albion
DET
5
148
+
Griffin, Robert
G
Baylor
NYJ
6
203
#
Griffin, Robert
QB
Baylor
WAS
1
2
Guy, Winston
DB
Kentucky
SEA
6
181
Guyton, Trevor
DT
California
MIN
7
219
+
+
+
Round
Overall
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name)
+
Hanna, James
TE
Oklahoma
DAL
6
186
Hardin, Brandon
DB
Oregon State
CHI
3
79
Harnish, Chandler
QB
Northern Illinois
IND
7
253
Harris, Mike
DB
Florida State
JAX
6
176
Hayward, Casey
DB
Vanderbilt
GB
2
62
Hemingway, Junior
WR
Michigan
KC
7
238
Herron, Dan
RB
Ohio State
CIN
6
191
Hicks, Akiem
DT
Regina, Can.
NO
3
89
#
Hightower, Dont'a
LB
Alabama
NE
1
25
#
Hill, Stephen
WR
Georgia Tech
NYJ
2
43
#
Hillman, Ronnie
RB
San Diego State
DEN
3
67
Hilton, T.Y.
WR
Florida International
IND
3
92
Holmes, Lamar
T
Southern Mississippi
ATL
3
91
Hosley, Jayron
DB
Virginia Tech
NYG
3
94
Howard, Jaye
DT
Florida
SEA
4
114
Hughes, John
DT
Cincinnati
CLV
3
87
Iloka, George
DB
Boise State
CIN
5
167
Ingram, Melvin
LB
South Carolina
SD
1
18
Irvin, Bruce
DE
West Virginia
SEA
1
15
#
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name)
+
Name
Pos.
College
Club
Round
Overall
Jackson, Asa
DB
Cal Poly
BLT
5
169
Jackson, Malik
DE
Tennessee
DEN
5
137
#
James, LaMichael
RB
Oregon
SF
2
61
#
Jeffery, Alshon
WR
South Carolina
CHI
2
45
Jenkins, A.J.
WR
Illinois
SF
1
30
Jenkins, Janoris
DB
North Alabama
SL
2
39
Johnson, Cam
LB
Virginia
SF
7
237
Johnson, James-Michael
LB
Nevada
CLV
4
120
Johnson, Matt
DB
Eastern Washington
DAL
4
135
Johnson, Trumaine
DB
Montana
SL
3
65
Jones, Ben
C
Georgia
HST
4
99
Jones, Chandler
DE
Syracuse
NE
1
21
Jones, Marcel
T
Nebraska
NO
7
234
Jones, Marvin
WR
California
CIN
5
166
Kaddu, Josh
LB
Oregon
MIA
5
155
Kalil, Matt
T
Southern California
MIN
1
4
Kelemete, Senio
G
Washington
ARZ
5
151
Kelly, Dennis
T
Purdue
PHI
5
153
Kendricks, Mychal
LB
California
PHI
2
46
#
Kirkpatrick, Dre
DB
Alabama
CIN
1
17
#
Konz, Peter
G
Wisconsin
ATL
2
55
#
Kuechly, Luke
LB
Boston College
CAR
1
9
Kuhn, Markus
DT
North Carolina State
NYG
7
239
+
#
#
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name)
#
#
Name
Pos.
College
Club
Round
Overall
Lane, Jeremy
DB
Northwestern State, La.
SEA
6
LeRibeus, Josh
G
Southern Methodist
WAS
3
71
Lewis, Ronnell
DE
Oklahoma
DET
4
125
Lewis, Travis
LB
Oklahoma
DET
7
223
Lindley, Ryan
QB
San Diego State
ARZ
6
185
Long, Jerome
DT
San Diego State
KC
7
218
Looney, Joe
G
Wake Forest
SF
4
117
Luck, Andrew
QB
Stanford
IND
1
1
172
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) Name
Pos.
College
Club
Manning, Terrell
LB
North Carolina State
GB
5
163
Marshall, Brandon
LB
Nevada
JAX
5
142
Martin, Doug
RB
Boise State
TB
1
31
Martin, Jonathan
T
Stanford
MIA
2
42
Martin, Keshawn
WR
Michigan State
HST
4
121
Martin, Markelle
DB
Oklahoma State
TEN
6
190
Martin, Mike
DT
Michigan
TEN
3
82
Massaquoi, Jonathan
DE
Troy
ATL
5
164
Massie, Bobby
T
Mississippi
ARZ
4
112
Matthews, Rishard
WR
Nevada
MIA
7
227
McCants, Matt
T
Alabama-Birmingham
NYG
6
201
McClellin, Shea
DE
Boise State
CHI
1
19
McCoy, Greg
DB
Texas Christian
CHI
7
220
McMillian, Jerron
DB
Maine
GB
4
133
McNutt, Marvin
WR
Iowa
PHI
6
194
McSurdy, Caleb
LB
Montana
DAL
7
222
Menzie, DeQuan
DB
Alabama
KC
5
146
#
Mercilus, Whitney
LB
Illinois
HST
1
26
#
Miller, Lamar
RB
Miami
MIA
4
97
Miller, Ryan
T
Colorado
CLV
5
160
Mitchell, Charles
DB
Mississippi State
ATL
6
192
Molk, David
C
Michigan
SD
7
226
Mondek, Nick
T
Purdue
HST
6
195
Morris, Alfred
RB
Florida Atlantic
WAS
6
173
Mosley, Brandon
T
Auburn
NYG
4
131
Norman, Josh
DB
Coastal Carolina
CAR
5
143
Nortman, Brad
P
Wisconsin
CAR
6
207
Osemele, Kelechi
T
Iowa State
BLT
2
60
Osweiler, Brock
QB
Arizona State
DEN
2
57
#
#
#
+
+
+
#
Round
Overall
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name) +
Paulson, David
TE
Oregon
PIT
7
240
Pead, Isaiah
RB
Cincinnati
SL
2
50
Pendleton, Jeris
DT
Ashland
JAX
7
228
#
Perry, Nick
LB
Southern California
GB
1
28
#
Pierce, Bernard
RB
Temple
BLT
3
84
#
Poe, Dontari
NT
Memphis
KC
1
11
Posey, DeVier
WR
Ohio State
HST
3
68
Potter, John
K
Western Michigan
BUF
7
251
Potter, Nate
T
Boise State
ARZ
7
221
Prater, Shaun
DB
Iowa
CIN
5
156
Quick, Brian
WR
Appalachian State
SL
2
33
Rainey, Chris
RB
Florida
PIT
5
159
Randall, Kheeston
DT
Texas
MIA
7
215
#
Randle, Rueben
WR
Louisiana State
NYG
2
63
#
Reiff, Riley
T
Iowa
DET
1
23
+
Reyes, Kendall
DE
Connecticut
SD
2
49
+
Richardson, Daryl
RB
Abilene Christian
SL
7
252
#
Richardson, Trent
RB
Alabama
CLV
1
3
+
Robertson, Travian
NT
South Carolina
ATL
7
249
Robinson, Adrien
TE
Cincinnati
NYG
4
127
Robinson, Josh
DB
Central Florida
MIN
3
66
Robinson, Keenan
LB
Texas
WAS
4
119
Robinson, Trenton
DB
Michigan State
SF
6
180
Rodriguez, Evan
TE
Temple
CHI
4
111
#
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name)
#
+
#
Name
Pos.
College
Club
Round
Overall
Sanders, Zebrie
T
Florida State
BUF
5
144
Sanu, Mohamed
WR
Rutgers
CIN
3
83
Schwartz, Mitchell
T
California
CLV
2
37
Scruggs, Greg
DE
Louisville
SEA
7
232
Sensabaugh, Coty
DB
Clemson
TEN
4
115
Silatolu, Amini
G
Midwestern State
CAR
2
40
Slowey, Jason
T
Western Oregon
SF
6
199
Smelley, Brad
RB
Alabama
CLV
7
247
Smith, Harrison
DB
Notre Dame
MIN
1
29
Smith, Michael
RB
Utah State
TB
7
212
Solomon, Scott
DE
Rice
TEN
7
211
Spence, Sean
LB
Miami
PIT
3
86
Stephenson, Donald
T
Oklahoma
KC
3
74
Still, Devon
DT
Penn State
CIN
2
53
Streeter, Tommy
WR
Miami
BLT
6
198
Stupar, Nathan
LB
Penn State
OAK
7
230
Sweezy, J.R.
T
North Carolina State
SEA
7
225
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name)
+
#
Name
Pos.
College
Club
Round
Overall
Ta'amu, Alameda
DT
Washington
PIT
4
109
Tandy, Keith
DB
West Virginia
TB
6
174
Tannehill, Ryan
QB
Texas A&M
MIA
1
8
Taylor, Brandon
DB
Louisiana State
SD
3
73
Thompson, Brandon
DT
Clemson
CIN
3
93
Thompson, Christian
DB
South Carolina State
BLT
4
130
Thompson, Taylor
TE
Southern Methodist
TEN
5
145
Tiller, Andrew
G
Syracuse
NO
6
179
Toomer, Korey
LB
Idaho
SEA
5
154
Toon, Nick
WR
Wisconsin
NO
4
122
Trevathan, Danny
LB
Kentucky
DEN
6
188
Troutman, Johnnie
G
Penn State
SD
5
149
Turbin, Robert
RB
Utah State
SEA
4
106
Tyson, DeAngelo
DE
Georgia
BLT
7
236
Upshaw, Courtney
LB
Alabama
BLT
2
35
Vernon, Olivier
DE
Miami
MIA
3
72
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 S E L E C T I O N S
A L P H A B E T I C A L L Y
AT THE END OF ROUND 7 (Underclassmen are designated by "#" in front of the name) (Compensatory Picks are designated by "+" in front of the name)
+
#
+
#
+ #
Name
Pos.
College
Club
Round
Wade, Trevin
DB
Arizona
CLV
7
Wagner, Bobby
LB
Utah State
SEA
2
47
Walsh, Blair
K
Georgia
MIN
6
175
Washington, Brandon
G
Miami
PHI
6
200
Watkins, Rokevious
G
South Carolina
SL
5
150
Weeden, Brandon
QB
Oklahoma State
CLV
1
22
White, Corey
DB
Samford
NO
5
162
White, Jordan
WR
Western Michigan
NYJ
7
244
Whitehead, Tahir
LB
Temple
DET
5
138
Wilber, Kyle
DE
Wake Forest
DAL
4
113
Wilson, David
RB
Virginia Tech
NYG
1
32
Wilson, Russell
QB
Wisconsin
SEA
3
75
Wilson, Tavon
DB
Illinois
NE
2
48
Winn, Billy
DT
Boise State
CLV
6
205
Wolfe, Derek
DT
Cincinnati
DEN
2
36
Worthy, Jerel
DE
Michigan State
GB
2
51
Wright, Jarius
WR
Arkansas
MIN
4
118
Wright, Kendall
WR
Baylor
TEN
1
20
Wylie, Devon
WR
Fresno State
KC
4
107
Zeitler, Kevin
G
Wisconsin
CIN
1
27
Zuerlein, Greg
K
Missouri Western
SL
6
171
Total Players Selected: Total Underclassmen Selected:
Overall 245
253 44
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
SELECTIONS BY SCHOOL
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Kuechly, Luke
LB
CAR
1
9
Allen, Dwayne
TE
IND
3
64
Branch, Andre
DE
JAX
2
38
Sensabaugh, Coty
DB
TEN
4
115
Thompson, Brandon
DT
CIN
3
93
Bradham, Nigel
LB
BUF
4
105
Datko, Andrew
T
GB
7
241
Harris, Mike
DB
JAX
6
176
Sanders, Zebrie
T
BUF
5
144
WR
NYJ
2
43
Benjamin, Travis
WR
CLV
4
100
Miller, Lamar
RB
MIA
4
97
Spence, Sean
LB
PIT
3
86
Streeter, Tommy
WR
BLT
6
198
Vernon, Olivier
DE
MIA
3
72
Washington, Brandon
G
PHI
6
200
Brown, Zach
LB
TEN
2
52
Coples, Quinton
DE
NYJ
1
16
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Boston College
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Clemson
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Florida State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Georgia Tech
Hill, Stephen COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Miami
COLLEGE TOTAL: 6
North Carolina
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
North Carolina State
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Cole, Audie
LB
MIN
7
210
Graham, T.J.
WR
BUF
3
69
Kuhn, Markus
DT
NYG
7
239
Manning, Terrell
LB
GB
5
163
Sweezy, J.R.
T
SEA
7
225
LB
SF
7
237
Coale, Danny
WR
DAL
5
152
Hosley, Jayron
DB
NYG
3
94
Wilson, David
RB
NYG
1
32
Bush, Josh
DB
NYJ
6
187
Givens, Chris
WR
SL
4
96
Looney, Joe
G
SF
4
117
Wilber, Kyle
DE
DAL
4
113
COLLEGE TOTAL: 5
Virginia
Johnson, Cam COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Virginia Tech
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
Wake Forest
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 31
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Hughes, John
DT
CLV
3
87
Pead, Isaiah
RB
SL
2
50
Robinson, Adrien
TE
NYG
4
127
Wolfe, Derek
DT
DEN
2
36
DE
SD
2
49
DE
SEA
7
232
WR
CIN
3
83
Jones, Chandler
DE
NE
1
21
Tiller, Andrew
G
NO
6
179
Goode, Najee
LB
TB
5
140
Irvin, Bruce
DE
SEA
1
15
Tandy, Keith
DB
TB
6
174
DB
DAL
4
135
Johnson, Trumaine
DB
SL
3
65
McSurdy, Caleb
LB
DAL
7
222
Big East (B-EST) Cincinnati
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Connecticut
Reyes, Kendall COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Louisville
Scruggs, Greg COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Rutgers
Sanu, Mohamed COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Syracuse
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
West Virginia
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 12
Big Sky Conference (B-SKY) Eastern Washington
Johnson, Matt COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Montana
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 3
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Norman, Josh
DB
CAR
5
143
DB
ARZ
6
177
Allen, Jeff
T
KC
2
44
Jenkins, A.J.
WR
SF
1
30
Mercilus, Whitney
LB
HST
1
26
Wilson, Tavon
DB
NE
2
48
Bernstine, Jordan
DB
WAS
7
217
Daniels, Mike
DE
GB
4
132
Gettis, Adam
G
WAS
5
141
McNutt, Marvin
WR
PHI
6
194
Prater, Shaun
DB
CIN
5
156
Reiff, Riley
T
DET
1
23
Hemingway, Junior
WR
KC
7
238
Martin, Mike
DT
TEN
3
82
Molk, David
C
SD
7
226
Big South Conference (B-SOUTH) Coastal Carolina
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Presbyterian
Bethel, Justin COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 2
Big Ten Conference (BIG10) Illinois
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Iowa
COLLEGE TOTAL: 6
Michigan
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Michigan State
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Baker, Edwin
RB
SD
7
250
Cousins, Kirk
QB
WAS
4
102
Cunningham, B.J.
WR
MIA
6
183
Martin, Keshawn
WR
HST
4
121
Robinson, Trenton
DB
SF
6
180
Worthy, Jerel
DE
GB
2
51
Crick, Jared
DE
HST
4
126
David, Lavonte
LB
TB
2
58
Dennard, Alfonzo
DB
NE
7
224
Jones, Marcel
T
NO
7
234
Dunsmore, Drake
TE
TB
7
233
Ebert, Jeremy
WR
NE
7
235
Adams, Mike
T
PIT
2
56
Ebner, Nate
DB
NE
6
197
Herron, Dan
RB
CIN
6
191
Posey, DeVier
WR
HST
3
68
Crawford, Jack
DE
OAK
5
158
Still, Devon
DT
CIN
2
53
Stupar, Nathan
LB
OAK
7
230
Troutman, Johnnie
G
SD
5
149
Kelly, Dennis
T
PHI
5
153
Mondek, Nick
T
HST
6
195
COLLEGE TOTAL: 6
Nebraska
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Northwestern
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
Ohio State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Penn State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Purdue
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Wisconsin
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Ewing, Bradie
RB
ATL
5
157
Konz, Peter
G
ATL
2
55
Nortman, Brad
P
CAR
6
207
Toon, Nick
WR
NO
4
122
Wilson, Russell
QB
SEA
3
75
Zeitler, Kevin
G
CIN
1
27
Blake, Philip
C
DEN
4
108
Ganaway, Terrance
RB
NYJ
6
202
Griffin, Robert
G
NYJ
6
203
Griffin, Robert
QB
WAS
1
2
Wright, Kendall
WR
TEN
1
20
T
BLT
2
60
RB
PHI
7
229
TE
MIA
3
78
COLLEGE TOTAL: 6 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 41
Big Twelve Conference (BIG 12) Baylor
COLLEGE TOTAL: 5
Iowa State
Osemele, Kelechi COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Kansas State
Brown, Bryce COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Missouri
Egnew, Michael COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Oklahoma
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Alexander, Frank
DE
CAR
4
103
Broyles, Ryan
WR
DET
2
54
Fleming, Jamell
DB
ARZ
3
80
Hanna, James
TE
DAL
6
186
Lewis, Ronnell
DE
DET
4
125
Lewis, Travis
LB
DET
7
223
Stephenson, Donald
T
KC
3
74
Blackmon, Justin
WR
JAX
1
5
Martin, Markelle
DB
TEN
6
190
Weeden, Brandon
QB
CLV
1
22
Acho, Emmanuel
LB
CLV
6
204
Randall, Kheeston
DT
MIA
7
215
Robinson, Keenan
LB
WAS
4
119
Bullock, Randy
K
HST
5
161
Frederick, Terrence
DB
PIT
7
246
Gray, Cyrus
RB
KC
6
182
Tannehill, Ryan
QB
MIA
1
8
DT
NO
3
89
COLLEGE TOTAL: 7
Oklahoma State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
Texas
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
Texas A&M
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 25
Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) Regina, Can.
Hicks, Akiem COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Gradkowski, Gino
G
BLT
4
98
DB
GB
4
133
T
NYG
6
201
DB
MIN
3
66
DE
PHI
2
59
NT
KC
1
11
DE
TEN
7
211
Beachum, Kelvin
T
PIT
7
248
Crawford, Richard
DB
WAS
7
213
LeRibeus, Josh
G
WAS
3
71
Thompson, Taylor
TE
TEN
5
145
T
ATL
3
91
Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Delaware
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Maine
McMillian, Jerron COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 2
Conference USA (USA) Alabama-Birmingham
McCants, Matt COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Central Florida
Robinson, Josh COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Marshall
Curry, Vinny COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Memphis
Poe, Dontari COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Rice
Solomon, Scott COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Southern Methodist
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Southern Mississippi
Holmes, Lamar COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 10
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
DT
JAX
7
228
T
SF
6
199
DB
BLT
5
169
T
WAS
6
193
DB
SL
2
39
DT
OAK
6
189
Blanton, Robert
DB
MIN
5
139
Fleming, Darius
LB
SF
5
165
Floyd, Michael
WR
ARZ
1
13
Smith, Harrison
DB
MIN
1
29
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Ashland
Pendleton, Jeris COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Western Oregon
Slowey, Jason COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
Great West Football Conference (GWFC) Cal Poly
Jackson, Asa COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
South Dakota
Compton, Tom COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 2
Gulf South Conference (GLF-S) North Alabama
Jenkins, Janoris COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
Independent (IND.) Georgia State
Bilukidi, Christo COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Notre Dame
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 5
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Richardson, Daryl
RB
SL
7
252
G
CAR
2
40
DB
DET
5
148
K
SL
6
171
Lone Star Conference (LSTR) Abilene Christian
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Midwestern State
Silatolu, Amini COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 2
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Albion
Greenwood, Chris COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MAIAA) Missouri Western
Zuerlein, Greg COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Brooks, Brandon
G
HST
3
76
QB
IND
7
253
WR
IND
6
206
Pierce, Bernard
RB
BLT
3
84
Rodriguez, Evan
TE
CHI
4
111
Whitehead, Tahir
LB
DET
5
138
Potter, John
K
BUF
7
251
White, Jordan
WR
NYJ
7
244
DB
BLT
4
130
Mid-American Conference (MAC) Miami, O.
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Northern Illinois
Harnish, Chandler COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Ohio
Brazill, LaVon COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Temple
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
Western Michigan
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 8
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) South Carolina State
Thompson, Christian COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Crawford, Tyrone
DE
DAL
3
81
Iloka, George
DB
CIN
5
167
Martin, Doug
RB
TB
1
31
McClellin, Shea
DE
CHI
1
19
Potter, Nate
T
ARZ
7
221
Winn, Billy
DT
CLV
6
205
Burris, Miles
LB
OAK
4
129
Hillman, Ronnie
RB
DEN
3
67
Lindley, Ryan
QB
ARZ
6
185
Long, Jerome
DT
KC
7
218
Carder, Tank
LB
BUF
5
147
McCoy, Greg
DB
CHI
7
220
Criner, Juron
WR
OAK
5
168
Foles, Nick
QB
PHI
3
88
Wade, Trevin
DB
CLV
7
245
Bolden, Omar
DB
DEN
4
101
Osweiler, Brock
QB
DEN
2
57
Mountain West Conference (MWC) Boise State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 6
San Diego State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Texas Christian
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 12
Pacific Twelve Conference (PAC12) Arizona
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
Arizona State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
California
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Anger, Bryan
P
JAX
3
70
Campbell, D.J.
DB
CAR
7
216
Guyton, Trevor
DT
MIN
7
219
Jones, Marvin
WR
CIN
5
166
Kendricks, Mychal
LB
PHI
2
46
Schwartz, Mitchell
T
CLV
2
37
Clemons, Toney
WR
PIT
7
231
Miller, Ryan
T
CLV
5
160
Asper, Mark
G
BUF
6
178
James, LaMichael
RB
SF
2
61
Kaddu, Josh
LB
MIA
5
155
Paulson, David
TE
PIT
7
240
DB
CHI
3
79
Ellison, Rhett
TE
MIN
4
128
Kalil, Matt
T
MIN
1
4
Perry, Nick
LB
GB
1
28
DeCastro, David
G
PIT
1
24
Fleener, Coby
TE
IND
2
34
Luck, Andrew
QB
IND
1
1
Martin, Jonathan
T
MIA
2
42
COLLEGE TOTAL: 6
Colorado
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
Oregon
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Oregon State
Hardin, Brandon COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Southern California
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
Stanford
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Utah
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Bergstrom, Tony
G
OAK
3
95
Kelemete, Senio
G
ARZ
5
151
Ta'amu, Alameda
DT
PIT
4
109
Barron, Mark
DB
TB
1
7
Chapman, Josh
DT
IND
5
136
Hightower, Dont'a
LB
NE
1
25
Kirkpatrick, Dre
DB
CIN
1
17
Menzie, DeQuan
DB
KC
5
146
Richardson, Trent
RB
CLV
1
3
Smelley, Brad
RB
CLV
7
247
Upshaw, Courtney
LB
BLT
2
35
Adams, Joe
WR
CAR
4
104
Bequette, Jake
DE
NE
3
90
Childs, Greg
WR
MIN
4
134
Wright, Jarius
WR
MIN
4
118
T
NYG
4
131
Howard, Jaye
DT
SEA
4
114
Rainey, Chris
RB
PIT
5
159
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Washington
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 28
Southeastern Conference (SEC) Alabama
COLLEGE TOTAL: 8
Arkansas
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
Auburn
Mosley, Brandon COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Florida
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Georgia
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Anderson, Justin
G
IND
7
208
Boykin, Brandon
DB
PHI
4
123
Charles, Orson
TE
CIN
4
116
Glenn, Cordy
T
BUF
2
41
Jones, Ben
C
HST
4
99
Tyson, DeAngelo
DE
BLT
7
236
Walsh, Blair
K
MIN
6
175
Guy, Winston
DB
SEA
6
181
Trevathan, Danny
LB
DEN
6
188
Brockers, Michael
DT
SL
1
14
Brooks, Ron
DB
BUF
4
124
Claiborne, Morris
DB
DAL
1
6
Randle, Rueben
WR
NYG
2
63
Taylor, Brandon
DB
SD
3
73
T
ARZ
4
112
Ballard, Vick
RB
IND
5
170
Cox, Fletcher
DT
PHI
1
12
Mitchell, Charles
DB
ATL
6
192
COLLEGE TOTAL: 7
Kentucky
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
Louisiana State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 5
Mississippi
Massie, Bobby COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Mississippi State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
South Carolina
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Allen, Antonio
DB
NYJ
7
242
Gilmore, Stephon
DB
BUF
1
10
Ingram, Melvin
LB
SD
1
18
Jeffery, Alshon
WR
CHI
2
45
Robertson, Travian
NT
ATL
7
249
Watkins, Rokevious
G
SL
5
150
DE
DEN
5
137
Fugger, Tim
LB
IND
7
214
Hayward, Casey
DB
GB
2
62
WR
SL
2
33
DB
NO
5
162
QB
GB
7
243
DB
SEA
6
172
COLLEGE TOTAL: 6
Tennessee
Jackson, Malik COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Vanderbilt
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 42
Southern Conference (SOUTH) Appalachian State
Quick, Brian COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Samford
White, Corey COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Tennessee-Chattanooga
Coleman, B.J. COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 3
Southland Conference (SLND) Northwestern State, La.
Lane, Jeremy COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Davis, Demario
LB
NYJ
3
77
RB
WAS
6
173
WR
IND
3
92
Bentley, Dwight
DB
DET
3
85
Green, Ladarius
TE
SD
4
110
DE
ATL
5
164
Sun Belt Conference (SUN) Arkansas State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Florida Atlantic
Morris, Alfred COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Florida International
Hilton, T.Y. COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Louisiana-Lafayette
COLLEGE TOTAL: 2
Troy
Massaquoi, Jonathan COLLEGE TOTAL: 1 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 6
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 77th ANNUAL SELECTION MEETING APRIL 26 - APRIL 28, 2012 SELECTIONS BY CONFERENCE/COLLEGE AT THE END OF ROUND 7
Name
Pos. Club
Round Overall
Wylie, Devon
WR
KC
4
107
LB
SL
7
209
LB
SEA
5
154
Frey, Isaiah
DB
CHI
6
184
Johnson, James-Michael
LB
CLV
4
120
Marshall, Brandon
LB
JAX
5
142
Matthews, Rishard
WR
MIA
7
227
DB
DET
6
196
Smith, Michael
RB
TB
7
212
Turbin, Robert
RB
SEA
4
106
Wagner, Bobby
LB
SEA
2
47
Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Fresno State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Hawaii
Brown, Aaron COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Idaho
Toomer, Korey COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Nevada
COLLEGE TOTAL: 4
New Mexico State
Green, Jonte COLLEGE TOTAL: 1
Utah State
COLLEGE TOTAL: 3 CONFERENCE TOTAL: 11
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
TRADES
Trades 2012 No. 36 (04/28/12) Minnesota Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 211; from Cleveland
Tennessee Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 6, 2013
Selection Choices:
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 197
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 224; from New York Jets
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 235
Selection Choice:
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 163; from Green Bay
Selection Choices:
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 158
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 230
Selection Choice:
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 148
Miami Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 145
Tennessee Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 155
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 227
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 219; from Seattle
No. 35 (04/28/12) Green Bay Trades:
New England Trades:
No. 34 (04/28/12) Detroit Trades:
Oakland Trades:
No. 33 (04/28/12)
No. 32 (04/28/12) Detroit Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 4, 2013 Minnesota Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 138
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 223; from Philadelphia
No. 31 (04/28/12) Detroit Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 117
San Francisco Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 125
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 196; from New Orleans
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 119
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 193
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 109; from Oakland
No. 30 (04/28/12) Pittsburgh Trades:
Washington Trades:
Selection Choices:
Selection Choice:
No. 29 (04/28/12) Carolina Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 180
Round 3, 2013 San Francisco Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 103; from Miami
Selection Choices:
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 103
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 196; from New Orleans
No. 28 (04/28/12) Miami Trades:
Round 6, 2013 San Francisco Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 97; from Indianapolis
Selection Choices:
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 97
No. 27 (04/27/12) Indianapolis Trades:
Round 5, 2013 San Francisco Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 92
Atlanta Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 84
Baltimore Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 91
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 164
No. 26 (04/27/12)
No. 25 (04/27/12) Miami Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 73; from Carolina
San Diego Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 78
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 183
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 71
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 217
Selection Choice:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 69
Cleveland Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 67
Denver Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 87
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 120
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 90
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 163
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 62
No. 24 (04/27/12) Buffalo Trades:
Washington Trades:
Selection Choices:
No. 23 (04/27/12)
No. 22 (04/27/12) Green Bay Trades:
New England Trades:
Selection Choices:
Selection Choice:
No. 21 (04/27/12) Houston Trades:
Tampa Bay Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 58
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 233
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 68
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 126; from New England
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 59
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 123
Selection Choice:
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 51; from Arizona
Selection Choices:
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 50
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 150
Selection Choice:
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 45; from Dallas
Selection Choices:
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 47
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 154
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 232; from Denver
Selection Choice:
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 43
Selection Choices:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 31; from New England
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 126; from New England
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 36
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 101; from Jacksonville
Selection Choices:
No. 20 (04/27/12) Green Bay Trades:
Philadelphia Trades:
Selection Choices:
No. 19 (04/27/12) Chicago Trades:
St. Louis Trades:
No. 18 (04/27/12) New York Jets Trade:
Seattle Trades:
No. 17 (04/26/12) Denver Trades:
Tampa Bay Trades:
Selection Choices:
No. 16 (04/26/12) Baltimore Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 29
Minnesota Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 35
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 98
No. 15 (04/26/12) Denver Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 25
New England Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 31
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 126
No. 14 (04/26/12) Cincinnati Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 21
New England Trades:
Selection Choices:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 27; from New Orleans
Round 3, 2012
Overall # 93
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 15
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 114
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 172; from Indianapolis
Selection Choice:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 12
Selection Choices:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 14
Round 2, 2012
Overall # 45
Selection Choice:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 6; from Washington
Selection Choices:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 7
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 101
Selection Choice:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 5
Selection Choices:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 4
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 118; from Atlanta
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 139
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 211
Selection Choice:
Round 1, 2012
Overall # 3
Atlanta Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 229
Philadelphia Trades:
Samuel, Asante
DB
Central Florida
Cincinnati Trades:
Rivers, Keith
LB
Southern California
New York Giants Trade:
Selection Choice:
Round 5, 2012
Overall # 167
Carolina Trades:
Mike, Goodson
RB
Texas A&M
Oakland Trades:
Campbell, Bruce
T
Maryland
No. 13 (04/26/12) Philadelphia Trades:
Seattle Trades:
Selection Choices:
No. 12 (04/26/12) Dallas Trades:
St. Louis Trades:
No. 11 (04/26/12) Jacksonville Trades:
Tampa Bay Trades:
No. 10 (04/26/12) Cleveland Trades:
Minnesota Trades:
No. 9 (04/26/12)
No. 8 (04/13/12)
No. 7 (03/30/12)
No. 6 (03/26/12) Indianapolis Trades:
Selection Choice:
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 187; from Philadelphia
New York Jets Trade:
Stanton, Drew
QB
Michigan State
Selection Choice:
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 214; from Jacksonville
Tebow, Tim
QB
Florida
Selection Choice:
Round 7, 2012
Overall # 232
Selection Choices:
Round 4, 2012
Overall # 108
Round 6, 2012
Overall # 188
Ryans, DeMeco
LB
Alabama
Selection Choice:
Unannounced
Selection Choices:
Unannounced
No. 5 (03/26/12) Denver Trades:
New York Jets Trade:
No. 4 (03/21/12) Houston Trades:
Philadelphia Trades:
Unannounced
No. 3 (03/19/12) Indianapolis Trades:
Selection Choice:
Unannounced
Philadelphia Trades:
Justice, Winston
T
Selection Choice:
Unannounced
St. Louis Trades:
Selection Choice:
Unannounced
Washington Trades:
Selection Choices:
Unannounced
Southern California
No. 2 (03/14/12)
Unannounced Unannounced Unannounced
No. 1 (03/14/12) Chicago Trades:
Selection Choices:
Unannounced Unannounced
Miami Trades:
Marshall, Brandon
WR
Central Florida
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
WR KENDALL WRIGHT 1ST ROUND, 20TH OVERALL
KENDALL WRIGHT Wide Receiver Baylor University Bears #1 5:10.2-196 Pittsburg, Texas Pittsburg High School OVERVIEW The Big 12 Conference, known in the past for its strong emphasis for the running game has developed into one of the more “pass happy” leagues in the major college ranks in recent years, evident by the long list of quality receivers that have entered the National Football League from the conference rosters since the turn of the century. The 2012 NFL Draft will again feature the league’s “pride and joy” from their receiving corps. Most talent evaluators expect that Wright and Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon should be off the draft boards in the first round. Jeff Fuller of Texas A&M and Ryan Broyles from Oklahoma are another pair of wide-outs that could be draft day “steals.” Among active players in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision ranks, that quartet etched their names on the receptions, receiving yardage and receiving touchdown charts, with each ranking in the Top Ten for each category. Broyles ranks first among active players in all three departments, pulling in 349 passes for 4,586 yards and 45 scores. Blackmon placed eighth in receptions (252), fifth in yardage (3,564) and second in touchdowns (40). Fuller finished ninth with 233 grabs and 3,092 yards and fourth with 34 scores. Wright was one of five active receivers to catch at least 300 passes (fifth with 302). He is one of just three active wideouts with 4,000 receiving yards (third with 4,004) and is one of only seven active players with at least 30 touchdown catches (seventh with 30). All of those marks set Baylor career-records. He also set the school all-time record with 4,479 allpurpose yards. The Bears receiver is also one of the most versatile players in the 2012 draft pool. In addition to his stellar receiving performances, he has produced 425 yards with two touchdowns on 75 carries (5.67 ypc). The former Pittsburgh High School quarterback has also proven to be a dangerous threat with the option pass, gaining 114 aerial yards with a pair of scores on just four pass completions. He has also filled in as a kickoff and punt returner in an emergency. Wright has quickness, field vision and precise route-running ability. He is highly competitive going for the ball in a crowd and he is not only the consummate team player –doing whatever the coaches ask – he is a vocal presence in the locker room and huddle, showing the emotion and fire the staff hopes the younger Baylor players will one day emulate. As a route runner, Wright has the quick pitter-patter steps to get to the top of the route in a hurry. He has the loose hips and pad level to not take wasted steps coming out of his breaks. What makes him highly difficult to match up against in man coverage is that incredible second gear that easily gets him behind even the speediest of cornerbacks. His suddenness out of his breaks and fearlessness in a crowd also creates mismatches when he simply races past slower second level defenders to challenge the deep areas of the secondary. One of the most coveted prep prospects in the country during his playing days as a quarterback and cornerback at Pittsburg (Tex.) High School, Wright not only starred for the Pirates’ football team, he also excelled in basketball and track, earning All-State honors in each sport. Additionally, he was a model student, earning school Academic Honor Roll recognition, while also being a pillar in the community, serving as a youth basketball coach while still attending high school. th
Wright received a three-star prospect ranking from both Rivals.com and Scout.com. He placed 47 on Super Prep’s Texas 100 list and was also a member of the Dallas Morning News', Waco Tribune-Herald's, Fort Worth Star-Telegram's, th Houston Chronicle's and San Antonio Express-News’ Texas Top 100 lists. Rivals.com rated him the 64 -best overall th athlete in the nation while Scout.com ranked him 67 . In both 2006 and 2007, Wright was a second-team All-District 16-3A performer at both quarterback and cornerback. As a junior, he accounted for 26 total touchdowns and passed for 850 yards. During his final season, he added second-team Class 3A All-State honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association and honorable mention by the Associated Press as a cornerback, registering 33 tackles, five interceptions, four fumble recoveries and pair of defensive touchdowns in 2007. The Tyler Morning Telegram first-team All-East Texas selection as a utility player after leading Pittsburg to its first playoff win in 20 years during his senior campaign, he also earned first-team All-East Texas honors from Longview News Journal
as a defender. As the Pirates' quarterback, he rushed for 1,069 yards and 15 touchdowns, along with throwing for 1,170 yards and nine scores in 2007. On the basketball court, Wright produced a quadruple-double as a senior, averaging 24.5 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals per game en route to 2007 East Texas Player of Year honors from the Tyler Morning Telegram. A three-time member of the Tyler Morning Telegram All-East Texas team, he also received All-State hoops recognition as a junior. For the Pirates track team, Wright captured the 2007 Texas Class 3A state long jump (24-0 3/4) and triple jump (48-5 1/4) championships. He also received the 2008 Class 3A gold medal in the triple jump with a state meet-record leap of 50-8 3/4 and placed fifth in the Class 3A ranks in the 100 meters (11.00). Staying close to home was a priority for Wright when he was deciding upon which university to attend. The player’s desire to be a part of a rebuilding program and the opportunity to play immediately is what drew him to Baylor. From the moment the true freshman arrived on campus, the staff could see that his rise to prominence was about to begin. Wright earned Freshman All-American honorable mention, as he started eight of the 12 games he played in at one of the inside slot nd receiver positions. In the first year with Art Briles as the Bears’ head coach, the team ranked 92 in the nation in passing (180.67 ypg), but Wright managed to lead the team with 50 receptions for 649 yards (12.98 ypc) and five touchdowns. He handled the ball 29 times on reverses, good for 168 yards (5.79 ypc) and a score. In 2009, the second-team All-Big 12 Conference and All-Texas selection shifted from the right to the left side of the field as a slot receiver during his sophomore campaign. He again paced the Bears with 66 receptions, fifth-best on the school season-record list. Those grabs accounted for 740 yards (11.21 ypc) and four scores. He also collected 132 yards with a score on 28 reverses (4.71 ypc). The Biletnikoff Award Watch List and All-Big 12 Conference selection bulked up to 190 pounds for his junior season. He remained at slot receiver, but returned to the right side, where he led the Bears in receiving again, pulling down 78 passes, which was then a Baylor season-record. He gained 952 yards, also a school record at the time, as his seven touchdown grabs are tied for ninth on the team’s annual record chart. He completed both pass attempts for 50 yards and a score, adding 53 yards on eight carries (6.63 ypc). Robert Griffin III’s march to the Heisman Trophy came with his favorite target also having a banner senior campaign. Wright earned All-American and All-Big 12 Conference first-team honors and was a semi-finalist for the Biletnikoff Award. He broke his own school season-records with 108 receptions for 1,663 yards (15.4 ypc), ranking second in the league and seventh in the nation with an average of 8.31 receptions per game. Wright also led the conference while finishing third among major college players with an average of 127.92 receiving yards per game. His 14 touchdown grabs also set another Baylor annual record. He completed 2-of-3 passes for 40 yards and a score, as he tallied 72 yards on ten reverses and set yet another team season-record with 1,772 all-purpose yards, ranking second in the league with an average of 136.31 yards per game. CAREER NOTES Wright started 42-of-50 games as a slot receiver for Baylor, catching 302 passes for 4,004 yards (13.26 ypc) and 30 touchdowns…Rushed 75 times for 425 yards (5.67 ypc) and two scores…Returned seven punts for 42 yards and advanced two onside kicks for 16 yards…Completed 4-of-12 passes for 114 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions…Gained 4,479 all-purpose yards on 386 plays, an average of 11.6 yards per attempt and 89.58 yards per game…Established the school receiving record with his 302 catches, breaking the old mark of 183 receptions by Reggie Newhouse (1999-2002)…Only Ryan Broyles of Oklahoma (349; 2008-11) and Taurean Henderson of Texas Tech (303; 2002-05) had more catches than Wright in Big 12 Conference history…His 108 receptions in 2011, 78 grabs in 2010 and 66 catches in 2009 rank first, second and fifth, respectively, on the school season-record chart…His 108 catches in 2011 rank eighth on the Big 12 annual record list…Set the Baylor career-record with 4,004 receiving yards, shattering the old mark of 2,651 yards by Gerald McNeil (1980-83), as Wright’s total also rank third in Big 12 history behind Ryan Broyles (4,586) and Rashaun Woods of Oklahoma State (4,414; 2000-03)…His 1,663 receiving yards in 2011 and 952 yards in 2010 rank first and second, respectively, in Baylor season annals…His 2011 yardage placed fifth on the Big 12 annual th record chart…Holds the school all-time record with 30 touchdowns (11 in Big Twelve history), surpassing the previous mark of 19 scoring grabs by Lawrence Elkins (1962-64) and Melvin Bonner (1989-92)…His 14 touchdown catches in 2011 broke Bonner’s Bears season-record of eleven in 1992…Gained 4,479 all-purpose yards, topping the previous school career-record of 4,017 yards by Gerald McNeil (1980-83)…His 1,772 all-purpose yards in 2011 surpassed the old school annual record of 1,594 yards by Jerod Douglas in 1995…Established school career (19) and season (nine in 2011) records for most 100-yard receiving performances…Wright is the only Bear to ever gain 200 yards receiving in a game, as his 208 yards vs. Oklahoma in 2011 set the school record and his 201 yards in the Kansas State clash rank second…His 12 receptions vs. Texas Christian in 2011 and 12 grabs vs. Illinois in the 2010 Texas Bowl tied the Baylor game mark.
2011 SEASON The all-purpose back started at the right slot receiver position, earning All-American first-team accolades from The NFL Draft Report, Athlon, CBSSports.com, Phil Steele and Pro Football Weekly, receiving second-team honors from the Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo!/Rivals.com and FoxSportsNext.com…The unanimous All-Big 12 Conference first-team choice and Fred Biletnikoff Award semi-finalist (nation’s top receiver) led the league and ranked third in the nation with 127.92 receiving yards per game, placing second in the league and seventh nationally with an average of 8.31 receptions per game…His game average of 136.31 all-purpose yards ranked second in the Big 12 ranks…Set school season-records with 108 receptions for 1,663 yards (15.40 ypc) and 14 touchdowns…Totaled a Baylor annual record 1,772 all-purpose yards, adding 72 yards on ten reverses and 37 yards on five punt returns (7.40 avg)…Completed 2-of-3 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown…Set a school season-record with nine 100-yard receiving performances that included two games with at least 200 yards…Wright is the only Bear to ever gain 200 yards receiving in a game, as his 208 yards vs. Oklahoma (eight catches with a score) set the school record and his 201 yards in the Kansas State clash (three touchdowns on nine grabs with a 19-yard punt return and a 19-yard carry) rank second…His 12 receptions vs. Texas Christian (189 yards and a pair of touchdowns, as he also threw a 40-yard scoring strike) the Baylor game-record… Had eight catches for 123 yards and one score vs. Stephen F. Austin and hauled in 11 balls for 108 yards and a score vs. Rice…Caught eight passes for 69 yards and a touchdown vs. Iowa State...Added seven catches for 67 yards and a score vs. Texas A&M and had seven receptions for 97 yards in the Missouri clash…Caught eight passes for 102 yards vs. Kansas…Made six catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns vs. Texas Tech and brought in six passes for 166 yards and a score in the season finale vs. Texas…The senior closed out his career with seven receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown in a 67-56 slugfest victory over Washington in the Alamo Bowl. 2010 SEASON Wright was named All-Big 12 Conference first-team by The NFL Draft Report, as the Biletnikoff Watch List slot receiver added second-team honors from the league’s coaches, Phil Steele, Dallas Morning News and San Antonio ExpressNews…Received first-team "All-Texas" accolades from Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication...Played in 11 games, coming off the bench vs. Texas Christian and Kansas, as he set school season-records that he would break in 2011, with 78 receptions for 952 yards (12.21 ypc), tying for ninth on the Baylor annual record chart with nine touchdown grabs…Gained at least 100 yards receiving in five contests…Rushed eight times for 53 yards (6.63 ypc), as he returned two punts for 5 yards and completed both pass attempts for 59 yards and a touchdown…Tallied 1,010 all-purpose yards, an average of 77.69 yards per game…Had five catches for 128 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown vs. Buffalo...Threw a 50-yard scoring strike to fellow receiver Terrance Williams vs. Kansas, as Wright had a 50-yard reception and rushed for 18 yards...Made a season-high 11 catches for 145 yards, that included a 62-yard touchdown vs. Texas Tech, as he also completed a 9-yard pass and returned two punts (five yards) to finish with 151 all-purpose yards...Both of his catches, totaling 113 yards, were good for touchdowns vs. Kansas State…Tied the school's single-game reception mark with a season-high 12 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown in the Texas Bowl vs. Illinois. 2009 SEASON Wright received All-Big 12 Conference second-team honors from the Waco Tribune-Herald, adding third-team accolades from Phil Steele and honorable mention from the league’s coaches and Associated Press)...Named second-team "AllTexas" by Dave Campbell's Texas Football publication...Started as the slot receiver led the team with 66 catches (fifth on the school season-record list) for 740 yards (11.21 ypc) and four touchdowns…Scored once on 28 carries for 132 yards (4.71 ypc)… Had an eight-yard kickoff return…Gained 880 all-purpose yards, an average of 73.33 yards per game…Had a season-high 51 rushing yards (four carries) and score in the season-opening win at Wake Forest, as he also caught four passes...Followed with the first of three 100-yard receiving games, vs. Northwestern State, as he totaled 105 yards and two touchdowns on five grabs, as he had 44 yards rushing on four tries...Caught a season-high nine passes for 125 yards vs. Kent State, followed by a season-best 149 yards and two scores on ten receptions vs. Missouri, coming up with a season-long 59-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter vs. the Tigers. 2008 SEASON Wright earned Freshman All-American honorable mention from College Football News, as he started eight of 12 games, leading the Bears with 50 receptions for 649 yards (12.98 ypc) and five touchdowns…Ranked fourth on the squad with 168 yards and a score on 29 carries (5.79 ypc)…Added an eight-yard kickoff return to give him 817 all-purpose yards, an average of 68.08 yards per game…One of six true freshmen to play for Baylor in 2008, he scored his first career touchdown vs. Washington State, on a 10-yard end around...Logged his first 100-yard receiving game at Connecticut, gaining 114 yards and a touchdown on six catches...Set season-highs for receptions (seven), receiving yards (132) and touch-downs (two, one a 51-yarder) vs. Iowa State...Matched his season high of seven receptions (80 yards) the following week at Oklahoma State...Ran for a career-high 53 yards on four carries at Texas, including a season-long 34-yarder, as he also caught a season-long 55-yard touchdown vs. the Longhorns.
BASKETBALL Wright played for head coach Scott Drew on Baylor’s basketball squad during the football offseason...Scored 10 points in 13 games played as a reserve guard, averaging 0.8 points and 0.5 rebounds in 1.9 minutes…Scored a season-high three points in a win vs. Prairie View A&M (Dec. 13) and a loss at Oklahoma (Jan. 24)…Chipped in two points in a win vs. Jackson State (Dec. 31) and a loss to Kansas (Feb. 2)…Finished the season 3-of-7 from the floor (42.9 percent) and 2-of5 from 3-point range (40.0 percent). AGILITY TESTS 4.46 in the 40-yard dash…1.53 10-yard dash…2.54 20-yard dash…4.19 20-yard shuttle…6.94 three-cone drill…42-inch vertical jump…10’1” broad jump…Bench pressed 225 pounds 13 times…550-pound squat…30 ½-inch arm length…8 5/8inch hands…73 1/8-inch wingspan. HIGH SCHOOL Wright attended Pittsburg (Tex.) High School, where he not only starred for the Pirates’ football team, but also excelled in basketball and track, earning All-State honors in each sport…On the gridiron, he lettered as a quarterback and th cornerback…Received a three-star prospect ranking from both Rivals.com and Scout.com…Placed 47 on Super Prep’s Texas 100 list and was also a member of the Dallas Morning News', Waco Tribune-Herald's, Fort Worth Star-Telegram's, th Houston Chronicle's and San Antonio Express-News’ Texas Top 100 lists…Rivals.com rated him the 64 -best overall th athlete in the nation while Scout.com ranked him 67 …In both 2006 and 2007, Wright was a second-team All-District 163A performer at both quarterback and cornerback…As a junior, he accounted for 26 total touchdowns and passed for 850 yards…During his final season, he added second-team Class 3A All-State honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association and honorable mention by the Associated Press as a cornerback, registering 33 tackles, five interceptions, four fumble recoveries and pair of defensive touchdowns in 2007…The Tyler Morning Telegram first-team All-East Texas selection as a utility player after leading Pittsburg to its first playoff win in 20 years during his senior campaign, he also earned first-team All-East Texas honors from Longview News Journal as a defender…As the Pirates' quarterback, he rushed for 1,069 yards and 15 touchdowns, along with throwing for 1,170 yards and nine scores in 2007…On the basketball court, Wright produced a quadruple-double as a senior, averaging 24.5 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals per game en route to 2007 East Texas Player of Year honors from the Tyler Morning Telegram…A three-time member of the Tyler Morning Telegram All-East Texas team, he also received All-State hoops recognition as a junior…For the Pirates track team, Wright captured the 2007 Texas Class 3A state long jump (24-0 3/4) and triple jump (48-5 1/4) championships…Also received the 2008 Class 3A gold medal in the triple jump with a state meet-record leap of 50-8 3/4 and placed fifth in the Class 3A ranks in the 100 meters (11.00)….Was a model student, earning school Academic Honor Roll recognition, while also being a pillar in the community, serving as a youth basketball coach while still attending high school. PERSONAL General Studies major…Son of Tameika Wright and Kelvin McCain…Born 11/12/89 in Mount Pleasant, Texas…Resides in Pittsburg, Texas. PLAYER STATISTICS RECEIVING STATISTICS…R/PG indicates receptions per game...GM/AVG indicates average yards gained per game. STATS GP GS NO YARDS AVG TD LONG R/PG GM/AVG 2008 12 08 50 649 12.98 05 55 4.17 54.08 2009 12 11 66 740 11.21 04 59 5.50 61.67 2010 13 11 78 952 12.21 07 62 6.00 73.23 2011 13 12 108 1663 15.40 14 87 8.31 127.92 TOTAL 50 42 302 4004 13.26 30 87 6.04 80.08 RUSHING STATISTICS STATS NO YARDS 2008 29 168 2009 28 132 2010 08 53 2011 10 72 TOTAL 75 425
AVG 5.79 4.71 6.63 7.20 5.67
TD 01 01 00 00 02
LONG 34 37 16 19 37
PUNT RETURNS STATS NO YARDS 2008 2009 2010 02 05 2011 05 37 TOTAL 07 42 PASSING STATISTICS STATS ATT COMP 2008 03 00 2009 04 00 2010 02 02 2011 03 02 TOTAL 12 04
AVG
TD
LONG
2.50 7.40 6.00
00 00 00
03 19 19
PCT 00.00 00.00 100.00 66.67 33.33
ALL-PURPOSE YARDAGE STATS GM PLAYS CATCH 2008 12 80 649 2009 12 95 740 2010 13 88 952 2011 13 123 1663 TOTAL 50 386 4004
YARDS 00 00 59 55 114
RUSH 168 132 53 72 425
TD 00 00 01 01 02
K/RET 08 08 00 00 16
KICKOFF RETURNS NO YARDS AVG 01 08 8.00 01 08 8.00
TD 00 00
LONG 08 08
02
00
08
INT 00 02 00 00 02
P/RET 00 00 05 37 42
16
8.00
LONG 00 00 50 40 50
YARDS 817 880 1010 1772 4479
TDR 06 05 07 14 32
P/AVG 10.21 09.26 11.48 14.41 11.60
GM/AVG 68.08 73.33 77.69 136.31 89.58
TITANS 2012 DRAFTEE QUESTIONNAIRE KENDALL WRIGHT (1ST ROUND, 20TH OVERALL) PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Kendall Thomas Wright
Children's names and ages (if applicable): None
Position: Wide receiver
Nickname: K-Dub
Height: 5-10
Father/caregiver's name and career: Kelvin McCain
Weight: 196
Mother/caregiver's name and career: Tameika Wright, accounts payable supervisor at Pilgrim’s Pride
Date of Birth: Nov. 12, 1989 Birthplace: Mount Pleasant, Texas
Siblings’ names and ages: Brother—Carlos Brown (22), Sister—Kiara Wright (20)
Marital status: Single
Agent: Jeff Nalley
Name of spouse/fiancée (if applicable): None
COLLEGE College(s) attended: Baylor, 2008-11
College jersey number: 1
College Major: General studies
Significance of jersey number: Favorite number
Redshirt season(s): None
Other sports played in college: Basketball his freshman year
Degree date/credits remaining: 16 hours remaining College football positions played: WR, KR, PR
HIGH SCHOOL High school (city, state): Pittsburg High School
High school football positions played: QB, CB
Mascot: Pirates
Other sports played in high school: All-State selection in basketball and track (long jump, triple jump, 100m dash)
Year graduated: 2008
SOCIAL MEDIA Website: None Twitter: None
Facebook page (for fans): None
Titans 2012 Draftee Questionnaire OFF THE FIELD
Where were you when you were drafted, and who were you with? In New York with my mother, sister, grandmother and aunt Off-the-field interests/hobbies/unique talents: Play basketball, Playstation, bass fishing Relatives or close childhood friends in professional sports: None Close relatives currently or previously in the military: None Name a person that inspires you: “My dad. He always stayed on me when I was young to do the right things.” Most memorable college football moment: “Winning the Alamo Bowl in my final game.” On your “bucket list”: Meet Michael Jordan Other interesting personal facts: Helped coach youth basketball when he was in high school
LIST OF FAVORITES Movie: All comedy movies—“as long as it makes me laugh”
Car: Range Rover
TV Show: The Game
Video game: Madden NFL Football
Actor: Mike Epps
Kind of food/restaurant: Steak
Music artist: Lil’ Wayne
Childhood sports hero: Michael Jordan
School subject: Science
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
KENDALL WRIGHT (BAYLOR UNIVERSITY) DRAFTED 1ST ROUND, 20TH OVERALL THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 CONFERENCE CALL WITH LOCAL MEDIA WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on if he thought the Titans were going to draft him) I had no clue. I knew they liked me a lot, but I had no clue they were going to draft me because this draft thing is crazy. I’m excited to be a Tennessee Titan. (on how much he knows about the Titans and the offense they run) I watched a little film when I was there, so I know that they have some explosive receivers, like Kenny Britt that I can learn from, and they have a great running back in Chris Johnson. They have two quarterbacks in Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker too that are really good and they can sling it. (on where he thought he would be drafted) I honestly had no idea. I knew coming into the draft that I had to stay positive and that nobody knew where they were going to be drafted except Robert Griffin and Andrew Luck. I was just staying positive. (on who he has been compared to as a receiver) I have been compared to Steve Smith, DeSean Jackson and Santonio Holmes. (on if he made Robert Griffin III who he is) No, we made each other as good as we were. I didn’t make him and he didn’t make me. We made each other and we helped the Baylor team and it was totally a team effort. (on what about his route running that compares to Steve Smith and DeSean Jackson) I have no idea really. I guess they feel we are similar receivers, smaller receivers. I think that is why they compare us and Steve Smith is ferocious going across the middle and making big grabs. I like playing big. I’m not a big receiver, but I like playing big. (on if his speed is one of his strengths) That is part of it. I like running by people or taking a short pass and whatever it is for a long way. I like getting yards after the catch. (on if he played primarily in the slot) I have no idea where they are going to play me. Primarily, I really have no idea. I’m versatile so I can play both. (on how many years he played basketball) I have been playing basketball forever. I played my freshman year in college and that was it. (on why he wanted to play both sports in college) I like basketball. That was my first love, but there are not too many basketball players in the league that are 5-10, 5-11. I stuck with football. (on what team he grew up rooting for) I didn’t even grow up watching the NFL. (on what got him interested in football)
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
I started out playing pee wee. I was really fast and I liked being active, so when they started the little league football team and I just wanted to go out there and play. (on if he has talked to Robert Griffin III since being drafted) I haven’t talked to him yet. (on what the last couple hours have been like) It has been crazy. It is very exciting. I am so glad to be a Tennessee Titan right now. It is crazy. I can’t wait to see what I can help bring to the team. (on if he knows any of the other receivers on the team) I know they have Kenny Britt and Nate Washington. I have heard of those names. (on if being a first round pick is important to him) It is, but I feel like coming into this thing if I wasn’t drafted in the first round, second round or third round or whenever I was drafted, I feel like with my work ethic and my ability I feel like I can make any team. (on the Titans saying they expect him to make plays as a rookie) Oh yeah. I’m definitely ready to make plays as a rookie, as a receiver or kick returner or punt returner, wherever they need me at.
Baylor's receptionist - San Antonio Express-News
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Baylor's receptionist By Richard Oliver, Express-News Staff Updated 11:05 p.m., Friday, December 23, 2011
WACO — Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway knows all about teammate Kendall Wright's basketball prowess. There are the YouTube videos of Wright's acrobatic dunks at Pittsburg High, the fact that the 5-foot-10 receiver has enjoyed practice sessions with the vaunted Bears basketball team, the talk back and forth. But then Ganaway hauls his 240-pound frame onto the court. “He's a great football player,” the rusher said of the receiver. “But when we play basketball, I ‘D' him up. I don't let him do all that.” Opposing defensive backs wish they could say the same. Wright, an inside and outside receiving threat for star quarterback Robert Griffin III, arrives at the Valero Alamo Bowl already as Baylor's single-season record-holder with 1,655 all-purpose yards. In scorching Texas for six catches and 166 yards two weeks ago — giving him at least one catch in all 49 games of his Baylor career — he broke the university yardage mark set by Judson-ex Jerod Douglas in 1995. Additionally, Wright took over third on the Big 12's all-time receptions list (295) and third in receiving yards (3,913). “He's crazy good,” Baylor coach Art Briles said, simply, of his senior wideout. That might equate to some crazy stats when the Bears (9-3) take on Washington (7-5) on Thursday at the Alamodome. The Huskies, while accomplished on offense, are particularly pliable on pass defense. Washington allowed 283.8 yards per game in ranking as the fifth-worst pass defense among 120 NCAA Division I teams. The Huskies have yielded at least 300 passing yards in seven games and 21 touchdown passes — at least one a game — against 10 interceptions. Though roughly 190 pounds, not a towering target, Wright admits to being more jitterbug than giant. But as part of a powerful Baylor offense that ran up 557 yards against Texas' defense, the soft-spoken player has made his presence known in loud fashion this season. The reason? “I don't think anyone is better than me,” he said. “I've seen myself in this situation,” said Wright, a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist this season. “Coach wanted me to be in this situation. He wanted me to be the best receiver in the country.” That he just may be is a development that seemed unlikely in 2007, when he threw for 1,170 yards and
4/27/2012 2:00 AM
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nine touchdowns and rushed for 1,069 yards and 15 TDs as a senior at Class 3A Pittsburg. A superb multisport athlete, Wright was a two-time state champion in the triple jump and the 2007 titlist in the long jump. A primary love was basketball, where he was a standout guard. He played with the Baylor men's team as a freshman. “It's been a lot of fun to grow up with him, watch him evolve,” said Briles, who immediately projected Wright at receiver. “He's talking about the evolution of our program, and he's the classic example of it: very driven, very dedicated and very competitive.” The competitive part has been noticeable. Wright has emerged from several games this season looking as if he's been on the bad end of a mixed martial arts decision. A blazing threat on deep routes — Wright has run a 4.32-second 40 — he has proven fearless going across the middle. “It's part of football,” he said of the dings he's suffered as a result. “I like going to the middle. Sometimes you get hit, but sometimes it's wide open.” It's much the same when he hits the basketball court against buddy Ganaway. As much as the running back tries to “D” up the receiver, the inevitable occurs. “He's going to blow past me,” Ganaway admitted. “He's a phenomenal athlete.” 53-Year-Old Mom Looks 27 Follow this 1 weird tip and remove 20 years of wrinkles in
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A hero in his own Wright | The Baylor Lariat
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By Daniel Wallace Sports Writer Even Superman can’t do it alone. While most of the credit for the Bears’ stellar offense this season is attributed to Heisman hopeful quarterback Robert Griffin III, and rightfully so, one player stands out as Griffin’s right-hand man when the Bears take the field on offense. Of Griffin’s 267 completions, 101 of them have gone to the player who wears the No. 1, senior wide receiver Kendall Wright.
No. 1 senior receiver Kendall Wright breaks a tackle in the first half against Texas at Floyd Casey Stadium on Saturday. The Bears beat the Longhorns 48-24. Matthew McCarroll | Lariat Photographer
Wright came to Baylor from Pittsburg, Texas, and has been making big plays and eye-popping catches for the Bears ever since.
Reliv
In 2008, his true freshman year, Wright made an immediate impact on the team; he led in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. He holds several all-time school records with 3,913 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. Wright caught passes in all his 49 career games for Baylor. He is the only player in school history to record 200–plus receiving yards in a single game; he accomplished that feat twice, once at Kansas State on Oct. 1 and also in Baylor’s upset victory over Oklahoma on Nov. 19. Griffin said Wright is a dependable, reliable receiver he trusts, and he is not surprised to see Wright’s leaping catches or athletic grabs. “Kendall is that guy,” Griffin said. “He will catch that anything you throw near him. If he believes he can catch it, he will catch it. I’m not amazed by anything that Kendall does, just because I’ve seen it and he’s an
4/26/2012 11:05 PM
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amazing player, so nothing that he does is like, ‘Wow, how did he do that?” In turn, Wright said in the case of his special chemistry with Griffin, practice really does make perfect. “It’s the way we practice,” he said. “It all starts with practice. If we don’t practice hard every day, then none of this will happen. We won’t be in sync, and it won’t happen. So the way we practice, it translates to the game. Practice hard and we play hard. We practice at a high level.” Art Briles, Baylor’s head coach, said he has enjoyed watching Wright grow both as a receiver and as a person in his time at Baylor.
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“He’s been a tremendous weapon for us the last four years,” he said. “The thing that we’re most proud about Kendall is certainly how he’s improved with maturity and with experience. There is only one way to get that. That’s to live it and feel it, and get on the field and play.” And the way Wright plays the game, Briles said, has been a determining factor in his growth. Wright, who considers himself No. 1 one in terms of receivers in the Big 12, credits his quickness and work ethic as what set him apart, but Briles said Wright’s main contribution to the team is his mentality. “Kendall is a guy that lays it on the line every time he plays, every snap,” he said. “He plays at high rate of speed, which can be conducive to some minor bruises and sprains, but he has done a tremendous job of being a tough-minded, mature individual for us. It’s been a good four years at Baylor University for him and for us.” Baylor will lose Wright, a general studies major, when he graduates in May. Be Sociable, Share! Downlo 0
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Baylor's Wright letting his skill make up for his measurements Posted Sunday, Mar. 04, 2012
BY CHAREAN WILLIAMS
[email protected] INDIANAPOLIS -- Kendall Wright didn't know he was short until recently. It was before his senior season at Baylor that he s hearing draft analysts suggest that maybe he wouldn't measure up in the NFL. "I don't think I'm small," Wright said. "Everybody else might think I'm small, but I have pretty good size when I'm playing." Wright stood tall last season at Baylor and now ranks among the draft's top two receivers, along with Oklahoma State's Jus Wright could sneak into the top 10. "He lacks ideal size for the next level and isn't yet a polished receiver," said Dane Brugler, a draft analyst for NFL Draft Scou a playmaker with the ball in his hands and makes things happen. He's a first-round lock and one of my favorite players in this because of his natural skill to start and produce from Day 1." Carolina's Steve Smith, New England's Wes Welker, Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson and Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace have don despite their lack of ideal height. All four are shorter than Wright, who measured 5-foot-101/4 and weighed 196 pounds Frid Scouts eagerly await Wright's 40-yard dash time today. Wright was one of the country's most explosive receivers last season, averaging 15.4 yards per catch. He had an 87-yard to a deflected pass against Oklahoma and a 59-yarder against Texas when he outran two Longhorns defensive backs. Wright has a 42-inch vertical. He won Class 3A state championships in the long jump and triple jump and placed as high as f meters (11.00) in his high school career at Pittsburg. He has squatted 550 pounds. He was an all-state basketball player and the Baylor basketball team early in his career. He played quarterback in high school and was recruited by Oklahoma to play defensive back. "The guy is a phenomenal athlete," Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway said. "He has a burst off the line. I mean, he's 0 line in about three steps. And he's going to snag everything out there. You think he has huge hands, but he doesn't. He's a ba "He definitely deserves to be one of the top receivers on the board." Wright's hands measure only 85/8 inches. The average for receivers is a little more than 9 inches. University of Arizona rece Criner, for instance, has 101/2-inch hands. But Wright has "good hands," according to scouts. He is everything a quarterback wants in a receiver, according to Robert Griffin III. "You can talk about his speed, his explosive ability, but he's a competitor," the Heisman Trophy winner said when asked abo likes most about Wright. "He's not going to let anybody outwork him on the field." Wright is one of only two draft-eligible receivers who led his team in receiving all four years. He set Baylor's single-season re records last season with 108 catches for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns, and Wright finished his career with a Baylor reco yards. He plans to be head and shoulders above everyone else in workouts today, too. "I have attributes besides height that make up for [lack of height]," Wright said. "I can jump really high. I can run really fast. I accelerate. I'm not cocky. I'll just let everybody see on Sunday." Charean Williams, 817-390-7697
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4/26/2012 10:52 PM
NFL draft preview: Baylor's Wright ran his way into first-round conversation
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NFL draft preview: Baylor's Wright ran his way into first-round conversation By Suzanne Halliburton AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 8:00 p.m. Monday, April 23, 2012 Published: 7:41 p.m. Monday, April 23, 2012
In early March, scouts didn't know what to think of Baylor wideout Kendall Wright, the guy who caught all those passes from Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. Wright, at 5 feet, 10 inches and 196 pounds, doesn't have the prototypical body of an NFL receiver. So he needed to be fast to earn a spot in the first round. At the NFL combine in Indianapolis, Wright was average in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.61 seconds. That's why Wright ran the 40 again later in the month, when dozens of scouts and assistant coaches flocked to Waco to watch Griffin. Wright ran a 4.41, good enough to put him back into the first-round conversation. The status is befitting someone who made 108 receptions for 1,663 yards, with 14 touchdowns. He caught passes totaling more than 100 yards in nine of Baylor's 13 games last season. But where he'll go among the top-32 picks remains a question. There are only three wideouts with consensus first-round grades. The NFL invited both Griffin and Wright to New York to attend the threeday draft. "I hope I'm not still there Friday," Wright joked recently. "Nobody knows where they're going except Robert and Andrew Luck." Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon has been the undisputed top receiver in the draft. He could go as high as No. 4 to Cleveland if the Browns don't pick Alabama running back Trent Richardson. There is speculation, though, that Notre Dame's Michael Floyd might be the preferred receiver, since he's both bigger and faster than Blackmon, although not as productive in college.
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TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
LB ZACH BROWN
2ND ROUND, 52ND OVERALL
ZACHERY “Zach” BROWN Outside Linebacker/Strong Safety University of North Carolina Tar Heels #47 6:01.2-242 Columbia, Maryland Hargrave Military Academy Wilde Lake High School OVERVIEW Brown’s athleticism presents a pleasant problem for an innovative defensive coordinator. Brown is an explosively quick outside linebacker who boasts the school record in the 60-meters (6.72) for the Tar Heels track team in 2009. He arrived in Indianapolis in February, donned the tights and had scouts checking their stopwatches for possible malfunctions at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine after the Columbia, Maryland native clocked at 1.52 seconds in the 10-yard dash, 2.55 in the 20 and 4.44 in the 40-yard dash. Brown again performed in the speed drills in front of teams at North Carolina’s pro day. He was timed at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also improved his vertical jump, producing a 35-inch leap on campus after coming up with a 33 ½inch jump at the Combine. Needless to say, Brown has impressed with his overall athleticism. As a member of the Wilde Lake High School track team, he won the Class 3A state titles in the 100 meters (10.67 seconds) and 200 meters (21.52). Those wondering about his strength can refer to his 22 repetitions lifting 225 pounds in the bench press test, or look up his 29-0 record as the state wrestling title holder from his prep days. Brown is a durable athlete who will play with pain. He has excellent explosiveness coming off the snap. He shows fluid change of direction agility that is evident in his above average range. He maintains balance working down the line and has the hip flexibility to come of his backpedal and drop back in the zone sharply. He has superb leaping ability and plays with good strength. He can chase the ball down from sideline to sideline and utilizes his leaping skills to be disruptive going up or knocking down the ball. Brown’s lateral range allows him to flow to the ball with great ease of movement. He stays on his feet working through trash and has the quickness to suddenly close on the ball. He has the range to get to the ball suddenly, doing a nice job of opening his hips to change direction and string the plays out. He makes fluid and decisive adjustments on the move and has a good nose for the plays in front of him. He can track and flow to the ball well and has that natural feel needed to play his position or possibly move to safety. At Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, Brown was a standout 210-pound tailback and weak-side outside linebacker for Wildecats head coach Doug Duvall. As a senior, the All-Howard County selection rushed for 1,537 yards and 20 touchdowns and collected over 90 solo tackles. As previously mentioned, he also starred in wrestling and track. During his 29-0 record on the wrestling mat, he recorded 17 pins and five technical falls. He captured the state class 3-A title in the 100-meter dash (10.67 seconds) and 200-meter dash (21.52), becoming the first player in school history to win a state title in track. He enrolled at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, playing outside linebacker for renowned head coach th Robert Prunty. Rivals.com regarded the four-star prospect as the 12 -best prep school player in the country. Scout.com also awarded him a four-star rating and ranked him among the nation’s top ten linebacker recruits. th
Brown signed his national letter-of-intent to attend the University of North Carolina on January 8 , 2008. He spent the season behind Quan Sturdivant at weak-side outside linebacker, as the 220-pounder posted six tackles (4 solos) for the UNC kickoff coverage squad. Brown gave Sturdivant “a run for his money” for the weak-side linebacker position in 2009 and the sophomore stepped in and started six early season contests. He finished with 47 tackles (30 solos) making four stops behind the line of scrimmage and an interception. The duo would eventually share the weak-side spot in 2010, with Brown starting five contests. He showed enough in their “timeshare” arrangement to rank second on the team with 72 tackles (47 solos). The junior’s speed and pass coverage skills shined through, as he gained 113 yards on three interception returns (37.67 avg). With Sturdivant having graduated, it was expected that Brown would handle weak-side chores full-time in 2011, but the staff shifted him to strong-side linebacker, where he started 12 times. The Butkus Award semi-finalist earned All-Atlantic
Coast Conference first-team honors, as he led the team with a career-high 105 tackles (62 solos). He ranked second on the squad with 5.5 sacks and 13.5 stops for loss. He added six pressures, caused three fumbles and intercepted three passes while deflecting four others. The move to the strong-side linebacker position saw Brown become much more active around the line of scrimmage, but he also excelled with his explosive pursuit skills. He displayed excellent sideline-to-sideline range and ease of movement with outstanding balance. His flexibility allows him to plant, stop and redirect suddenly. He knows how to take proper angles to shorten the field. His change of direction agility allows him to turn and run on the ball. Film view shows that Brown uses his hands effectively to shed blocks and flow to the play. He has the agility to thread through traffic and the quickness to close, along with the ability to cover the whole field. He is especially effective chasing from the backside with an explosive burst and rarely did he take bad angles. His hand usage let him avoid blockers on the move, showing the desire to get to the ball and cut off the ball carrier. The senior would conclude his college career when he accepted an invitation to play with the draft’s elite prospects at the 2012 Senior Bowl. During the week’s practices leading up to the game, his athleticism and playing speed was as good as scouts had expected. He showed explosive quickness with the rare fluidity and change of direction skills that make him so special athletically. CAREER NOTES Brown started 23-of-47 games at North Carolina – 11 at weak-side outside linebacker and 12 on the strongside…Recorded 230 tackles (143 solos) with 5.5 sacks for minus 37 yards, 19 stops for losses of 64 yards and six quarterback pressures…Caused three fumbles and recovered another…Deflected four passes and intercepted seven others for 137 yards in returns (19.57 avg)…His 70-yard interception return vs. Virginia in 2010 ranks as the 11th-longest pass theft runback in school history. 2011 SEASON All-American honorable mention by The NFL Draft Report, as the Butkus Award semi-finalist was named All-Atlantic Coast Conference by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association…Recipient of the 2011 Elite Linebacker Trophy from the College Football Performance Awards…Named the Tar Heels Most Valuable Player…Started 12 games at strong-side outside linebacker…Led the team with 105 tackles (62 solos), ranking second on the squad with 5.5 sacks for minus 37 yards and 13.5 stops for losses of 49 yards…Added six quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery…Deflected four passes and intercepted three others for 24 yards in returns…Finished seventh in the ACC with an average of 1.04 tackles-for-loss, ninth with 8.08 tackles per game and tenth with 0.42 sacks each contest…Recorded at least ten tackles in five games, including his final three contests…Led a unit that held the opposition to 123.92 yards th per game rushing, third-best in the ACC and ranked 27 nationally. 2010 SEASON Brown started at weak-side linebacker vs. Louisiana State, Clemson, Virginia, Maryland and Tennessee (Music City Bowl), playing in all 13 games…Finished second on the team with 72 tackles (47 solos) that included 1.5 stops for minus four yards and a trio of interceptions for 113 yards in returns (37.67 avg)…Earned enough points to be named a special teams captain (Carolina awards points throughout the year on special teams and the player with the most points are named captains)…Was pressed into the starting job after Quan Sturdivant injured his hamstring in the Rutgers game and started the Tennessee game after Bruce Carter went down with an injury…Posted four tackles, including one tackle for loss, and had one interception for 43 yards in Carolina’s Music City Bowl win over the Volunteers…Added four tackles in a 37-35 win at Florida State and had five tackles, including three primary stops, in the win over William & Mary…Recorded 10 tackles and returned an interception 70 yards to set up a UNC score in Carolina’s first win at Virginia since 1981…Started and had 14 tackles, including 10 primary stops, in a big win over Clemson…Produced his third-straight double-digit tackle game by matching his career-high with 14 tackles at Miami, as he had a career-best 11 primary stops vs. the Hurricanes and assisted on a tackle for loss. 2009 SEASON Brown started the first six games at weak-side outside linebacker after playing primarily on special teams as a freshman…Finished the season with 47 tackles (30 solos), including four for losses of 11 yards…Also had an interception vs. Georgia Southern. 2008 SEASON The true freshman played on special teams and as a reserve linebacker, recording six tackles, including four primary stops and two assists…Had one tackle in the Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. West Virginia.
2007 SEASON Attended Hargrave (Chatham, Va.) Military Academy prior to enrolling at the University of North Carolina…Played outside th linebacker for renowned head coach Robert Prunty… Rivals.com regarded the four-star prospect as the 12 -best prep school player in the country…Scout.com also awarded him a four-star rating and ranked him among the nation’s top ten linebacker recruits…Blocked a punt for a touchdown in a game vs. Marshall while at Hargrave. NORTH CAROLINA TRACK & FIELD Brown set a school record in the indoor 60-meter dash of 6.73 seconds in his first race since deciding to join the North Carolina track team in 2009…It was his first venture into track as a collegian…Set that mark at the Dick Taylor Carolina th Classic (Chapel Hill, N.C.) on January 29 …Clocked 6.73 in the 60 meters at the Kent Taylor UNC Classic; 6.76 at the Gene Anderson UNC Invitational; 6.77 and 6;78 at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet; 6.98 at the ACC Indoor Championships (Blacksburg, Va.)…In the 200 meters, he ran 21.75 at the VT Elite Meet and 22.36 at the Gene Anderson UNC Invitational. AGILITY TESTS 4.44 in the 40-yard dash…1.52 10-yard dash…2.55 20-yard dash…35-inch vertical jump… 9’8” broad jump…Bench pressed 225 pounds 22 times…33 ¼-inch arm length…9 ½-inch hands…78-inch wingspan. HIGH SCHOOL Brown attended Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, playing football for head coach Doug Duvall…The standout 210-pound tailback and weak-side outside linebacker was an All-Howard County selection as a senior, as he rushed for 1,537 yards and 20 touchdowns and collected over 90 solo tackles…Also starred in wrestling and track… During his 29-0 record on the wrestling mat, he recorded 17 pins and five technical falls…Captured the state class 3-A title in the 100-meter dash (10.67 seconds) and 200-meter dash (21.52), becoming the first player in school history to win a state title in track. PERSONAL General Studies major…Born 10/23/1989…Resides in Columbia, Maryland. PLAYER STATISTICS DEFENSIVE STATISTICS STATS GP GS TK 2008 08 00 06 2009 13 06 47 2010 13 05 72 2011 13 12 105 TOTAL 47 23 230 INTERCEPTION RETURNS STATS NO YARDS 2009 01 00 2010 03 113 2011 03 24 TOTAL 07 137
SO 04 30 47 62 143
AVG 00.00 37.67 08.00 19.57
AS 02 17 25 43 87
FR 00 00 00 01 01
TD 00 00 00 00
LONG 00 70 22 70
FC 00 00 00 03 03
INT 00 01 03 03 07
TFL 00.0-00 04.0-11 01.5-04 13.5-49 19.0-64
PBU 00 00 00 04 04
SACK 0.0-00 0.0-00 0.0-00 5.5-37 5.5-37
PRES 00 00 00 06 06
TITANS 2012 DRAFTEE QUESTIONNAIRE ZACH BROWN (2ND ROUND, 52ND OVERALL) PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Zachery Vinzale Brown
Nickname: ZB
Position: LB
Father/caregiver's name and career: Lewis Brown, computer technician
Height: 6-1
Mother/caregiver's name and career: Sandra Orr
Weight: 242
Siblings’ names and ages: Sisters—Kenya Orr (25), Cranetta Young (30), Narquida Williams (19)
Date of Birth: Oct. 23, 1989 Birthplace: Beaufort, S.C. Marital status: Single Children's names and ages (if applicable): Daughter Kennedy Brown (3)
COLLEGE College(s) attended: North Carolina, 2008-11; also attended Hargrave (Chatham, Va.) Military Academy prior to enrolling at North Carolina
College jersey number: 47
College Major: African-American studies
Other sports played in college: Track & Field: set school record in indoor 60-meter dash (6.73); ran 21.75 in 200-meter dash
Redshirt season(s): None
Significance of jersey number: Assigned to him
College football positions played: Linebacker
HIGH SCHOOL High school (city, state): Wilde Lake High School (Columbia, Md.)
High school football positions played: running back and strong safety
Mascot: Wildcats
Other sports played in high school: Was 29-0 as a wrestler; was state champion in 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash
Year graduated: 2007
SOCIAL MEDIA Website: None Twitter: @zbrown47 Facebook page (for fans): Yes
Other social media (for fans): None
Titans 2012 Draftee Questionnaire OFF THE FIELD
Where were you when you were drafted, and who were you with? At the Green Turtle restaurant with his family in Columbia, Md. Off-the-field interests/hobbies/unique talents: Since childhood has always been interested in deep sea creatures; also enjoys drawing and watching movies Relatives or close childhood friends in professional sports: None Close relatives currently or previously in the military: Eldred Busby (cousin) in the Army National Guard Name a person that inspires you: “My mom. She went through a lot as a single mother and made it so I have nothing to complain about.” Most memorable college football moment: Music City Bowl victory over Tennessee On your “bucket list”: “Play in the Super Bowl.”
LIST OF FAVORITES Movie: The Wood
Video game: None
TV Show: Family Guy
Kind of food/restaurant: Outback Steakhouse
Music artist: T.I.
Favorite pro teams: Boston Red Sox, New York Knicks
School subject: Math Car: Audi
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
ZACH BROWN (NORTH CAROLINA) DRAFTED 2ND ROUND, 52ND OVERALL FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012 CONFERENCE CALL WITH LOCAL MEDIA LB ZACH BROWN (on if this is where he expected to be drafted) Yeah, late first or second round. I went second, so I’m happy where I am at right now. (on if he knew the Titans liked him) Yeah, they said they were going to make it happen. I am just ready to roll now. (on if he is more comfortable at strong or weak-side linebacker) It doesn’t matter to me. To me I can play both, so really I am just waiting to see where they put me at so I can get going. (on if he knows any Titans players) I know DT (David Thornton) used to play there. I don’t know anybody, but I played against some of them. (on his relationship with David Thornton and how they met) That’s like my big brother… He was down at Carolina for like two years and we became close. (on if they talked about the Titans) As a matter of fact he just texted me and he was like ‘alright now,’ and that’s when you called me. Me and him will have a good conversation. (on if his game is similar to David Thornton’s) No, we have a totally different game. I just do me and just play as me. (on the advice that David Thornton has given him) Just to keep your head up even when we have been going through the adversity of the last couple years at Carolina, to just keep playing. (on if football was ever not fun because of the adversity at UNC) Football was always fun even though we were going through adversity. I was still trying to do what I had to do to help the team win. I just tried to do what I had to do to help the guys out and move past it. (on his strengths as a player) I can do a little bit of everything. I can blitz, I can cover, and I can stop the run. Put me out there and I’m a linebacker; if you ask me to do something I can do it. (on if his speed helps him at linebacker) I think it helps me cover the slot receivers and the running backs and the tight ends. Not a lot of linebackers can do that. (on how he got the news that he was being drafted by the Titans) They just asked me if I wanted to be a Titan and I was just happy to be a Titan. Right now, I’m a Titan and it feels good. (on people saying that he is not a physical linebacker) We are just going to have to see now. Everybody that said that’s the nock, they are going to find out when the season comes. (on where else he visited in the draft process) Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, and the Jets.
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Turner's Take: What Brown Can Do For You Turner Walston on the win over Wake Forest Oct. 29, 2011 By Turner Walston You don't have to have seen Saturday's win over Wake Forest to know who the impact players were. One look at the stat sheet tells the story: Giovani Bernard ran for 154 yards and two touchdowns, and caught another. Bryn Renner threw for 338 yards and three scores. Erik Highsmith caught two of those touchdown passes. But scroll down to the defensive statistics, and you'll see one name stand out: Zach Brown. Brown, the senior linebacker from Columbia, Maryland, recorded nine tackles, forced and recovered a fumble, hurried the quarterback and had an interception he returned for 22 yards. All in a day's work for Brown, whose outstanding performance last weekend at Clemson was overshadowed by the final score. Zach Brown is one of the fastest players on the team. He was a state champion in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes in high school and ran track as a freshman at Carolina. His closing speed and his linebacker size give him loads of potential that he hasn't always realized. Playing behind Quan Sturdivant for three years, Brown made his mark on special teams early in his career. He showed flashes on defense. As a junior, he started five games and finished second on the team in tackles.
Zach Brown had a nose for the football on Saturday.
This, his senior season, was supposed to be the year that Zach Brown broke through. It hasn't gone as smooth as he might have liked. A few weeks into the season, he was relegated to scout defense. Brown played only on special teams at Georgia Tech. Whether or not that ultimately impacted the final score - the Tar Heels lost by a touchdown - that game made Brown then realized his value to the team. "I watched the film and I was sitting here thinking, `I could have made this play. I could have helped out,'" he said. "So I was like `Whoa, I can help out by just doing everything right, now.'" "He came in here with a lot of talent and athletic ability, but that doesn't get you everything you need to be a really good football player," Everett Withers said of Brown. "I think he's grown up, as far as being a student of the game, studying the game, being a leader on defense, and all those things show up because with his talent and athletic ability if he can align, be good on assignments, those type things, he can make a lot of plays." And make plays he has. Through nine games, Brown has 17 more total tackles than any of his teammates, and is tied with two other Tar Heels with two interceptions on the season. Saturday, he was everywhere. On the fifth play from scrimmage, Brown fought pass Demon Deacon left guard Joe Looney to get to quarterback Tanner Price. He chopped the ball loose and pounced on it. With slow starts plaguing the Tar Heels lately, it was a huge play to start the afternoon. "Me and Kevin (Reddick) talked about it," Brown said. "We've got to make a play, first drive, so we can set the tone for the defense and the team." The Tar Heel offense took over at the Wake Forest 34, and Bernard was in the end zone moments later. Carolina had struggled with turnovers of late, and Withers asked the defense to do their part in helping the offense. They came up with five on Saturday. "We took it as an insult that we're not getting enough turnovers, so we got our turnovers today, and we've just got to keep it going." Brown had a hand in two of them, adding a 22-yard interception return in the fourth quarter. On the series prior, he nearly had another, but teammate Tydreke Powell hauled in a ball that he and Brown both tipped. Brown described the action like so: "I blitzed, and I got caught up with that center," Brown said. "I came out of it and I saw the ball in the air, and I tried to jump up with one hand and catch it. And then, Lord, here comes Tydreke Powell out over the top of me. I thought it was Wake Forest for a second, because all I'd seen was some white gloves. `Aw, that's Wake Forest.' He kind of shoved me. I was like, why didn't you run it back? He was like, `Man, I'm just happy I caught it.' An interception's an interception to me." Even when he wasn't making a tackle, picking off a pass or forcing a fumble, Brown was eating up a blocker or pressuring the quarterback to help his teammates make a play. All afternoon, number 47 was running sideline to sideline, making an impact. His time off the field early this season helped him realize the value of his time off of it. "And so since then, I practice hard, and when game time comes, I'm going to do the same thing: Ball out," he said. "I'm going to give them my all, because I know they're counting on me to make a play."
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Brown said the 49-24 victory wasn't a perfect Tar Heel performance, but the team is getting there. "I think it's coming up, but we don't know which game," he said. "We're just waiting to see which game." Turner Walston is the managing editor of Tar Heel Monthly. Other titles considered for this story: `Meet the Browns' (Charles Brown had an interception and five tackles on Saturday) and `Zach Attack,' after the band on TV's Saved By the Bell. Turner's weekly Tar Heel football podcast, The Walkthrough, is available on iTunes. Follow the THM staff on Twitter.
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Brown, Bernard Named ACC Players Of The Week Brown earns linebacker of the week honors after standout performance vs. Wake Forest. Oct. 31, 2011 Two North Carolina players were recognized as ACC Players of the Week for their performances in the Tar Heels' 49-24 win over Wake Forest. Zach Brown, the Linebacker of the Week, tallied nine tackles, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to earn his second award this season. Giovani Bernard was named the Rookie of the Week for the second time this season after rushing for 154 yards and two scores and catching a third touchdown. LINEBACKER - Zach Brown, North Carolina, Sr., LB, 6-2, 230, Columbia, Md. Senior linebacker Zach Brown finished with nine tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, in North Carolina's 49-24 win over Wake Forest. UNC scored on both of the possessions following Brown's turnovers. Brown now has a team-high 62 tackles this season with team-highs of 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. ROOKIE - Giovani Bernard, North Carolina, Fr., TB, 5-10, 205, Davie, Fla. Redshirt freshman tailback Giovani Bernard had 27 carries for 154 yards and two rushing touchdowns in North Carolina's 49-24 victory over Wake Forest. Bernard also had his first touchdown reception, a 7yard scoring catch-and-run to the pylon in the first quarter. He is the first Tar Heel to score three times in a game since tailback Shaun Draughn had three rushing touchdowns against East Carolina in 2010. Bernard's 154 rushing yards were the most by a Tar Heel against Wake Forest since Ronnie McGill rushed for 244 yards in 2003. It was the most rushing yards allowed by the Deacons this year (previous was 136 by Virginia Tech's David Wilson). Bernard has rushed 168 times for 965 yards and 11 touchdowns this year, an average of 5.7 yards per carry and 107.2 yards per game. His 11 rushing touchdowns are the most by a Tar Heel since Leon Johnson scored 12 times in 1995. Bernard rushed for 100-plus yards for the sixth time this season, tying the UNC record for 100-yard games by a freshman with Amos Lawrence (1977).
Zach Brown
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TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
DT MIKE MARTIN
3RD ROUND, 82ND OVERALL
MICHAEL BRENDEN “Mike” MARTIN Nose Guard/Defensive Tackle University of Michigan Wolverines #68 6:01.3-306 Redford, Michigan Catholic Central High School OVERVIEW Martin “bleeds blue” true and true. During the recruiting wars during the defender’s playing days at Catholic Central High School, major colleges were immediately rebuffed in their attempts to lure the Michigan native to even visit their school. Ever since he was in elementary school, Martin had one thought in mind – to one day play for the Wolverines. A lifelong fan of the Wolverines football program, there was little doubt where the 2007 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year would choose to spend his college life. Even while in high school, Martin was well-known to the coaching staff as he attended both the 2006 and 2007 summer camps conducted by the Michigan staff. With more and more National Football League teams utilizing the 3-4 defensive alignment, those organizations are all in agreement when assessing the talent available for the 2012 NFL Draft – there is a dearth of nose guards in the draft pool, with Martin and Alabama’s Josh Chapman certainly standing “head and shoulders” above the rest. Martin had an outstanding performance in front of teams at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine. The U-M product was timed at 4.92 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Showing off his excellent lateral agility, Martin finished the 20-yard shuttle in 4.25 seconds, easily the best of any nose guard or defensive tackle attending the event in Indianapolis. In the three-cone drill, he checked in at 7.19 seconds, ranking third among the 31 interior defensive linemen that participated at the Combine. In other agility tests, Martin posted a 33.5-inch vertical jump (third best) and posted a 9’5” broad jump (tied for best). Heading to the weight room, Martin put up the 225-pound bench press 36 times. Only Dontari Poe of Memphis (Combine best 44 reps) did better among the defensive tackles/nose guards. Martin’s athleticism is unquestioned, but his production level is just as impressive. Taking over the middle of the line as a sophomore, he appeared in 49 games at Michigan with 37 starts. He registered 172 tackles (70 solo) with 10 sacks and 25.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage. With his wrestling background and impressive power, Martin has consistently emerged victorious from double-team coverage. He is a very aggressive short area tackler and keeps his hands active to rip off blocks and make plays in the backfield. He is not really a classic pass rusher but does well occupying multiple blockers to free up teammates to make the big play. He is more of a bull rusher who strikes with great hand violence and has refined his arm-over swim move to get the offensive linemen off-balance. Martin is an all-out hustler giving chase vs. the run. It is very rare to see him on the ground as he uses his hands to combat the low blocks and his wrestling background helps him maintain balance. He works down the line quickly and does a fine job of keeping his hands active and inside his frame, which prevent blockers from trying to latch on to his jersey. Martin is not going to shock an offensive lineman with explosiveness coming off the snap, but with his good pad level and low center of gravity, he is quick to gain leverage at the point of attack. He needs to develop more confidence using his arms to wrap and secure, rather than be a drag-down hands-type of tackler, but after working with Ndamukong Suh at the Detroit Lions' summer football camp last year, he showed marked improvement driving ball carriers into the ground in 2011 than he did in the past. Martin attended Detroit’s Catholic Central High School, playing football for head coach Tom Mach. The three-year starter at defensive tackle was one of the strongest interior linemen in the country, as he recorded a 420-pound bench and a 520-pound squat during 2007 testing at the Penn State NIKE camp. He received a four-star prospect ranking from both Scout.com and Rivals.com as Scout regarded him as the nation’s 12th defensive tackle and Rivals had him 16th on its chart. Martin was rated the seventh player in the state of Michigan by Rivals.com, ranking 14th on the Detroit Free Press Best of the Midwest squad. He was named to the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team and selected Michigan’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2007. The Prep Star All-American added Associated Press All-State first-team honors as a senior.
The defensive tackle finished his career with 207 tackles, 14.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries in three seasons. He recorded 96 tackles, 36 for loss and six sacks during his senior year and posted 75 tackles with eight sacks as a junior. Martin also excelled as a wrestler, capturing the state Division I title as a junior in first year competing. He was also a record-setting shot put and discus thrower in track and field as he broke T.J. Duckett's former Michigan prep shot put record on his way to a state championship. Martin was a Freshman All-American and gaining a reputation among Big Ten Conference offensive coordinators as a player to game plan for in the future. Playing behind All-Big Ten nose guard Terrence Taylor, he posted 20 tackles with a pair of sacks in his first season. With Taylor off to the NFL, Martin moved into the starting lineup in 2009. Named the team’s Top Defensive Lineman (Richard Katcher Award), the sophomore totaled 51 tackles (20 solo) with two sacks and finished second on the team with 8.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Martin was again selected the team’s top defensive lineman in 2010 as the All-Big Ten Conference second-team choice was in on 37 tackles (21 solo) with 2.5 sacks and seven stops for loss. A late season ankle sprain limited his production and after his junior campaign, he seriously considered leaving school to test the NFL waters. In 2011, he again received All-Big Ten Conference honors and served as squad captain. He would close out his career with 64 tackles and 6.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2011. CAREER NOTES Started 37 of 49 games at Michigan, all at nose guard…Finished his career with 172 tackles (70 solo) with 10 sacks for (73 yards) and 25.0 tackles for loss (108 yards)…Caused one fumble and one safety. 2011 SEASON Named to the All-America second-team at nose guard by The NFL Draft Report…Added second-team All-Big Ten Conference honors from the coaches and media…Recipient of the Richard Katcher Award (top defensive lineman) in back-to-back seasons…Named to the Bednarik Award and Rotary Lombardi Award preseason watch lists...Started all 13 games as the team captain recorded a career-high 64 tackles (20 solo) with 3.5 sacks (18 yards) and six tackles for loss (24 yards)…Registered one safety…Anchored a U-M defense that was second in the Big Ten in rush defense (129.1 yards per game) and first in red zone defense (68.6 percent) during the regular season…The Michigan defense ranked first in conference play in rush defense (115.6 yards per game) and third-down percentage (31 of 103 attempts, 30.1 percent). 2010 SEASON Earned All-Big Ten Conference second-team accolades from the coaches and honorable mention from the media…Earned U-M's Richard Katcher Award (top defensive lineman)…Started 12 games at nose guard…Finished with 37 tackles (21 solo), 2.5 sacks (32 yards) and six tackles for loss (39 yards)…Posted six tackles, including two for loss, and a sack for a loss of 12 yards vs. Massachusetts…Tallied seven tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack at Indiana...Recorded six tackles, including one for a loss, and assisted on a sack vs. Michigan State (Oct. 9)…Made four tackles, including an assisted stop for loss vs. Wisconsin…Posted six tackles at Ohio State. 2009 SEASON Received the Richard Katcher Award, awarded to Michigan's top defensive lineman…Started all 12 games at nose guard, registering 51 tackles (20 solo)…Recorded two sacks (eight yards) and finished second on the squad with eight tackles for loss (26 yards)…Posted two quarterback pressures and caused a fumble… Underwent shoulder surgery after the season, sitting out 2010 spring camp. 2008 SEASON Received Freshman All-America second-team honors from The Sporting News as the nose guard played in all 12 games as a reserve…Led Michigan freshmen with 20 tackles (nine solo)…Posted two sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss (19 yards). AGILITY TESTS 4.92 in the 40-yard dash…1.66 10-yard dash…2.75 20-yard dash…4.25 20-yard shuttle…7.19 three-cone drill…33 ½-inch vertical jump…9’5” broad jump…Bench pressed 225 pounds 36 times…32 ¼-inch arm length…9 1/8-inch hands…78 1/8-inch wingspan. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Catholic Central High School in Detroit, Michigan, playing football for head coach by Tom Mach...The three-year starter at defensive tackle was one of the strongest interior linemen in the country as he recorded a 420-pound bench and a 520-pound squat during 2007 testing at the Penn State NIKE camp…Received a four-star prospect ranking from both
Scout.com and Rivals.com as Scout regarded him as the nation’s 12th defensive tackle and Rivals had him 16th on its chart…Rated the seventh player in Michigan by Rivals.com, ranking 14th on the Detroit Free Press Best of the Midwest squad…Named to the Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team and selected Michigan’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2007…The Prep Star All-American added Associated Press All-State first-team honors as a senior…Finished his career with 207 tackles, 14.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries in three seasons…Recorded 96 tackles, 36 tackles for loss and six sacks during his senior year and posted 75 tackles with eight sacks as a junior…Also excelled as a wrestler, capturing the state Division I title as a junior in first year competing…Was a record-setting shot-putter and discus thrower in track and field as he broke T.J. Duckett's former Michigan prep shot put record on his way to a state championship. PERSONAL General Studies major, enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts…Born Michael Brendan Martin on 9/01/90 in Detroit, Michigan. PLAYER STATISTICS DEFENSIVE STATISTICS STATS GP GS TK 2008 12 00 20 2009 12 12 51 2010 12 12 37 2011 13 13 64 TOTAL 49 37 172
SO 09 20 21 20 70
AS 11 31 16 44 102
FR 00 00 00 00 00
FC 00 01 00 00 01
INT 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
TFL 04.5-19 08.5-26 06.0-39 06.0-24 25.0-108
PBU 00 00 00 00 0
SACK 2.0-15 2.0-08 2.5-32 3.5-18 10.0-73
PRES 00 02 02 03 09
TITANS 2012 DRAFTEE QUESTIONNAIRE MIKE MARTIN (3RD ROUND, 82ND OVERALL) PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Michael Brenden Martin
Reason for name or nickname: Goes back to eighth grade; started off as M&M (initials) and turned into Mighty Mike
Position: Defensive tackle
Father/caregiver's name and career: Barry Martin, facility engineer at Detroit Medical Center
Height: 6-1 Weight: 306
Mother/caregiver's name and career: Theresa O’Hara, nurse at Detroit Medical Center
Date of Birth: Sept. 1, 1990
Siblings’ names and ages: Brothers Gary Martin (27), Barry Jr. (27); sister Kaylen Martin (25)
Birthplace: Detroit, Mich. Marital status: Single
Agent: Rick Smith
Children's names and ages (if applicable): None Nickname: Mighty Mike
COLLEGE College(s) attended: Michigan, 2008-11
Significance of jersey number: Chose it because it was the last number available when he got moved to varsity in high school
College Major: Communications Redshirt season(s): None
Other sports played in college: None
Degree date/credits remaining: Graduated December 2011
College extracurricular activities/volunteerism: Volunteered with Live To Give; helped raise money for a hostel; worked at Knox Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor
College football positions played: Defensive tackle College jersey number: 68
HIGH SCHOOL High school (city, state): Detroit (Mich.) Catholic Central Mascot: Shamrocks
Other sports played in high school: Wrestled as two-time state champion and All-American as a senior; two-time state champion in shot put on track team
Year graduated: 2008 High school football positions played: Guard, tackle, defensive line
SOCIAL MEDIA Website: None Twitter: @GoMikeMartin Facebook page (for fans): Yes—Mike Martin Change
Other social media (for fans): YouTube Channel— GoMikeMartin; documented his senior year and developed his own web series
Titans 2012 Draftee Questionnaire OFF THE FIELD
Where were you when you were drafted, and who were you with? With family and friends at O’Neill’s Bar and Restaurant in Ann Arbor (owned by a close friend’s father) Off-the-field interests/hobbies/unique talents: Interested in film making; public speaking; entrepreneurship; hopes to own his own philanthropy-based business Any causes that are personal to you (e.g. breast cancer awareness, diabetes research, etc.): Aunt (Leslie Martin) living with multiple sclerosis Name a person that inspires you: “My mother because she raised me as a single mother. She worked tons of hours to pay for my Catholic school tuition. If I’m able to give something back to her now it would mean a lot.” Most memorable college football moment: “Winning the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech in my last game (10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss). My prior three years we really struggled, and to end my career going 11-2 and winning a BCS game and seeing the confetti from the dome, it was great.” Significant hurdles overcome in life and/or football career: Helping rebuild the program at Michigan and experiencing the coaching changes—“I doubt I’ll ever go through something like that again, but I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish in spite of that adversity.” On your “bucket list”: “I want to travel and give back in an impoverished community.” Other interesting personal facts: Shows working class Rottweilers—was the National Junior Handler of the Year; was a Boy Scout and an Eagle Scout; played saxophone in the jazz band in high school and still “dabbles”; considers Ndamukong Suh a mentor
LIST OF FAVORITES Movie: Gladiator; Remember the Titans
Video game: None
TV Show: Entourage
Kind of food/restaurant: “Every food. My horizon is very broad. Just no insects.”
Actor: Mark Wahlberg Music artist: Jay-Z, Jason Aldean, O.A.R., Wiz Khalifa School subject: History Car: Dodge Viper Book or author: “Disciplined Dreaming” by Josh Linkner, “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
Childhood sports hero: Barry Sanders Favorite pro teams: Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
MIKE MARTIN (MICHIGAN) DRAFTED 3RD ROUND, 82ND OVERALL FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012 CONFERENCE CALL WITH LOCAL MEDIA DEFENSIVE TACKLE MIKE MARTIN (on how he got the nickname Mighty Mike Martin) Just out here doing my thing, just killing it—I guess they just call it mighty. (on if this is around where he expected to be drafted) I knew that (the Titans) liked me a lot, and whatever happened was going to happen. It doesn’t matter where you start, it matters where you finish. I could have been undrafted, and whatever team I was going to I was going to play well at. I know that for a fact. (on how he was able to know that the Titans liked him) Because of the people, and that’s what matters. The people and I met the whole staff, they showed a genuine interest and I knew that if they picked me that they were going to get the guy that they saw on tape. I think that’s what matters. (on if he generated interest from NFL teams in both a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense) I was very versatile. I had three years of experience playing a zero technique in the 3-4 defense and then having the opportunity to play in the 4-3 under (University of Michigan Defensive Coordinator) Greg Mattison, and also playing the three technique and the one shade just gave me so many snaps at each position. I feel like I could really go anywhere, so wherever I’m placed, I’m going to do well at. (on if he can bounce outside if they need him to) If they put me at linebacker, I will make some plays at linebacker and at D-end, so wherever I’m going I’m going to do something. (on how much he currently knows about the Titans) I know that I’m going to Google the hell out of the Titans right now (laughs). I know a lot about the Titans, but I’m going to get a better understanding of every single intricate detail about the organization and really just get ready to go here. (on if he learned much about the Titans when he trained with former Titans defensive end Kevin Carter) I actually talked briefly with Kevin, but it was just on a training standpoint. I worked with Mike Barwis—Barwis methods, and he’s the one who really transformed me post-Sugar Bowl, and really got my body right for the Senior Bowl. I really think I opened up a lot of eyes at the Senior Bowl with how I performed at the combine, and I think that was the deciding factor there. (on what he learned training with Ndamukong Suh last summer) Really, just the way he carries himself as a professional, which I feel like I’ve done a great job of transitioning into that. I was really put in a place, put in the spotlight at Michigan being a captain, being one of the main guys—a guy who is looked upon to be a leader on the field and off the field. Really what he does off the field. He’s big into philanthropy and that’s important, it’s important to give back to the community, and that’s the kind of guy I am. To see a guy who is a top player, and he is out giving his time and doing that—that means a lot. (on how he got the opportunity to train with Ndamukong Suh) I got really interested in what he is doing, and I heard he was having a camp and I reached out to him and I tweeted him and he tweeted me back and he said he’d love to have me out. I got to meet and talked to him a little bit more extensively at his camp and talked to his sister Ngum and he’s been sort of the guy behind the scenes that no one really knows about. I can call and he’s kind of my guy who’s like a mentor who is a hub of information that he is a guy who’s always offered up his time to talk to me, and that’s a big help.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
(on if he can help the Titans improve their run defense) Yes, that is something that has always been something that I pride myself on, and something that we pride ourselves on at Michigan. That was our mission statement—I guess you could say. No one was going to run the ball on us. We had the best redzone defense in the country for six weeks straight. That’s something that we worked our tails at. That’s something that—I’m going to be consistent, I’m going to have a motor and I’m not going to stop until I hear the whistle blow. (on how he’d describe himself as a player) I’m a guy who’s not going to stop. I’m a guy that the whistle is going to have to be blown three or four times for me to stop on the play. I think that (Ndamukong) Suh plays that way, he’s got a heck of a motor and I just want to be that guy who can prove that he has that motor in the NFL. I feel like that is what I relied on in college. When guys would quit on a play or just decided not to finish, I was going to finish and I was going to make a play because of that. (on if he knows any current Titans players) I know guys through association, but I don’t know them personally, so I’m looking forward to getting to know guys a little bit better. (on if he is encouraged by the success last year’s Titans rookie defensive lineman had) Oh yeah. Being young guys and coming in and making a statement, really coming in and working their butts off—that’s something that I’m ready to do, and I’m excited to get going here. It’s been a while since I played football; it’s been since the Sugar Bowl. I’m ready to get a helmet on, get out there, get better and compete. (on if he has ever been to Nashville before and what his impressions are of the city) Actually, I have really good family friends that live in Tennessee and in Nashville, so I’ve gotten a taste of Nashville a little bit, and I’m excited to explore it a little bit more—get to know the city and the people. (on how his wrestling background helps him in football) It really, especially the position—that I played mostly in college, one technique, zero and two eye. It’s close quarters and it happens fast, very fast. In wrestling, that’s all it is. Being able to have leverage, being able to be athletic and shoot on guys and work your hands. Especially in the pass rush and even the run, you have to shoot your hands, you have to get guys off of you and you have to make plays. Wrestling has really helped me with my leverage and my quickness getting off the snap. I do some unorthodox training, guess you could say, I roll around on the mat at my training facility because it’s one of the best conditioning sports you can do. You’re in the best shape of your life if you can wrestle live for two minutes, so I try to do that as much as I can. (on the Titans second round pick Zach Brown being a decorated wrestler as well and if the two of them are going to have a wrestling showdown) I’m excited, hell yeah. I actually thought about that briefly. Like I said, I’m just ready to compete, I’m ready to make guys better and for them to make me better, and that’s how the Titans are going to improve as a team. (on being listed at 306 lbs and what he currently weighs) 304, right around there—305, same thing, I’ve been training hard, just staying in shape and staying ready.
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Mighty Mike Martin: Michigan's very own superhero on defense
By Tim Rohan Daily Sports Editor On September 22nd, 2010 Mike Rodriguez thought for sure that Mighty Mike Martin had put a dent right in the middle of the gym floor. Mike went through his opponent, picked him way up in the air and slammed him right there on the blue mat in the center of the gymnasium — a tackle of sorts. The crowd went nuts. Opposing teams hated wrestling at Detroit Catholic Central, mostly because of that crowd. Right there in the middle of the packed gymnasium stood a massive man, cloaked in his wrestling singlet. Mike had the power to do great things. He just didn’t know it yet. Mike’s friends, family, teachers and mentors were there, everyone was excited to see what he would do in his first wrestling match. The whole school was let out an hour and a half early from class to watch this, the first match of the season. And the heavyweight was the first match drawn, so Mike was up first. Front and center. Mike’s mother Theresa and father Barry were there, waiting to see if their son’s newest pursuit would be a successful one. Everyone in that gymnasium knew who Mike Martin the football player was, but now he was trying his hand at wrestling — a sport completely different from football, which he had played since fifth grade. This was mighty Mike Martin. He could do anything. Then the referee’s whistle blew. He called Mike’s takedown a slam, which cost him one point. The crowd sat down in quiet disbelief. This opponent wasn’t too big, and Mike wasn’t intimidated. He knew he could handle him. But Mike was facing a senior who had been wrestling since junior high. The savvy senior responded and pinned Mike with seconds remaining in the match. Mike didn’t know how to get out of a pin just yet. Mighty Mike Martin had lost. After the match, Rodriguez, Mike’s wrestling coach, rolled up the mat and approached his dejected heavyweight. “You’ve learned something,” Rodriguez told him. “You’ve got to work harder.” It was a somber car ride home that evening.
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Barry tried to calm his son. He told Mike everything was going to be all right. “I know, Dad, but I wasn’t supposed to lose,” Mike said desperately. “I wasn’t supposed to lose.” “It was embarrassing for him, because he had high standards for himself,” says Eugene Grewe, Mike’s high school English teacher and track coach. “He kind of wanted to go out there and make a statement. So it was frustrating for him. I think he had a moment of doubt.” Another couple of weeks slipped away, Thanksgiving came and went. On Black Friday, Mike had a mid-morning wrestling practice at the high school. Mike took the car and went to practice, but returned just an hour later. His mom knew something was up. Mike had had enough. He just wasn’t getting it and he let his mom know that. This was completely different from anything he had done before and it just wasn’t coming easy to him. “You gotta stick it out, just give it your best shot,” Theresa told him. This kid, who would become a superhero for Michigan at defensive tackle, was caught in a moment of weakness. Mike Martin wouldn’t quit — would he? *** The signs were there, constant reminders to those in his life that he was destined to be better than average, faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap across tall buildings in a single bound and save the damsel in distress. But it started with doubt. When Mike was in the sixth grade, just a year after he started playing organized football, he dreamt about playing in the NFL someday. When Theresa took Mike to the pediatrician that year, the doctor tried to temper his expectations. “I don’t know if you’re going to be playing college ball,” the pediatrician said. He knew the odds were stacked against any kid with that lofty a goal. That didn’t sit well with Theresa. “It just made me so mad, people’s negativity to young people,” she says. “Because if you have a dream you should nourish it and help support it — instead of squashing it. I know all kids, there’s a very small percentage that play college ball and from there go onto the pros, like a one-percent chance. But if a kid has a dream, you should be there to support it.” Mike’s parents started him in sports at a young age and tried to encourage him the best they could. Mike played baseball — his dad’s sport — at a young age and excelled. After games, umpires would rave to Theresa and rave about Mike’s arm strength. He was throwing natural
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curveballs and sliders, they would say — before the age of 10. But he didn’t stick with baseball or basketball, which he also tried. Football was going to be his sport, and Dan Hattie was the first coach who brought that passion out of Mike. Hattie coached Mike during his fifth-and-sixth grade years on the JV team. He saw from the start that Mike was a good kid, a sponge you fill up with information and wring out when the games started. But this big kid wasn’t being physical enough to put his size to good use. “When he found out that he could block or knock some kid down — and that was a good thing — he became really, really good at it,” Hattie says. “He was very emotional, which actually worked to his advantage because he didn’t like to make mistakes. When he did, he got down on himself, but not to the point where he would shut down. The next play, he would go back in there and make the coach happy.” While being big had its advantages, Mike also had to worry about being too big to play — his kryptonite early on. The CYO weight limit for the area was 165 pounds for a varsity player and 135 for a JV player. Mike wouldn’t eat breakfast and when he was on JV, he would wear sweatpants and run laps around the track before games to make weight. He weighed 200 pounds in June before his eighth grade year. By the beginning of August, he had lost that excess 35 pounds. “He wouldn’t eat because he wanted to play so bad,” Theresa said. “That’s when I knew he was serious.” *** During Mike’s freshman year at Catholic Central, Eugene Grewe, the track coach, found him in the weight room and approached him with a proposition. As the coach who dealt with shot putters and discuss throwers, Grewe sought big kids with good work ethic in the weight room. Mike fit the mold. The two talked about the possibility of Mike joining the track team that spring, but Mike told Grewe that he was just too busy that year. Mike promised him that he would throw during his sophomore year. Saying Mike was busy at that time was an understatement. The freshman was working on advancement in boy scouts. He was also the No. 1 junior handler for the American Kennel club in 2005. “Everything he does, he’s good at,” Theresa says. “Everything he touched turned to gold,” Barry adds. The dog handling was partly his mother’s doing. But he became so good that he was at one
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point two wins shy of making it to Westminster — the pinnacle of dog shows. Mike was a regular Johnny Coltrane, too. He picked up the alto saxophone in elementary school, and performed at school concerts. During his freshman year at Catholic Central, Mike marched with the band on Friday night for the varsity game after playing on the freshman team on Thursday night. Mike eventually made it to the track team, keeping his promise to Grewe. In his sophomore year, he had a slow start with the shot put. He needed to get his feet wet, just like in his debut in football. At his first meet, he threw the shot 38 feet — “Which is not horrible for a sophomore, but for someone who became what Mike became, it’s a pretty meager beginning,” Grewe says. By the end of the season, he threw farther than 52 feet and was fifth in the state in Division I in his first year of competing. He was a state champion the next two years, and his senioryear throw of 63 feet, 9 niches came within three inches of breaking T.J. Duckett’s all-time state record. Grewe noticed that if he saw an adjustment that would improve Mike’s craft, Mike could make that adjustment in one practice. In high school, it would take most a whole season to adapt like that. “His work ethic was just unbelievable,” Mike Rodriguez said. “I got upset with him. We work hard and then (Mike) was taking off and going in the weight room getting ready for track season doing the shot put. I figured he must not be giving 100 percent in this room, because I worked the hell out of him. “In his mindset, he wanted to be something special. And he was. … In anything he does, he wants to succeed and to excel. In order to do that, he understands how hard he has to work.” Years later, at Michigan, Mike’s physique is marveled at by teammates and coaches. Other players talk about his work ethic in the weight room, and the results are on the field. He has what football experts call a “motor” — Mike doesn’t stop working on the field. “Mike Martin is just an animal out there,” sophomore linebacker Craig Roh said. “He’s the strongest person I’ve ever seen in the weight room. It’s really showing on the field. He’s taking on double teams. (Against Massachusetts), I think the play he sacked the quarterback, he beat a double team and sacked him. Which is — stupid.” *** Every superhero has a sidekick. Mighty Mike Martin had two — his parents. Barry and Theresa never married after having Mike. He lived with his mom and she took care of making him breakfast in the morning and getting him to school. His dad would pick him up from school to hang out or go to one of Mike’s various activities. Though they weren’t together, Mike saw both of his parents every day.
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“That’s all that mattered: we were going to get this kid right, make him a gentleman,” Barry says. “That’s what he turned out to be.” Just last month, Mike couldn’t make his dad’s birthday party on August 20. So he and Barry’s fiancée planned a surprise party. And because Mike couldn’t make it, he made a video tribute wishing his dad a happy birthday. It almost made Barry cry. Everyone was “damn near tears.” The maturation process really started when he made the jump to Catholic Central — an allboys Catholic high school, in Novi, Michigan. That’s when everything began to click for Mike. “It teaches them how to be men,” Theresa says. “Stuff that I could never teach him. “Once he hit high school, he was just so focused.” “I had people that did a good job letting me know the right things and how to do them,” Mike said. “I was around people I wanted to emulate: their character, how they carried themselves, just how friendly they were to me. They just taught me a lot of things that you just need someone to show you the way.” At Catholic Central, he developed many relationships that are still important to him. Grewe and Babicz and the rest of his support system that he built there is still intact. Not only were they mentors, but they were Mike’s friends. His varsity football coach, Tom Mach, said that Mike has the uncanny ability to relate with adults and get along with his peers. His senior year at Catholic Central, Mike could have easily quit the track team as the season extended deep into the spring. He even missed a spring break trip with his friends because of track. He stayed committed. With great power came great responsibility. Now, people are already questioning whether Mike will stay all four years at Michigan. They speculate that he’ll leave early for the NFL Draft — but they don’t know Mighty Mike Martin very well. “No, he’s going to get that education,” Barry tells them. *** Mike always had a soft spot for Lloyd Carr — ever since that 1997 National Championship game. So on the day of his official visit to Michigan, Mike sat in awe of the former Michigan coach. He committed that day. He still has a football with an inscription that reads, “To: Mike, a Michigan man,” signed Lloyd Carr. So when Carr decided to retire right before Mike’s freshman season at Michigan, everything started to unravel. Mike re-opened his recruitment and schools barraged him with calls. Michigan State and Notre Dame were hot in pursuit. Eventually, Notre Dame coaches were coming to the Detroit Medical Center, where Theresa
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worked as a nurse, and Barry in plant operations. The Fighting Irish’s then-defensive coordinator Corwin Brown and another defensive coach talked to Mike’s parents about an official visit at Notre Dame. When Mike went to visit his girlfriend at Michigan State, the recruiters would see him and call him to slyly ask why he was in East Lansing. The Spartans were trying to get Mike to take an official visit, too. He was still undecided when he drove up to Michigan State with Coach Mach and his parents to attend an Elite 8 players banquet at the Kresge Building. On the way home, the conversation shifted to Mike’s impending decision. Mach notices that when Mike referred to Michigan, he'd say "my team," and "my school." Coach Mach caught the slip up. “What did you just say?" he recalls blurting out. Mike never made it to South Bend or East Lansing. *** Mike Rodriguez sees Mike put his wrestling techniques to good use every fall Saturday afternoon in a Michigan football uniform. He’s seen all of Mike’s 80 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and five sacks that have come in his first two-plus years as a Wolverine. To most who watch him, it’s as if he puts on a cape and accomplishes what mere mortals only dream of. After his rough loss, Mike didn’t quit wrestling. He didn’t let his emotions get the best of him — he stuck it out. Soon after that first match, Rodriguez sat Mike down. Mike was beginning to grasp the technique of wrestling, but there was something else this heavyweight had to hear. “The biggest downfall that wrestlers have — especially heavyweights — is fear,” Mike Rodriguez said. “So when you get over fear there’s nothing you can’t do.” Mike had to unleash himself, just as he had done in football. “How many times did your mother tell you from the time you’re (little) until (now), don’t hurt him because you’re so much bigger than everybody else,” Rodriguez asked him. “All the time coach,” Mike responded. “So that just stays in your mind,” Rodriguez said. “You need to be physical.” Another piece had fallen into place. Mighty Mike Martin was starting to understand — he could be unstoppable. But he had to work at it. He understood what it took to get to that point in his life. Nothing
http://www.michigandaily.com/print/55895
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had come easy to him. He could be a superhero, sure, but by way of his own power. Not by a magical potion or a wave of a wand. So Rodriguez and wrestling coach-in-waiting Mitch Hancock taught Mike how to change levels — which helps Mike get underneath an opponent and explode. Rodriguez also taught Mike how to use his hips to his advantage. In December of his junior year, Mike used his newfound knowledge to take the No. 7 wrestler in the country into overtime. And even though Mike lost, 2-1, Rodriguez knew right then and there, he would be Michigan’s state heavyweight champ. He did just that — in just his first year competing in the sport. And he defended that title in his senior year. Now, Mike is tormenting opposing quarterbacks. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez knows how valuable Mike is on this year’s defense. “Mike has been outstanding,” Rodriguez says. “He’s played an awful lot for a nose guard and getting a lot of double teams. He’s probably been our most consistent defender all three games.” But if you asked Mike, he would just want to talk about the team — a group that was 8-16 in Mike’s first two years. “It was real rough,” Mike says. “Michigan, the program, coach Rod, we’ve been through the fire. During it, it did suck because my class was the first class that didn’t go to a bowl game and a losing season. … (But) it’s made us stronger and closer as a team.” Michigan has been dragged through the lowest of the lows — especially on defense. The Wolverines' defense has rewritten the record books, and not in a good way. Michigan has a superhero who can help lead the turn the defense around — Mighty Mike Martin is on the job. Mike’s been here before. He’s been the big kid on the football team who doesn’t know he needs to be aggressive. He’s been the shot putter who threw 38 feet. He’s been overwhelmed with tough decisions before. He’s been frustrated learning a new sport. In life, there have been moments when the world has begged him to quit. Mike has taken those obstacles head on, picked them up and slammed them to the mat. He’s become a state champion, a saxophonist, and even an award-winning dog handler. And for what? To be the best in whatever he does. “You can see that in him even now, he has not changed,” Mike Rodriguez says. “I’d hate to be the man in front of him in whatever he does. Because the guy believes in himself and he has no fear. When you see an athlete has no fear, he can just go through you. How many times do you see him going, and they have two, three people on him. He’s tenacious. When you get that mindset, it’s unbelievable what you can do.” Those who know Mighty Mike Martin best still don’t know what he’s capable of doing next.
http://www.michigandaily.com/print/55895
4/27/2012
Mike Martin on The Huge Show: Ex-Wolverines DT 'excited' for NFL draft possibilities
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Mike Martin on The Huge Show: Ex-Wolverines DT 'excited' for NFL draft possibilities Published: Friday, February 03, 2012, 10:00 AM
Josh Slagter |
[email protected] By Former Michigan defensive tackle said he was a Wolverines fan "immediately out of the womb" and there was no doubt he'd be going to college in Ann Arbor. As for his NFL future, Martin has another preference. "I'm a warm-weather guy," Martin told Bill Simonson of The Huge Show. "I really don't have a team. The Saints, the Chargers, the Dolphins, anything like that would be a blessing." Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com Mike Martin is busy getting ready for April's NFL draft.
Martin has been working out with former Michigan strength coach Mike Barwis in Plymouth in preparation for the
NFL draft.
He's been joined by former teammates David Molk, Kevin Koger, Ryan Van Bergen, Mark Huyge and Steve Watson. Linebackers Lamar Woodley and Brandon Graham, ex-Wolverines in the NFL, also have stopped by.
Martin has been projected as a middle-round pick for April's NFL draft. He participated in last week's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and will head to the combine in Indianapolis later this month.
"I've put myself in the best position possible," Martin said. "I talked to a lot of teams and they had a lot of positive feedback. I'm excited to see where I'm headed."
Listen to the full interview below.
http://blog.mlive.com/wolverines_impact/print.html?entry=/2012/02/mike_martin_on_the_... 4/27/2012
Printer Friendly Copy | The Detroit News
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The Detroit News FEBRUARY 25, 2012
Michigan DT Mike Martin tries to show NFL scouts he measures up BY CHRIS MCCOSKY / THE DETROIT NEWS
Indianapolis— There were years not all that long ago when defensive players from Michigan were big draws at the NFL scouting combine — Charles Woodson, Allan Branch, Larry Foote, LaMarr Woodley, Leon Hall, David Harris, etc. This year, as the residue of the Rich Rodriguez era lingers, not so much. Defensive tackle Mike Martin stands alone, the only Michigan defensive player invited to the combine. "Defense wasn't very emphasized (under Rodriguez)," said Martin, who weighed in at a little over 6-foot-1 and 306 pounds Saturday. "He didn't really spend too much time on defense. We were kind of supplemental to the offense. We were just kind of there." That was obvious to anybody who watched Michigan play those three years. But the defense — and Martin's NFL prospects — was rescued by new coach Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. "It really changed and it was the mentality that Coach Mattison brought in," Martin said. "He knows what it takes to win. When he came in he just took us to a whole other level. We thought we were doing things we needed to do, but watching film, we weren't. "With Coach Mattison, being more technically sound and harping on all the little details really turned things around." Despite the defense's overall struggles, Martin was still a highly productive player his first three years. And yet, Mattison completely revamped his game. "He tore my game down to the bare bones and built it back up," Martin said. "I benefited huge from him." With Mattison's guidance and his own maniacal work ethic, Martin has transformed himself from a gapconscious, read-and-react player to an explode-off-the-ball attacking defensive lineman NFL teams covet. His challenge now is convincing NFL teams that he's tough enough to play nose tackle at 306 pounds, or that he has the quickness and athleticism to play tackle in a 4-3 system. "I've done a lot of switching," he said. "I played the zero (nose) in a 3-4 and played the one-technique (tackle) in a 4-3. I have played with both hands down. It just helps me. I have it all on film. "I don't really have a preference. I have more snaps (at tackle) so I guess I am most comfortable there." His competitiveness flared when a reporter suggested that at his size, he couldn't play nose tackle full time in the NFL.
http://www.detroitnews.com/print/article/20120225/SPORTS0101/202250408/Michigan-D... 4/27/2012
Michigan's Mike Martin ranks among top 4 defensive tackles in every combine event
UM Football
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Golf
By Kyle Meinke Michigan football reporter
Michigan's Mike Martin ranks among top 4 defensive tackles in every combine event Posted: Tue, Feb 28, 2012 : 5:59 a.m.
Topics: UM Football, Sports
INDIANAPOLIS -- Mike Martin arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine hoping to shake up the perception he isn’t athletic enough to be an early-round draft pick. He had no idea it’d be his hotel doing the shaking. “The hotel we stayed at, there was a freight train that rolled right by it -- like, a freight train,” the former Michigan defensive tackle said in an interview Monday. “Like, in the middle of the night, every hour-and-a-half, a train would go through and shake the whole hotel. “The first day, I didn’t know there was a train that ran through it, and I literally thought there was an earthquake that night, in the hotel. I ran out of my room in the middle of the night and was like, ‘Holy (crap)!’” It was just another hardship during a weekend of hardships for the participants. They had 4 a.m. drug tests after latenight team interviews, for example. They weren't given complete schedules, keeping them on their toes. And so on. It's designed to help sort the top prospects from the riffraff, and Martin responded spectacularly well. He came to the combine touting his bench press, but it was his overall performance in the field drills Monday that will leave the greatest impression. He finished among the top four defensive tackles in every event, a display of power and speed.
"The scrutiny and the pressure and everything that goes into the combine, and it all comes down to one day," Martin said. "It’s all a mental grind, and the last day, physically, you just got to be on top of your game. "The feedback from coaches was very positive, and that’s all I can really ask for. ... I did a really good job of boosting my draft stock today and put myself in a really good position going into the draft." Martin entered the weekend ranked the No. 13 tackle by ESPN and No. 10 by CBS. He remains slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, 306 pounds, but likely will get a bump in the rankings after his combine performance. A look at his field numbers (at 306 pounds, mind you): 40-yard dash: 4.88 seconds, third among defensive tackles. Three-cone: 7.19 seconds, third among defensive tackles. 20-yard shuttle: 4.25 seconds, second among defensive tackles. Vertical jump: 33.5 inches, fourth among defensive tackles Broad jump: 113.0 inches, first among defensive tackles. Martin said he poured more of his preparation into those drills as the combine drew near.
Former Michigan football player Mike Martin runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Monday.
http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/michigans-mike-martin-ranks-among-top-thr... 4/27/2012
Michigan's Mike Martin ranks among top 4 defensive tackles in every combine event
"My goal was to come down here and show my athleticism, and how smooth I transition getting out of the hole and making cuts," he said. "My strength wasn’t really something I was trying to showcase, because everyone already knows I’m strong.
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He finished in 4.88 seconds, third-best among defensive tackles. AP Photo
"But there was a question mark on how athletic I was, and I think I definitely (answered) that." As Martin channeled his combine prep into the speed drills, he backed off slightly on the bench press. That helps to explain why he posted only 36 reps, well short of his goal of 50. Of course, "only" is a relative term here. Martin fell 13 reps short, but still finished second in his position group. Memphis' Dontari Poe had 44. "It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t necessarily disappointed by it either," he said. "I was more worried about doing all the drills and showing my athleticism. I knew I was going to get a good amount of reps on the bench." Martin said because he did so well in Indianapolis, he does not expect to run or lift at Michigan's pro day March 15. He said he probably will do only positional drills with coaches. For now, he will return to his Novi apartment and resume workouts at BarwisMethods, although his regimen will transition into more football-specific work. He'll also be rubbing shoulders with a pair of NFL defensive linemen, LaMarr Woodley and Brandon Graham. Both are former Michigan stars. Martin hopes to join them as the Wolverines' next NFL defensive lineman. And now, he's one step closer. Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at
[email protected] and followed on Twitter @kmeinke. Tags: Mike Martin, Wolverines,
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Format Dynamics :: CleanPrint :: http://www.freep.com/article/20120229/SPORTS06/20...
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Michigan's Mike Martin shows off skills, strength at NFL combine
defensive line drills.
When Mike Martin went to the NFL combine last weekend in Indianapolis, the former Michigan defensive tackle was determined to show his full abilities.
His teammate, wide receiver Junior Hemingway, met his goal in the 40-yard dash (4.53 seconds) and was among the more athletic receivers, finishing first in the t hree-cone drill (6.59 seconds) and 20yard shuttle run (3.98 seconds) and second in the 60-yard shuttle run (11.16 seconds). His bench press (21 reps) was third among receivers.
While he was able to show off his strength -- tying for third among all players with 36 bench-press reps of 225 pounds -- he left Indianapolis more pleased about the balance. "I'm really happy," he said Tuesday. "I got some really good feedback from the coaches I talked to and had a few formal meetings. My goal was to showcase my athleticism, how quick and agile I was. It was not as much the bench press. In the NFL, you need to be an athlete, not just strong."
"The coaches want to see that see how competitive you are, how invested you are in wanting to be the best," he said of measuring up against other defensive tackles. "Definitely in the d-line drills, it was getting hyped and showing how much of a competitor you are."
The third U-M player attending, center David Molk, was limited from running drills coming off an injury but still had the second-most reps of any player in Indy on the bench press with 41. Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress. Advertisement
His other numbers reflected that as he ran an official 4.88 40-yard dash at 306 pounds -- he said a number of officials noted that -- and he was among the topperforming defensive tackles in other areas, including a 33.5-inch vertical jump, a 113-inch broad jump, 7.19 seconds in the three-cone drill and 4.25 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle run. Another area Martin stood out was in the
http://www.freep.com/fdcp/?unique=1335579591859
4/27/2012
The odd couple: Michigan's Mike Martin befriends Ohio State players in draft prep
UM Football
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Golf
By Kyle Meinke Michigan football reporter
The odd couple: Michigan's Mike Martin befriends Ohio State players in draft prep Posted: Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:59 a.m.
Topics: UM Football, Sports
The armistice that ended World War I was reached aboard a railroad car in a French forest. Civil War peace was hashed out at a courthouse in Appomattox, Va. For one Michigan Wolverine and one Ohio State Buckeye, it was a T.G.I. Friday's in the Atlanta International Airport. Former Michigan captain Mike Martin had a terrific Senior Bowl week in January, which helped to ignite the postseason draft momentum that has raised his pro stock. But while down in Mobile, Ala., he also got to know several former Buckeyes players, including center Mike Brewster and offensive tackle Mike Adams. He got particularly close to receiver DeVier Posey -- and they ended up on the same flight back from Alabama to Detroit. With a lengthy layover to kill in Atlanta, the two agreed to meet for lunch and hash some things out. "He’s an all right guy, actually," Martin deadpanned during a recent interview. "There’s just so much animosity and hatred toward each other('s programs), so there were a lot of things that needed to be said."
A Wolverine? Chilling with a Buckeye? "I couldn’t believe it," Martin said, laughing. "I couldn’t believe it. But he’s a good kid, man. They’re good guys. We text now and everything." Martin didn't divulge much about their conversation, but did say they found common ground while discussing the pressures weighing on them as they prepare for the NFL Draft. Martin is projected to be taken as late as the third round, but is hoping to rise into the first. Posey is fighting to break through the logjam of mid-round receivers. Both, obviously, have a lot at stake -- including hundreds of thousands of dollars and a shot at chasing their dreams. "Right now, that rivalry (stuff) all kind of goes out the window," Posey told AnnArbor.com last month at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "Right now, we’re the same guys going after the same dream. It’s not too weird.
Former Michigan defensive lineman Mike Martin. Melanie Mawell | AnnArbor.com
"There's hate, because of the game we play and the schools we played for, but people have to be people. And Mike's cool people." Posey is friends with a few Michigan players, including receiver Roy Roundtree, tight end Kevin Koger and tailback Mike Shaw. All four are Ohio natives. But for as close as he is to those guys, and now Martin, he remains bitter about how he closed his career against them. Posey won his first three games against the Wolverines, but lost the swan song, 40-34, last November. "It just capped off a bad year. No one wants to lose to Michigan," said Posey, who played in only three games last season because of a suspension. "But I’ll take our record versus Michigan, our senior class versus their senior class. "1-3 versus 3-1? I’ll take that."
http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/the-odd-couple-michigans-mike-martin-befri... 4/27/2012
The odd couple: Michigan's Mike Martin befriends Ohio State players in draft prep
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It wasn't all touchy-feely between Martin and the rival Buckeyes. After all, he drew attention throughout the Senior Bowl week for his frequent skirmishes with Brewster during their head-to-head battles. In some ways, it was a reprisal of their trench warfare in The Game. But things seem to have simmered between the two. "You think certain things about guys, and then you meet them, and most of them are pretty cool," Brewster said. "Me and Mike, I respect his game. We got after it at the Senior Bowl, but I really enjoyed that, and I’m sure he did too. "But we’re cool now. We’re all kind of in the same boat. We're just chasing dreams now, man." Mike Martin and the Buckeyes? An odd couple, indeed. Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at
[email protected] and followed on Twitter @kmeinke. Tags: Mike Martin, Wolverines,
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Format Dynamics :: CleanPrint :: http://www.freep.com/article/20120422/SPORTS06/20...
Michigan's Mike Martin makes a strong case for NFL draft prospects This NFL draft will be like many in recent years for Michigan, with only a few players likely to be picked. U-M has three to four potential draftees -the Wolverines haven't had more than three since the 2008 draft -- and none is a firstround prospect. That's mostly because all have a mixed bag of traits. Mike Martin, DT, projected second to third round: Martin is one of the draft's strongest players, as shown in the NFL combine, and he has an uncommon motor, shown repeatedly on film. His ability to continue to fight through double-teams and chase down ballcarriers from behind, while still producing in three to four different defenses during his career, shows his adaptability and versatility. His challenge is when teams get into measurables, as one site listed him as the fifth-shortest defensive tackle in the draft at 6-feet-1, while most of the top tackles are 6-4 or 65. Yet Martin has combated that at every turn, with a strong Senior Bowl performance, a powerful combine workout and his impressive interview skills. The character can only work in his favor.
http://www.freep.com/fdcp/?unique=1335579676140
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Junior Hemingway, WR, projected fourth to fifth round: Hemingway was an elite prospect out of high school because of his size and now is 6-1, 225 pounds. While it might not be as tall as some of the elite receivers, he has proven an ability to make a catch in traffic and a thirst for the big play. His biggest critiques entering the process were his speed -- at 4.53 it's good for his size but not blazing -- and his lack of production. While ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. blamed U-M's quarterback play, Hemingway was limited more by not playing in one of the passing spread offenses that allowed huge numbers for other receivers. With the exception of last season, Hemingway had a list of injuries, which also will be considered by prospective teams. But his flair for the dramatic and ability to shine in big spots is intriguing to teams. David Molk, C, projected sixth to seventh round: Molk is an interesting case because he is reportedly only getting fully healthy now. That was one aspect that limited his ability to show off for teams in Advertisement
4/27/2012
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the predraft process as he was still healing from the foot injury suffered at the Sugar Bowl. Kiper spoke this week about Molk's shorter arms being an obstacle to o vercome -- his size at 6-1, 288 also has been identified as a limiting issue -- but Molk's production in college was outstanding. He won the 2011 Rimington Award as the nation's best center. That's why ESPN.com has him listed as the thirdranked center. He played through many injuries, including in the Sugar Bowl where he was limited enough to not start the game, only entering after it was apparent U-M needed him, even restricted. Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress. com. Follow him on Twitter @freepwolverines.
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4/27/2012
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
CB COTY SENSABAUGH 4TH ROUND, 115TH OVERALL
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http://www.cstv.com/printable/schools/clem/sports/m-footbl/mtt/sensaba...
Class: Graduate Student Hometown: Kingsport, TN High School: Dobyns-Bennett
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 185 Position: CB Experience: 3VL Major: Communication Studies
Emerged as a pro prospect and the top defensive back on the team as a senior...had 87 tackles, two tackles for loss, four interceptions for 11 yards, two quarterback pressures, and 18 pass breakups in 1,550 snaps over 52 games (17 starts) in his career...had one interception in each of his four seasons. 2011: Permanent team co-captain...had 40 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception, two quarterback pressures, and a team-high 13 pass breakups in 993 snaps over 14 games (14 starts); the 993 snaps set a school record for a defensive player...played 194 more snaps than any other Tiger defender...tied for fifth in the ACC in passes defended per game (1.0)...had six tackles in a team-high 73 snaps against Troy on Sept. 3...had five tackles, a pass breakup, and a key interception in the red zone in the fourth quarter in 66 snaps against #19 Auburn on Sept. 17...had three tackles, a pass breakup, and two quarterback pressures in 56 snaps against #11 Florida State on Sept. 24...had four tackles and two pass breakups in 67 snaps at #10 Virginia Tech on Oct. 1...had four tackles in 59 snaps against Boston College on Oct. 8...had two tackles and two pass breakups in 85 snaps at Maryland on Oct. 15...had four tackles and a tackle for loss in 57 snaps against North Carolina on Oct. 22...had one tackle and two pass breakups in 75 snaps at N.C. State on Nov. 19...had three tackles and two pass breakups in 74 snaps at #13 South Carolina on Nov. 26; he limited Alshon Jeffery to only two receptions for 29 yards...had three tackles and two pass breakups in 89 snaps against #22 West Virginia in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4. 2010: Had 28 tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception, and two pass breakups in 352 snaps over 13 games (three starts)...started early in the season against Presbyterian College and Auburn...had two tackles in each of the first four games...had an interception in 42 snaps against North Texas...had four tackles in 24 snaps against Maryland...had three tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup in 60 snaps against #23 N.C. State...had four tackles in 31 snaps against South Florida.
04/25/2012 Former Tigers Look Forward to NFL Draft Branch, Allen and Thompson Should Be Chosen in First Couple Rounds 02/20/2012 Six Tigers to Take Part in NFL Combine Clemson Tied for 12th Nationally in Representatives 12/23/2011 Clemson Football Team Honored by AFCA For Academics Fourth Achievement Award for Clemson Program 11/15/2011 Watch Coach Swinney's Press Conference Live on TigerCast Tuesday at 11:00 AM The press conference will be broadcast live each week throughout the football season. 11/09/2011 Clemson Football Game Program Feature: Ready & Steady By Heath Bradley
12/04/2011 Clemson vs. Virginia Tech 2011 ACC Championship Postgame Celebration & Trophy Presentation (Photos by Vern Verna/Ai Wire and Tyler Smith) Clemson vs. Virginia Tech 2011 ACC Championship Postgame Celebration & Trophy Presentation (Vern Verna and Tyler Smith)
2009: Had an interception in the win over Florida State...played 23 snaps in that game and helped the Tigers contain Florida State's standout quarterback Christian Ponder...had career-high three tackles against TCU when he played 26 snaps...played 25 snaps in opener against Middle Tennessee...played on defense in 10 games and in 13 games overall...had two pass breakups for the year and both were in the game against Coastal Carolina. 2008: Second-team cornerback most of the year...did not play in the season-opener, but played in each of the last 12 contests...played special teams in 12 games and defense in nine games...played on defense in each of the last eight games...had his first career interception against Duke when he played a season-high 21 snaps...had two tackles against The Citadel in his first career game...had his first career pass breakup at Boston College...had five tackles, including two on special teams. 2007: Red-shirted. Before Clemson: Football and basketball standout at Dobyns-Bennett High School...team MVP on the gridiron during his senior season...coached by Graham Clark...started on both offense and defense at Dobyns-Bennett High School...top wideout on the team
4/28/2012 12:33 PM
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http://www.cstv.com/printable/schools/clem/sports/m-footbl/mtt/sensaba...
with 48 receptions for 915 yards and 14 touchdowns; he added four interceptions...selected to play in the Tennessee-Kentucky All-Star game...helped his team to the Big East Conference title along with a 12-1 record as a senior...his team advanced to the state quarterfinals; it was its second consecutive 12-1 campaign...had six receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns along with one interception against Science Hill High School...consensus all-state pick, including to the team chosen by the Tennessee Sportswriters Association...standout on the hardwood; he was a starting guard for two years and played in the East/West All-Star game...averaged a team-best 17.3 points per game as a junior when he helped Dobyns-Bennett High School to a 25-11 record...first-team All-NET selection as a junior...played AAU basketball during the summer of 2006...ran multiple events in track...recruited by Vic Koenning. Personal: Member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll in 2009-10...graduated on May 13, 2011 with a degree in communication studies...born Nov. 15, 1988.
4/28/2012 12:33 PM
TITANS 2012 DRAFTEE QUESTIONNAIRE COTY SENSABAUGH (4TH ROUND, 115TH OVERALL) PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Coty Alexander Sensabaugh
Nickname: Sense
Position: Cornerback
Father/caregiver's name and career: Kim Sensabaugh, works at Eastman Chemical Company
Height: 5-11 Weight: 189 Date of Birth: Nov. 15, 1988
Mother/caregiver's name and career: Becky Sensabaugh, works at BAE Systems
Birthplace: Kingsport, Tenn.
Siblings’ names and ages: Brothers Travis (36) and Jamaar (died from leukemia when Coty was 11)
Marital status: Single (has long-time girlfriend)
Agent: Christina Phillips
Children's names and ages (if applicable): None
COLLEGE College(s) attended: Clemson, 2007-11
College jersey number: 15
College Major: Communication studies
Significance of jersey number: Assigned to him
Redshirt season(s): 2007
Other sports played in college: None
Degree date/credits remaining: Graduated May 2011
College extracurricular activities/volunteerism: Played intramural basketball
College football positions played: Cornerback
HIGH SCHOOL High school (city, state): Dobyns-Bennett High School (Kingsport, Tenn.) Mascot: Indians
High school football positions played: WR, DB Other sports played in high school: Basketball four years; track (4x100, 100, 200, 4x200 events) two years
Year graduated: 2007
SOCIAL MEDIA Website: None Twitter: @cotysense15 Facebook page (for fans): No
Other social media (for fans): None
Titans 2012 Draftee Questionnaire OFF THE FIELD
Where were you when you were drafted, and who were you with? At his parents’ house in Kingsport with his agent, parents, two aunts, girlfriend, brother, sister-in-law, niece and a reporter from Charlotte Off-the-field interests/hobbies/unique talents: A self-described “shoe fanatic,” enjoys playing basketball and spending down time with his family Relatives or close childhood friends in professional sports: Second cousin to Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh; they grew up on the same street in Kingsport Close relatives currently or previously in the military: Has an uncle who previously served in military Any causes that are personal to you (e.g. breast cancer awareness, diabetes research, etc.): Plans on starting a non-profit in his brother’s name to raise money and awareness for leukemia; wants to be an active spokesperson for the cause Name a person that inspires you: “My parents. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. They made so many sacrifices to get me to this point. Not it’s paying off. They’ve taught me so many lessons along the way.” Most memorable college football moment: Winning the ACC Championship in his final season. Significant hurdles overcome in life and/or football career: The death of his brother when he was 11 and the death of his grandmother (Norma) when he was a senior in high school. On your “bucket list”: Wants to start a charitable foundation in his late brother’s name.
LIST OF FAVORITES Movie: Friday
Car: Range Rover
TV Show: Martin
Kind of food/restaurant: “My mom and dad’s cooking.”
Actor: Denzel Washington
Childhood sports hero: Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Deion Sanders
Music artist: Jay-Z School subject: History
Favorite pro teams: Miami Heat (because of Lebron James)
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
COTY SENSABAUGH (CLEMSON) DRAFTED 4TH ROUND, 115TH OVERALL SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012 CONFERENCE CALL WITH LOCAL MEDIA CB COTY SENSABAUGH (on if this is about where he thought he’d be drafted and if he’s excited to get drafted by his home-state team) It was great news because I’m from Tennessee. It’s just a blessing. I’m just happy to be able to participate in the NFL Draft, and being drafted and staying local—I don’t even know, words can’t even describe it. I don’t know what to say. (on if he was a Titans fan growing up in eastern Tennessee) I got to watch them, but I didn’t really have a favorite team growing up. I just enjoyed watching football, whoever it was I didn’t really have a specific preference. (on if he is related to Dallas Cowboys DB Gerald Sensabaugh) Yes, we are second cousins. We actually grew up together; we grew up on the same street and everything. He’s just a couple years older than me. (on what Gerald Sensabaugh taught him in preparation for the NFL Draft) Yes, he taught me everything I needed to know about this process. He gave me a lot of advice and walked me through everything step-by-step. He and my agent and my friends who are in the NFL, I got a lot of help from a lot of people. (on what Gerald Sensabaugh taught him specifically in preparation for the NFL Draft) He taught me so much, I don’t even know where to start. He taught me about the business part, how to be a man in the business, how to go about your business day in and day out, just everything. He’s just a blessing, and I’m happy to have him in my corner. (on if he knew the Titans were interested in him going into the draft) I had an idea. I didn’t if know they were going to pick me, but I had an idea that they liked me. (on if he has been watching the NFL Draft or doing something else while waiting to get drafted) I was actually watching the draft the entire time. (on where he expected to be drafted) No idea, I didn’t have any idea to be honest with you. (on his 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine) I ran a 4.37 unofficial and like a 4.42 official. (on what his best 40-yard dash time) I ran a 4.31 at Clemson, but I don’t know how that distinguishes between the Combine and what not, so I guess the Combine—we’ll say that’s the best one I guess. (on if his speed is his best attribute as a football player) No, I actually consider my knowledge of the game my best attribute. (on if he studies the game of football a lot, and if he’s always been a student of the game)
Titans 2011 Draft Transcript Yes, (the importance of studying the game) is something I just learned on my own really. (on if his speed is what got the attention of NFL teams) I have no idea. I would say that has something to do with it, just going back watching my film I guess. (on what he knows about Titans secondary) I know that safety Michael Griffin is still there and Jason McCourty. That is really all I know. I know one of my college teammates, running back Jamie Harper, is with the Titans. I’m not really familiar with their personnel, especially in the secondary. I’m going to get to know a lot of them real soon I’m sure. (on if he plans to call Jamie Harper for a quick scouting report on the secondary) I could if my phone was free. My phone is tied up. Everybody is blowing me up. I’ll talk to him in a couple of days. (on how eager he is to get back on football field since his last college game wasn’t the greatest defensive game ) I have a lot of great memories at Clemson. That was a bad game, but that can’t take away from what we did. We accomplished a lot that nobody expected us to accomplish. I’m just happy to be a part of the NFL. I’m just ready to start playing football. This was my dream growing up. I’m just excited about the opportunity. (on how early he thinks he can make an impact) It’s all in God’s hands. I’m going to work hard and let him take care of the rest. (on who called from the Titans to let him know he was being drafted) I talked to (Secondary) Coach (Brett) Maxie and like four other people. I couldn’t get all the names because everybody in my house was yelling. I know for a fact I talked to Coach Maxie. (on how many people are with him today) It’s probably about eight or nine of us. I didn’t want a whole lot of people because I knew it was going to be crazy. I just wanted a certain few people. I’m actually having a little get-together tonight. (on if he’s more of a man or zone cornerback) I would say man is my strength. The scheme I played in at Clemson, we played a lot of man. I feel if I was brought into a zone scheme I could excel in a zone scheme also. (on if he has ever been to a Titans game) No, I haven’t. (on if he thinks he can make an impact early like Cortland Finnegan did as a rookie) I hope so. I just want to come in and continue to help my team win. Whatever I can do to help the team win is what I have to do. (on playing outside or slot cornerback) I played mostly outside, but also played in the slot some too, nickel and dime. (on who wins a race between him and collegiate teammate and current Titans RB Jamie Harper) I think I got him. (on if he can do backflips like Jamie Harper) No. Jamie has a little bit more bounce with those backflips. I can’t do all of that.
No longer an afterthought: Coty Sensabaugh grows into mainstay role for Tigers : Orange... Page 1 of 2
No longer an afterthought: Coty Sensabaugh grows into mainstay role for Tigers Dabo Swinney: 'He’s been a five-year work-in-progress. He very conscientious. Football’s important to him and he wants to be a great player' By Kerry Capps Friday, November 18, 2011
Five years ago, Coty Sensabaugh was a recruiting afterthought. Literally. On signing day in 2007, Tommy Bowden and Vic Koenning made a late move for the speedy-but-slight senior at Dobyns-Bennett High in Kingsport, TN. Sensabaugh – long committed to Appalachian State – decided to up the ante on his college football career and signed with Clemson. After redshirting in 2007, Sensabaugh made his debut in 2008 as a special teams player and eventual second-team cornerback. As the young guy in a secondary filled with future NFL draft picks, Sensabaugh was often a target for opposing passing attacks. He won some match-ups, lost others, learned from his successes and failures, and through the course of his four-year career has grown at every step. Today Dabo Swinney counts Sensabaugh as one of the Tigers’ most reliable defensive players. Entering Clemson’s game Saturday against NC State, Sensabaugh has played 681 snaps – more than any player on Clemson’s defense, and more than double the total from his first three seasons – and has made 32 tackles, with two interceptions and six PBUs. On Saturday, he’ll play in his 48th game as a Tiger. “He’s gone from being a guy we took on signing day to an NFL prospect,” said Swinney. “Scouts really, really like Coty. He’s improved each year – he’s been a fiveyear work-in-progress. He very conscientious. Football’s important to him and he wants to be a great player.
http://www.orangeandwhite.com/news/2011/nov/18/no-longer-afterthought-coty-sensabau... 4/28/2012
No longer an afterthought: Coty Sensabaugh grows into mainstay role for Tigers : Orange... Page 2 of 2
“He had a lot of limitations when he got here, physically in particular. He was very small, and he’s worked his tail off to develop physically and as a player.” Now 6-0 and 180 pounds, the May, 2011 graduate had one of his most effective performances last weekend in helping hold Wake Forest’s Chris Givens to four catches for 34 yards, with a long reception of 13 yards. “Part of the reason for that is that Coty Sensabaugh is in his grill, playing great technique,” Swinney said. “Coty’s done that all year long and has gotten better and better and better. He’s going to have a real chance (to play in the NFL). He’s had some very good players that he’s learned from and backed up for most of his career.” Against NC State, Sensabaugh will likely find himself matched against T.J. Graham – another big-play threat, and the intended target for a fourth-down pass that Sensabaugh knocked loose to seal the Tigers’ 14-13 victory over the Wolfpack last season. “I’m very proud of Coty,” said Swinney. “He’ll be a captain for us this week, and I’m just excited about how he’s finishing his Clemson career, and the opportunity that he’s going to have to play after Clemson. He’s just a really, really key player for us this year.”
© 2012 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online
http://www.orangeandwhite.com/news/2011/nov/18/no-longer-afterthought-coty-sensabau... 4/28/2012
Former D-B Star Coty Sensabaugh Enjoying Banner Senior Year at Clemson
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Former D-B Star Coty Sensabaugh Enjoying Banner Senior Year at Clemson by Bucky Dent TriCitiesSports.com September 28, 2011 Coty Sensabaugh may be the secondary’s leader for arguably the top team in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but he hasn’t forgotten his Dobyns-Bennett roots. “I still try to keep up with them when I have time,” he said before practice Monday. “Coach (Graham) Clark and coach (Rodney) Burton were major role models for me in high school. I learned a lot from them that has helped me.” Coty Sensabaugh Sensabaugh has played more snaps than any defensive player for Clemson, which
APRIL 28, 2012 HEADLINES THE FRONT PAGE · Scoring Snafu Hands Lady Indians Big 8 Crown Over THS · Foreman Repeats Triple Titles as Indians Race to Big 8 Title DANIEL BOONE · Cox Paces Boone Past Unicoi County DOBYNS-BENNETT · East Splits First Two in Wayne Hodge State Farm Classic
brings a 4-0 record and a No. 13 ranking into Blacksburg for a Saturday night showdown with defending ACC champ Virginia Tech.
SCIENCE HILL
The 6-foot-0, 185-pound Sensabaugh has 15 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception in four games. A graduate student who’s already earned his degree in communication studies, Sensabaugh has been part of a tumultuous four years at Clemson.
· Tennessee High, Science Hill Battle to Draw
Recruited by Vic Koenning, the defensive coordinator under Tommy Bowden, Sensabaugh signed with Clemson in February 2007. After redshirting as a freshman, Sensabaugh got to play in 12 games in 2008, when the Tigers got off to a slow start and cost Bowden his job. Under new coach Dabo Swinney, Sensabaugh played in a backup role in 2009, finishing with 14 tackles and a key interception in a late-season win over Florida State. Last year, Sensabaugh picked up the first three starts of his career and had 28 tackles, but was slowed by a turf toe injury as Clemson wound up a disappointing 6-7.
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With rumors swirling that Swinney might be in trouble if the Tigers got off to a bad start this year, all they’ve done is beat 2010 national champion Auburn and preseason ACC favorite Florida State.
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Suddenly, Clemson’s the flavor du jour and new quarterback Tajh Boyd is a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate. “I don’t think there’s much difference between last year and this year,” Sensabaugh said. “The only thing is we’re making plays at the end of games to win them. There’s such a fine line between winning and losing at this level and we were on the wrong side of it last year.” Saturday’s 35-30 win over Florida State was another example of that. While Boyd lost a fumble which was returned for a touchdown, he also threw for 344 yards and three scores on 22-of-35 accuracy. Sensabaugh contributed three tackles and a pass breakup, although he was beaten for a TD in the fourth quarter. “I think I’ve played well so far,” Sensabaugh said, “but I can always improve. You look across the board and name something – I promise you I can get better at it.” “He did get one thrown over him, but if you are going to play cornerback in the ACC, you’re going to get one thrown over you occasionally,” Clark said. “You can’t have a conscience. I thought Coty played well.” Clark got used to Sensabaugh playing well during his days at D-B. In his senior year, Sensabaugh caught 48 passes for 915 yards and 14 touchdowns while picking up four interceptions on defense. In a win over Science Hill, Sensabaugh collected six catches for 148 yards and two TDs, as well as a pick.
JOHNSON CITY HONDA INVITATIONAL
A consensus all-state pick by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association, Sensabaugh also starred in basketball, averaging 17.3 points as a junior when the Indians went 25-11 and playing in the state coaches’ association All-Star Game after his senior year. Clark said Sensabaugh’s work ethic is one of his top attributes. “They give a Hard Hat Award every week to the guy who has done the most to help Clemson get ready to win a football game and then win the game,” Clark said. “Cody has been the award-winner two of the four weeks.” Can it be three of five? That will be determined in Blacksburg, the first hostile environment in which the Tigers have toiled this year. “I think we’re ready to play up there,” Sensabaugh said. “We’ve got good leadership on this team. I know Lane Stadium’s a tough place to play, but the coaches will have us ready. They will have a good game plan in place.”
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Coty Sensabaugh
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Clemson cornerback Coty Sensabaugh Height 5'11 was one of the biggest risers leaving the Weight 189 NFL scouting combine and his stock has 40x 4.42 continued to rise since that point. For Bench Press 15 native of Kingsport, TN Sensabaugh Broad Jump 10'2 ranked in top four categories among the Vertical Jump 37 cornerbacks in three different tests. His 20 Yrd Shuttle 4.06 10’2 broad jump, 37 inch vertical and 3-Code Drill 6.60 Projected Draft Stock 4-6 6.60 3-cone stood out while posting a Combine Invite Yes 4.42 forty and worth mentioning was All Star Invites Players' All-Star some clocks had him around 4.37. The Twitter @cotysense15 cousin of Dallas Cowboys starting S Gerald Sensabaugh led the Tigers in snaps played (904) and pass break-ups Clemson, CB (11) in 2011. ◦ LISTEN IN with future NFL defensive back Coty Sensabaugh Path To The Draft "It’s pretty much been a grind, like a true 3 month grind. Right after the season ended I started training Florida with Tony Villani of XPE Sports, and I also had a All-Star game to play in so I played in the All-S January and then I did the combine then was the pro day, now I’ve just been working out and training tr for the big day." When NFL Was In His Sights "I’ve always had confidence in myself and always believed in myself, but like you said you never know happen until you get out there more and more, and here your name out there. I would say, I don’t know during my senior season, I don’t remember the exact date but it was sometime during my senior seaso Who He Might Resemble "I would say with my style of play and especially with all my knowledge of the game compares to one o teammates Marcus Gilchrist, who’s with the San Diego Chargers he was a rookie this year and also Co because my defensive backs coach at Clemson coached him at LSU and that’s who he compared me t What Scouts Might Miss
http://college2pro.com/articles/273/nfl-mock-draft-coty-sensabaugh-sc-54/
4/28/2012
Coty Sensabaugh
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"I would say the biggest part of my game that goes unnoticed is my hands. I dropped a few interception heard a lot of people saying I can’t catch the ball, I don’t have any ball skills but I was actually an All-St coming out of high school so I have pretty good hands but I just dropped a few last year so it magnified What Will Get Him Noticed "I feel the strongest part of my game is just my knowledge of the game, like I really learn defenses, stud study my opponents, just my overall knowledge of the game." College2Pro.com Perspective High character. Good athlete who has solid movement and is pretty fluid in his backpedal and turns. Sh coverage skills. Can plant and drive on the ball. Isn't afraid and will step up in run support. Shows flash teams want to cover corner. Talent is there to make NFL roster.
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4/28/2012
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
TE TAYLOR THOMPSON 5TH ROUND, 145TH OVERALL
TAYLOR THOMPSON TIGHT END 6-6, 259 SOUTHERN METHODIST During his four years as a Mustang, Thompson competed in 49 games, finishing his career with 43 straight starts at defensive end. The Prosper, Texas, native amassed 139 tackles, including 22.5 for loss, to go along with his 18 sacks. The three-time All-Conference USA selection and two-time first-team player had a team-high eight sacks during his final season to go with his six forced fumbles which was second in the conference. Prior to the season, Thompson was selected to the Lombardi Award, Nagurski Award and Pony Express Award watch lists. Senior (2011): Started every game in 2011 and 43 straight overall... Notched 44 stops, including 9.5 for loss with a team-high eight sacks... Ranked second in the conference with six forced fumbles... Tied a career-high in tackles with eight in the season opener at Texas A&M... Accounted for four tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles versus Tulane... Selected to the Lombardi Award, Nagurski Award and Pony Express Award watch lists... SMU defense ranked second in total defense in C-USA. Junior (2010): Started in all 14 games at defensive end... Named First Team Conference USA... Posted 32 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and three QB hurries on the season... Recorded a sack for an 11-yard loss and a pass breakup against UAB... Notched 1.5 sacks against Washington State... Had five tackles against TCU... Recorded a season-high seven tackles at Navy... Notched a sack and three tackles at Tulane... Had two QB hurries and three tackles at UTEP... Posted a sack and four tackles against Marshall. Sophomore (2009): Named honorable mention All-C-USA by the league's coaches... Started all 13 games... Had 40 tackles and a team-high 5.5 sacks on the year... Had perhaps his biggest play of the season when he sacked UTEP quarterback Trevor Vittatoe to end the final Miner scoring threat and clinch an SMU win and bowl berth... Had a season-high seven tackles at Houston... Blocked a PAT in the UAB win, a block which forced UAB to go for a two-point conversion at the end of the game - a conversion SMU stopped - as the Mustangs snapped a 17-game Conference USA losing streak and a 15game road losing streak. Freshman (2008): Played in nine games, starting the last three... Had 23 tackles on the year... Notched a season-best eight stops at UTEP... Had four-tackle games against Memphis and Southern Miss. Prep: Ranked as the No. 38 tight end in the nation by Rivals.com, No. 37 by Scout.comand No. 41 by ESPN.com ... A three-star prospect... A member of Dave Campbell's Super Team and All-Texas High School Team... Chose SMU over Vanderbilt, Colorado State and Oklahoma State... Caught 58 passes for 960 yards and a touchdown as a senior.
GP 9 13 14 13 49
GP 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
13
2008 Totals (Fr.) 2009 Totals (So.) 2010 Totals (Jr.) 2011 Totals (Sr.) Career Totals
2011 Games at Texas A&M UTEP Northwestern St at Memphis at TCU UCF at Southern Miss at Tulsa Tulane Navy at Houston Rice vs. Pittsburgh
2011 Totals
THOMPSON, Taylor - #8
13
GS 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
GS 3 13 14 13 43
24
1
2
20
1 1 4
2 2 2 2
Ast 7 2
Ast 11 14 16 24 65
2 2 3 3 2
Tackles Solo 12 26 16 20 74 Tackles Solo 1 1 1 1 2
44
3
Total 8 3 1 3 4 2 4 2 4 4 6
Total 23 40 32 44 139
9.5
48
7
1
0.5 2
9 6
7 8 6 4
1.5 1 1 1.5
1 1
Yds
Yds 4 31 24 48 107
TFL
TFL 1.5 6 5.5 9.5 22.5
8
1
1 1
1.5 1 1 1.5
No.
Sacks No. 0 5.5 4.5 8 18
46
6
9 6
7 8 6 4
0
0
0
Passes Defended Int Yds BrUp 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 Passes Defended Yds Int Yds BrUp Yds 0 30 23 46 99
2
1 1
QBH
QBH 1 6 3 2 12
1
1
FR
5
5
Yds
6
1 2
1
1 1
FF
1
1
No
5
5
Yds
Fumbles - FF & FR Fumble Returns FR Yds FF Att Yds 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 6 1 5 1 5 6 1 5
5.0
5.0
Avg
5.0 5.0
Avg
0
TD
TD 0 0 0 0 0
5
0
0
Ja'Gared Davis
CAREER SACKS 1 Luke Johnson, 1997-99 2 Justin Rogers, 2003-06 3 Anthony Beverly, 1981-84 4 Chad Patton, 1990-93 Thompson, Taylor 6 Jerry Ball, 1983-86
Blocked Kicks & Safeties BK Saf 0 0 CAREER AWARDS 1 0 2011 0 0 Lombardi Award watch list 0 0 Nagurski Award watch list 1 0 Pony Express Award watch list Preseason All-C-USA 1st Team LG BK Saf Campbell's TX Football All-Texas 1st Tm 2010 All-C-USA 1st Team 2009 All-C-USA Honorable Mention LG
16.5
23.5 19.5 19 18 18 17
THOMPSON 2010 Games at Texas Tech UAB Washington St TCU at Rice Tulsa at Navy Houston at Tulane at UTEP Marshall at East Carolina at UCF Army 2010 Totals THOMPSON 2009 Games Stephen F Austin at UAB at Washington St at TCU East Carolina Navy at Houston at Tulsa Rice UTEP at Marshall Tulane vs. Nevada 2009 Totals THOMPSON 2008 Games at Rice Texas State at Texas Tech TCU at Tulane at UCF Tulsa Houston at Navy Memphis at UTEP Southern Miss 2008 Totals
GS 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13
1 1 1 3
GP 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13
GP DNP DNP DNP 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9
3 5
2
3 1 5 2
1 1 1 2 3 2 2 12
1 1 6 2 11
1
Ast
14
2 2
5 2 1
Ast
16
16
Solo 2 3
1
1 2
6
1 1 4
Ast
1
1 1 2 1 4
Tackles Solo 1 2 1 1 1
1 1 26 Tackles GS Solo
GS 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 14
GP 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 14
1 2 1 3 4 8 4 23
Total
5 1 5 7 2 4 5 2 3 1 40
Total 2 3
32
2
7 1 3 3 4
Total 1 3 2 5 1
4 4
1.5
Yds
12 1 1 3 31
1.5
TFL
2 0.5 0.5 1 6
1 4
9
1
0.5 0.5
Yds
TFL
24
4
1
5.5
2
1
1
1
11 6
Yds
1 1.5
TFL
0
No.
0.5 1 5.5
2
0.5 0.5
1
No.
4.5
1
1
1 1.5
No.
Int
0 Yds
0
1
1
1
1
BrUp
2
1
1
Passes Defended Int Yds BrUp
0
0
0
0
0 0 4 Passes Defended Yds Int Yds BrUp
1 3 30
12
1 4
9
Yds
23
4
2
11 6
Yds
1
1
QBH
6
2 2
1
QBH 1
3
2
QBH 1
0
FR
0
FR
0
FR
0
Yds
0
Yds
0
Yds
0
FF
0
FF
0
FF
0
No
0
No
0
No
Avg
Avg
Avg
0 #####
Yds
0 #####
Yds
0 #####
Yds
0
TD
0
TD
0
TD
LG
LG
LG
0
BK
1
1
BK
0
BK
0
Saf
0
Saf
0
Saf
Blocked PAT
TITANS 2012 DRAFTEE QUESTIONNAIRE TAYLOR THOMPSON (5TH ROUND, 145TH OVERALL) PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Taylor Nicholas Thompson
Nickname: None
Position: Tight end
Father/caregiver's name and career: Ron Thompson, works at insurance company
Height: 6-6
Mother/caregiver's name and career: Linda Thompson, works at a dentist’s office
Weight: 259 Date of Birth: Oct. 19, 1989 Birthplace: Plano, Texas
Siblings’ names and ages: Sister Morgan (19); brother Trevor (15)
Marital status: Single
Agent: Graylan Crain
Children's names and ages (if applicable): None
COLLEGE College(s) attended: Southern Methodist, 2008-11
College jersey number: 8
College Major: Philosophy
Significance of jersey number: “just liked the number”
Redshirt season(s): None
Other sports played in college: None
Degree date/credits remaining: 15 hours remaining College football positions played: Defensive end (switched from wide receiver/defensive end/punter in high school)
HIGH SCHOOL High school (city, state): Prosper (Texas) High School
Other sports played in high school: Basketball four years, track four years (100, 200, high jump and long jump), baseball two years (pitcher), golf two years
Mascot: Eagles Year graduated: 2008 High school football positions played: WR, DE, P (was alldistrict punter)
SOCIAL MEDIA Website: None Twitter: None Facebook page (for fans): None
Other social media (for fans): None
Titans 2012 Draftee Questionnaire OFF THE FIELD
Where were you when you were drafted, and who were you with? Golfing in Houston with former teammates Pat Fleming, Justin Smart and Szymon Czerniak Off-the-field interests/hobbies/unique talents: Likes to do anything outdoors, including golf, fishing, rock climbing and other “extreme” sports Relatives or close childhood friends in professional sports: None Most memorable college football moment: The Hawaii Bowl against Nevada in 2009 (first SMU bowl game in 25 years) Significant hurdles overcome in life and/or football career: Didn’t play football until his sophomore year in high school On your “bucket list”: Wants to swim in Devil’s Pool at Victoria Falls in Africa Other interesting personal facts: plays guitar and “a little bit of” piano; was recruited to Vanderbilt as a tight end
LIST OF FAVORITES Movie: Super Troopers
Car: 1970 Chevelle
TV Show: Workaholics
Book or author: Philosophy books
Actor: Vince Vaughn
Video game: Call of Duty
Music artist: Chopin and other classical music; got into classical music because of a good friend from Europe
Kind of food/restaurant: Sushi
School subject: Psychology
Favorite pro teams: New York Yankees, Texas Rangers
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
TAYLOR THOMPSON (SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY) DRAFTED 5TH ROUND, 145TH OVERALL SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012 CONFERENCE CALL WITH LOCAL MEDIA TE TAYLOR THOMPSON (on the switch from defensive end to tight end) At first it was a challenge to switch back over, or even to switch from tight end to defensive end in college, but it was what the team needed and it was best for the Mustangs. It was kind of out of necessity that I did that and it took a while for me to learn how to do it, but now I am back playing tight end again, so it feels natural. (on when he started moving back towards playing tight end) It was really towards the end of my season at SMU. We had about a week and a half before the bowl game and Coach (June) Jones had a package that he put in with big guys, and he and Coach (Dan) Morrison were talking to me after practice one day and offered to get me into the All-Star Game as a tight end. I started the NFL draft as a defensive end and then I had a lot of teams that wanted to draft me as a tight end, so I went that way. (on why he decided to decommit to Vanderbilt out of high school) I was planning on actually going to Nashville out of high school, and switched to SMU about a week before I signed. I was from Texas and I just had cold feet. My family was in Texas and I decided to stay close to home. (on the irony of coming to Nashville after college) Yeah it is. It’s kind of funny how that happened and how things work out that way. I guess I was meant to go to Nashville after all. (on what he brings to the table as a tight end) Since I played defensive end for the past four years in college, I kind of have the mindset of the opponent. That’s a huge thing in football is to understand the enemy. I have that athletic side of me that I can bring to offense that I can really be an aggressive and athletic tight end to help make plays in the pass game and in the run game. (on who he thinks he compares with in the NFL) Yeah, I would say (Rob) Gronkowski with the Patriots, he is a big physical guy. (Jimmy) Graham with the Saints, he is just an athlete who is a basketball player who decided to try out for football his last year of college. Any of the big physical guys who can make plays and run down the field that can also help in the run game. (on the skill of his hands) I have great hands. (on if he ever worked out with the Titans) No, I didn’t. I went up there and visited there a couple weeks ago in Nashville. I went in for a physical and met the coaches. I talked to Coach Z (John Zernhelt) for a little bit and a couple of players, but no, I didn’t have a workout with them. (on his current speed) Right now I’m probably a 4.5. I have run 4.4s before. I would say that I’m one of the fastest at this position.
(on how difficult it was to lose 30 pounds or so) I probably actually lost about 15-20 over the course of my senior year and going into the bowl game. I probably played senior year at about 275. I’ve gotten down to 260, high 250’s. Right now I’m about 265. It’s all about diet.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
(on if he could have made it in the NFL as a defensive end) Oh yeah. I definitely could have done that. It would have been tougher for me because of my build. I’m more of a tall guy. To hold weight takes a lot of work. It’s probably easier for me to play at 265 versus 285. I feel more fluid and functional and it’s definitely easier on my body. (on when he visited with Titans if they gave any indication how he could be used with the team) We only discussed a little bit because I didn’t play the position in college. As an overall perspective I really like their philosophy with being functional. Coach Z (John Zernhelt) is a really good coach, the tight ends coach there. He is a really great guy. I think it’s going to be a really great fit with us. (on if he was surprised where he went in the draft) Obviously there were questions because there is no film on me in college. I’ve played obviously, as a tight end. I’ve had about 10 workouts as a tight end. I had the Pro Day as a tight end. It was, I think, just enough film on me to make me a prospect. But, I think that was definitely one of the things that was holding me down. (on which other teams he met with) I visited Baltimore, the Jaguars, the Raiders, the Seahawks, the Bears, the Packers, the Bengals and Eagles. I think I had one or two more. (on how many receptions he had in the All-Star Game) I had two receptions in that game. (on how many yards he had in All-Star Same) I think 50-55 yards. There were four tight ends in the game. It was all about splitting time. It was all about the practices because I had tons and tons of reps in practice. The coaches could watch me and evaluate and really get an idea of how I can play the tight end position. It was more about practices. (on how he switched from tight end to defensive end in college) I knew that the coach ran the spread over there, or back at Hawaii, I was thinking maybe I can play there as a wide receiver. In high school our offense was a spread offense. I was kind of spread out more often than usual. I ended up getting there and bulked up to about 250, which in a spread offense isn’t the best. I ended up getting switched over to defense. Everything was uphill from there I guess. (on if he thinks he would have been better off if he stayed at tight end) It’s hard to say because we had so much success at SMU. We went to our first bowl game in 25 years while I was there and went to two others after that. It’s hard to say because of how everything has played out. I hate to look back and regret anything because I have learned so much. I’m happy the way it played out. (on if he expects to be involved in special teams) Definitely. It may take me a little bit to adjust to learn the system. I think that with my defensive background I will be finding myself on special teams. (on what he thinks about Titans quarterback position) I think it’s going to come down to who can help the team the best. Who’s going to be the guy, it’s hard to say. Hopefully we will get it all figured out and get it rolling by next season.
Taylor Thompson | Southern Methodist, TE : 2012 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile
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Name: Taylor Thompson College: Southern Methodist Number: 8 Height: 6-6 Weight: 259 Position: TE Pos2: DE Class/Draft Year: Sr/2012 40 Time: 4.57 40 Low: 4.52 40 High: 4.68 Projected Round: 3-4 Stock: High: 3 Low: 5-6 108 / 1971 TOTAL Rated number 5 out of 73 TE's
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Round 5, Pick 10, Overall Pick 145 by Titans
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Taylor Thompson, DS #5 TE, Southern Methodist
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Draft Scout Snapshot: 2010: Started in all 14 games at defensive end... Named First Team Conference USA... Posted 32 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and three QB hurries on the season. 2009: Named honorable mention All-C-USA by the league's coaches… Started all 13 games… Had 40 tackles and a team-high 5.5 sacks on the year… Had perhaps his biggest play of the season when he sacked UTEP quarterback Trevor Vittatoe to end the final Miner scoring threat and clinch an SMU win and bowl berth… Blocked a PAT in the UAB win, a block which forced UAB to go for a two-point conversion at the end of the game - a conversion SMU stopped - as the Mustangs snapped a 17-game Conference USA losing streak and a 15-game road losing streak. 2008: Played in nine games, starting the last three… Had 23 tackles on the year… Notched a season-best eight stops at UTEP.
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Titans have traded up from No. 155 to Miami's pick No. 145 and selected Southern Methodist tight end Taylor Thompson #TitansDraft 3 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite JJ_Malone_ RT @tennesseetitans: The
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Draft Scout Taylor Thompson News 12/16/11 - 2011 CONFERENCE USA FIRST TEAM (COACHES): DL-Taylor Thompson, Sr., SMU, has been selected All-Conference USA First Team for the 2011 college football season as selected by the league's 12 head football coaches. Defensive end Taylor Thompson had 41 stops, 7.5 for loss, six forced fumbles and a team-high seven sacks in 2011. - SMU football 08/11/11 - 2011 PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE USA TEAM (COACHES): DL Taylor Thompson, Sr., SMU, has been selected to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team for the 2011 college football season as selected by the league's coaches. Thompson, a native of Prosper, Texas, started in all 14 games last season and was named All-Conference USA First Team. An anchor in SMU's 3-4 defense, the Nagurski and Lombardi Award Watch List member posted 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and three QB hurries on the season. - SMU football 08/10/11 - 2011 PRESEASON TED HENDRICKS AWARD WATCH LIST: Taylor Thompson, SMU, has been named one of 35 players selected to the Ted Hendricks Award Watchlist for the 2011 college football season, honoring the nation’s top defensive end. Thompson, a native of Prosper, Texas, started in all 14 games last season and was named All-Conference USA First Team. An anchor in SMU's 3-4 defense, he posted 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and three QB hurries on the season. He is one of just four Conference USA players on the list. He has previously been tabbed pre-season All-C-USA and was named to the Nagurski and Lombardi Award Watch Lists. - SMU football 07/13/11 - 2011 ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Taylor Thompson, DE, SMU, (1st Team All-CUSA, 2nd on team with 5.5 sacks), has been selected to the Rotary Lombardi Award Preseason watch list for the 2011 college football season. Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense of defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, and linebackers who set up no father than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. This is the 42nd year that the Rotary Lombardi Award has named the nation’s college lineman of the year. - The Rotary Lombardi Award Committee 07/11/11 - 2011 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Taylor Thompson, SMU, DE, has been selected one of 87 players named to Preseason Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List for the 2011 college football season. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club. Thompson, a native of Prosper, Texas, started in all 14 games last season and was named All-Conference USA First Team. An anchor in SMU's 3-4 defense, he posted 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and three QB hurries on the season. He is one of just five Conference USA players on the list. - SMU football
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GOSSELIN: SWITCH FROM DE TO TE HELPING SMU'S TAYLOR THOMPSON NFL STOCK RISE RICK GOSSELIN DALLAS MORNING NEWS APRIL 16, 2012 The New England Patriots changed the way the NFL uses tight ends in 2011. The New Orleans Saints changed the way the NFL drafts them in 2010. So the Patriots are forcing their competitors to look for tight ends — and the Saints are forcing them to look for a different type of tight end. Enter Taylor Thompson of SMU. Thompson built himself into a draftable NFL prospect as a defensive end for the Mustangs. A three-year starter, Thompson was a two-time All-Conference USA selection with 11 1/2 sacks over his final two seasons. He also finished fourth in the nation last year with six forced fumbles. Pass rushers are always a premium commodity in the NFL. But Thompson has told the pros he wants to play tight end — and that decision may improve his draft stock. “I know some teams liked him as a defensive end,” SMU coach June Jones said, “but a lot of teams took him off the [draft] board when he told them he wanted to play tight end. After his workout, though, they were putting his name right back up there.” Thompson was not invited to the NFL scouting combine so his campus workout meant everything to him. And what a workout it was. He measured almost 6-6, 259 pounds, ran a 4.56 in the 40-yard dash and launched a vertical jump of 37 inches. His measurables are comparable to those of Jimmy Graham, whom the
Saints drafted in the third round in 2010. Graham went 6-6, 260 pounds and ran a 4.56 and with a 38 1/2 vertical jump. Inside of two seasons, Graham became the best tight end in the NFL with 99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2011. And Graham didn’t have much more experience at tight end than Thompson. Graham played basketball at Miami for three years then quit to play football as a senior. He caught only 17 passes in his one season for the Hurricanes for 215 yards and five touchdowns. But it was his size, speed, athleticism and promise that got him drafted. That’s why NFL teams are doubling back on Thompson this spring — that same package of size and athleticism. He already has an impressive 10 visits lined up with NFL teams, and tight end coaches have paraded to the SMU campus this month to work him out. His skill set is attractive because of what the Patriots did with their two tight end formation last season, flanking Rob Gronkowski or Aaron Hernandez and sometimes both to create defensive headaches on the way to a 13-3 season. Gronkowski goes 6-6, 265 pounds and Hernandez 6-1, 245. They can outrun linebackers and safeties and overpower cornerbacks. So they became go-to guys for quarterback Tom Brady with Gronkowski catching 90 passes and an NFLleading 17 touchdowns and Hernandez 79 passes and nine touchdowns. The same holds true for Graham. How do you cover him? And the same could hold true for Thompson. That’s what he and Jones are banking. Thompson was an all-state tight end in high school at Prosper. He was offered scholarships by SMU to play defensive end and Vanderbilt to play tight end. He chose to play close to home, thus
putting his tight end skills on the shelf — until November of last fall. Jones pulled Thompson aside with four games left in his senior season and told him he might want to consider working out for NFL teams as a tight end in addition to defensive end to increase his options. “So those last few weeks he started catching a lot of balls, running more and getting himself ready for the workout days,” Jones said. “I noticed he was losing weight. In the bowl game he was down from 285 to 260. After the bowl he told me he was going to go as a tight end. “He can run, catch and he’s a smart guy. His numbers are unbelievable. He’s kind of freaky, athletically. If he hadn’t told everybody he was going to play tight end, he’d might been a second- or third-round pick at defensive end.” Thompson stayed after practice that final month of the regular season, spending 30-40 minutes catching footballs from the Jugs machine and passes from quarterbacks. So secure hands accompanied him to his workout. It will be intriguing to see how high Thompson can climb on draft boards in a very short period of time. He could be SMU’s highest drafted player of the June Jones era at a position he didn’t even play. ###
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
S MARKELLE MARTIN 6TH ROUND, 190TH OVERALL
MARKELLE MARTIN Free Safety Oklahoma State University Cowboys #10 6:00.6-207 Wichita Falls, Texas S.H. Rider High School OVERVIEW While Deion Sanders made the nickname “Primetime” his trademark, perhaps Martin can lease the name from the Hall Of Famer, based on his postseason performances alone. Even though the coaches called the defensive back the Cowboys’ starting strong safety, he is blessed with the combination of speed and impact hitting skills that begs to see this player be allowed to roam the field and wreak havoc, much like he has done for OSU the last two years. During his sophomore campaign, Martin’s most productive game of the season came in the Cotton Bowl with nine tackles and a pass break-up in the defense’s impressive outing vs. Mississippi. As a junior, he was selected Alamo Bowl Player of the Game, as he had just four tackles, and also returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown and broke up two more passes in a 36-10 defeat of Arizona. The following year, he again garnered player of the game honors, as he shined in the Cowboys’ Fiesta Bowl win over Stanford, as he matched a season-high with nine tackles, adding a fumble recovery and a stop for loss. Martin might be a better fit as a free safety at the next level, as he has the foot speed (timed at 4.45 seconds in the 40yard dash prior to his injury) and length to handle slot receivers, tight ends and backs coming out of the backfield in multiple-receiver sets. He does a very good job of anticipating the ball ion flight and maintains a tight relationship with the receiver throughout the route’s progression. By allowing him to roam the field as a free safety, teams can take advantage of his skills reading the quarterback and his ability to make plays on action in front of him. He is also a solid performer inside the red zone, where he shows good balance off the back line to prevent the fade routes and also has the straight-ahead burst to close on action in front of him. During his playing days at S.H. Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas, Martin played both safety positions, in addition to competing as a wide receiver. He first began to receive national recruiting attention when he earned All-State honors as th th a junior. By his senior season, Rivals.com rated him the 15 -best safety in the nation and the state of Texas’ 27 -best player. He received Super Prep All-Region honors and was named his district’s Defensive Player of the Year. In 2007, Martin recorded 81 tackles and five interceptions, as the first-team 4A all-state selection led Rider to a 12-2 record. That earned him a third-team berth on Texas Football Magazine Super Team. He also competed on the school’s basketball and track teams. Martin arrived at Oklahoma State in 2008, appearing in 11 games as a true freshman, lining up as a reserve boundary cornerback. Most of his action came vs. multiple receiver sets, registering four pass deflections. He also competed with the kick coverage squad, blocking a punt vs. Missouri State while registering four tackles for the season. He went on to start the final 11 games at strong safety, despite tipping the scales at 190 pounds. He finished the campaign with 45 tackles (39 solos) and led the team with 11 pass deflections. As a junior, the strong safety continued to excel in pass coverage, as he registered ten pass break-ups and intercepted three passes, none more important than his 62-yard runback for a touchdown vs. Arizona that sparked the Cowboys to victory at the Alamo Bowl. He ranked sixth on the team with 55 tackles, making two third-down stops behind the line of scrimmage. In 2011, Martin was named All-American and All-Big 12 Conference first-team. Reaching 200 pounds, his hard hits produced 74 tackles with five stops for loss. He caused two fumbles and recovered another. He also had his third-straight season with double-digit pass rejections, recording 11 break-ups. CAREER NOTES Martin appeared in 48 games at Oklahoma State, starting the final 37 contests at strong safety…Finished with 178 tackles (143 solos), eight stops for losses of 18 yards and one quarterback pressure…Recovered one fumble and caused two others…Deflected 36 passes and had three interceptions for 62 yards in returns, including a touchdown…His 36 pass break-ups tied the school career-record that was first set by Perrish Cox (2006-09).
2011 SEASON Martin earned All-American first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association and Sports Illustrated, adding second-team accolades from the Associated Press and Scout.com…Chosen first-team All-Big 12 Conference by the league’s coaches and second-team by the Associated Press…Started all 13 games at strong safety, ranking fourth on the squad with a career-high 74 tackles (55 solos), making five stops for losses of 11 yards…Caused a pair of fumbles and recovered another…Paced the Cowboys with 11 pass deflections. 2010 SEASON Martin started all 13 games at strong safety…Finished with ten pass break-ups and 62 yards on three interceptions…Placed sixth on the team with 55 tackles (47 solos), as two hits were for losses of 6 yards…Also recorded a QB pressure…Posted a season-high eight tackles vs. Texas A&M, when he was also credited with a pass break-up, a quarterback hurry and an interception…Had seven stops in each of the Baylor and Nebraska contests, as he also broke up three passes vs. the Cornhuskers…Picked off a pass to go with four tackles (one for loss) at Kansas State…Had pass break-ups vs. Louisiana and Texas Tech, along with posting three stops and a deflected pass at Texas…Closed the season with a bang at the Alamo Bowl, earning Game MVP honors as he had just four tackles, and also returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown and broke up two more passes vs. Arizona. 2009 SEASON Martin started the final 11 games at strong safety…Ranked fifth on the team with 45 tackles (39 solos), including one stop behind the line of scrimmage. 2008 SEASON Martin appeared in 11 games as a true freshman, serving as a reserve boundary cornerback…Deflected four passes, blocked a punt vs. Missouri State and totaled four tackles. AGILITY TESTS 4.43 in the 40-yard dash…1.50 10-yard dash…2.50 20-yard dash…4.09 20-yard shuttle…11.30 60-yard shuttle…6.97 three-cone drill…37 ½-inch vertical jump…10’3” broad jump… Bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times…32-inch arm length…9 ¼-inch hands…75 ½-inch wingspan. HIGH SCHOOL Martin attended S.H. Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he played both safety positions, in addition to th competing as a wide receiver…Earned All-State honors as a junior…Rivals.com rated him the 15 -best safety in the th nation and the state of Texas’ 27 -best player…Received Super Prep All-Region honors and was named his district’s Defensive Player of the Year…In 2007, Martin recorded 81 tackles and five interceptions, as the first-team 4A all-state selection led Rider to a 12-2 record…That earned him a third-team berth on Texas Football Magazine Super Team…Also competed on the school’s basketball and track teams. PERSONAL Economics major…Son of Bobbie Martin…Born 6/20/90…Resides in Wichita Falls, Texas. PLAYER STATISTICS DEFENSIVE STATISTICS STATS GP GS TK 2008 11 00 04 2009 11 11 45 2010 13 13 55 2011 13 13 74 TOTAL 48 37 175
SO 02 39 47 55 143
INTERCEPTION RETURNS STATS NO YARDS AVG 2010 03 62 20.67
AS 02 06 08 19 35
FR 00 00 00 01 01
TD 01
LONG 62
FC 00 00 00 02 02
INT 00 00 03 00 03
TFL 00.0-00 01.0-01 02.0-06 05.0-11 08.0-18
PBU 04 11 10 11 36
SACK 0.0-00 0.0-00 0.0-00 0.0-00 0.0-00
BK 01 00 00 00 01
TITANS 2012 DRAFTEE QUESTIONNAIRE MARKELLE MARTIN (6TH ROUND, 190TH OVERALL) PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Markelle Jermaine Martin
Nickname: None
Position: Safety
Mother/caregiver's name and career: Dobbie Martin, cook and cashier at Sheppard Air Force Base
Height: 6-1
Date of Birth: June 20, 1990
Siblings’ names and ages: Brother D’metruis Brooks (23); Sisters Jessica Jones (20), Cierra Dickerson (19) and Zemetria Scroggins (16)
Birthplace: Wichita Falls, Texas
Agent: Anthony Page
Weight: 207
Marital status: Single Children's names and ages (if applicable): Son Isaac Anthony Delgado (3)
COLLEGE College(s) attended: Oklahoma State, 2008-11
College jersey number: 10
College Major: Secondary education
Significance of jersey number: Assigned to him
Redshirt season(s): None
Other sports played in college: None
Degree date/credits remaining: Graduated in December 2011
College extracurricular activities/volunteerism: Spoke to kids at his high school and other schools in the area; worked with special needs children through OSU
College football positions played: Safety, also played a limited amount at cornerback his freshman year
HIGH SCHOOL High school (city, state): S.H. Rider (Wichita Falls, Texas) High School Mascot: Raiders
High school football positions played: S, WR Other sports played in high school: Basketball four years, track and field four years (4x200, 4x400, high jump)
Year graduated: December 2007
SOCIAL MEDIA Website: None Twitter: @MarkelleMar10 Facebook page (for fans): Yes (Markelle Martin)
Other social media (for fans): None
Titans 2012 Draftee Questionnaire OFF THE FIELD
Where were you when you were drafted, and who were you with? At his home with best friend Damian Washington, mother, grandmother and sister Off-the-field interests/hobbies/unique talents: Recently took up archery Any causes that are personal to you (e.g. breast cancer awareness, diabetes research, etc.): Interested in special education and kids with special needs Name a person that inspires you: Friend Damian Washington, whom he met in the fourth grade—“He had a child at a very young age. He manned up and rose to the occasion, worked himself through junior college and college and provided for his family. He has strong faith, and his family is the most important thing to him.” Most memorable college football moment: “The Fiesta Bowl against Stanford because of everything that the team and the OSU community went through that year.” Significant hurdles overcome in life and/or football career: Switched positions his freshman year and then not making the starting lineup; also learned at that time he was going to be a father—“I just felt so much pressure. There were such high expectations because everyone from where I was from knew me from playing football, and I felt like was letting them all down. But my family helped me refocus on what’s important, keeping God in my life and doing what I needed to do. Then the following spring things really started turning around for me.” On your “bucket list”: Travel to Rome and Brazil Other interesting personal facts: “I’m pretty much a boring guy.”
LIST OF FAVORITES Movie: The Best Man, Antwone Fisher
Book or author: Tony Dungy’s books
TV Show: House of Payne, Flashpoint
Video game: Mortal Kombat, Burnout 3
Actor: Derek Luke
Kind of food/restaurant: Chicken fried steak
Music artist: 80s and 90s R&B
Childhood sports hero: Sean Taylor, Ed Reed
School subject: Algebra
Favorite pro teams: Miami Heat, Boston Celtics
Car: Nissan Titan, Ford F-150
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
MARKELLE MARTIN (OKLAHOMA STATE) DRAFTED 6TH ROUND, 190TH OVERALL SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2011 CONFERENCE CALL WITH LOCAL MEDIA FS MARKELLE MARTIN (on how his knee has recovered from surgery) It feels good; I’ve been running and training all week. Before the draft I’d go out and run, so I feel good, I feel great. (on how important it was for him to workout for some teams before the draft after his knee surgery) It was very important. I understood the timing of the injury when it happened and just the fact that it’s better to get some numbers on the board than not to have any at all. Without proper training or anything, as soon as I got healthy I wanted to go out there and run and show the guys I still have a competitive side to me and I still have the ability to run and to compete. (on if he thinks his knee injury caused him to drop in the draft) In the beginning I knew I was going to drop a couple of rounds, but to drop so far I had no idea. As the rounds started to go by I texted my agent and he told me it was probably because of the knee. It’s something I understand and am okay with. I’d rather it be something that can be fixed than something you can’t fix. My knee can be fixed; I can really get back to 100 percent, so I would rather slip for something like that than for some other issue. (on where he thought he should have been drafted) I have no idea—anywhere. I’m happy just to go. You get your hopes up in the early rounds. You kind of look at the early rounds and expect to go there, and you never really consider the lower rounds but I’m just excited to be a Titan and be a part of the franchise. (on if he thought he’d go in the second round before injuring his knee) Before the knee injury I heard anywhere from the second round to the third or fourth, but that was before my knee injury though. (on if he was anxious waiting to be drafted) It was kind of crazy. I was excited to be watching the draft knowing that I had a chance, but as the rounds start to go you start getting a little anxious and then you start to get frustrated. The thing that changes it all is the excitement when you see your name come across the screen, see an area code that you’re not familiar with come across your phone. (on what he brings to the Titans once he is fully recovered from his knee injury) Getting on the field and competing—just going out there trying to be the best I can, and help the team out. Whether that’s on special teams or getting a chance to start later on, anything I can do to help I’m willing to do. (on what his knee injury was officially) I was doing a routine DB drill and when I went and planted I tore my meniscus, it was right after the Senior Bowl. I think the timing of it was what was so bad; it wasn’t just that the injury was so bad it was just the timing of everything that threw the whole process off for me. (on whether his history of staying healthy at Oklahoma State helped ease injury concerns with NFL teams) I think so. I think just the fact I can play through anything. I’ve been banged up and played through it. I had a shoulder injury and I finished the whole season in 2010. I show up and I don’t complain, regardless of what injury I have I’m going to show up and give it 100 percent.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript (on his coverage skills as a safety) I think that’s one of my best attributes. I think that’s one of the things I do well, and a reason why I was able to be drafted. I can cover, that is something I am comfortable doing. I don’t mind coming down and being a nickel corner and just putting myself in position to make plays. (on how he did against Kendall Wright in college) I just wanted to be physical with Kendall. We competed on the field, Baylor was a great game so I just wanted to line up against him because he was the best player on their offense, and the competitive side of me wanted to lineup and go against him. (on if he’s excited about being teammates with Kendall Wright after competing against him in college) I think we’re going to help each other out. He’s a shifty guy, he makes quick moves, he’s explosive so I think that’s going to help me a lot in my cover skills just perfecting the things I know how to do and helping me with the things I don’t know how to do. I’m a good cover safety, so having the chance to work together every day and we’re just going to make each other better. (on if Kendall Wright ever got behind him during a game in college) No, we kept him in front of us; we wanted to limit his damage as much as we could. (on what he knows about Titans safeties and Michael Griffin) Growing up in Texas you look up to the guys that come from Texas. Those are top-notch guys. I look forward to learning some things from him. (on if he has followed Michael Griffin’s career) Yes, when I was younger and he was in college. As far as when he left college, I just focused on the position I was in. I really stayed away from watching as much NFL for the simple fact I kind of analyze it more than just watch it. (on how he feels about the possibility of BCS playoffs) I would love to have had that opportunity while I was in college. I feel they have a lot of things that have to be fixed more than that. We fell short because of the system and we are okay with it. Of course, we would have loved to have that system last year. (on how much he was able to limit Coby Fleener in the Fiesta Bowl) We actually didn’t get a chance to go against each other much. I think maybe the first or second series of the game he hurt his ankle and I didn’t get a chance to really go against him. (on his special teams experience) Sophomore and junior year I played quite a bit. As my senior year came, our secondary coach was actually our special teams coach. He kind of pulled safeties off and started us at corners because of the lack of depth. (on where he is used to lining up at safety) I’ve done it all. I’ve been in the box; I’ve been nickel and corner. I’ve done it all.
(on how he thinks the Titans will use him) I guess they are going to use me to my strengths, whether that be special teams or nickel or strong safety. Wherever they use me, I’m just happy to be on the team. (on practicing against Justin Blackman and Dez Bryant) It helped a lot. It’s more frustrating than anything. You learn to use your technique and be patient going against those type of guys. (on if he will change his answer about the best wide receiver in the draft now that Kendall Wright is his teammate) Obviously, you have to respect your teammates. There’s no doubt he can do great things, stretch the field. (on his 40 time) I ran a 4.5 and a 4.60. I had no speed training after surgery and I wanted to run. I got a chance to run and that’s what I put out there.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript (on his numbers before the injury) They were better. I was 4.47, 4.43. (on if he knows any of the Titans players) No, I can’t say I do. (on if he visited the Titans) My position coach told me last year that the Titans were asking a lot of question my junior year and if I continued to play good. I kind of always had a little information that they were interested, not knowing how much. (on if he will be ready for mini camp) I think I will. I haven’t had a chance to go out and do a full day’s worth of work. I’ll know here in a couple of days. I’ll make sure that I’m 100 percent.
Martin collects more than wristbands » Stillwater NewsPress
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December 19, 2011
By Nick Snow Stillwater NewsPress STILLWATER, Okla. — Markelle Martin has an affinity for silicone wristbands. He doesn’t know when the collection started, but through the years he’s racked up more than a dozen — each one with a special meaning. “People just give them to me,” Martin said. “I don’t take them off for the game or anything. I have sleeves sometimes, or they end up under my gloves, so they’re sometimes hard to see but I always have them on.” Martin has started another collection — postseason honors. The senior was recently named to the Sports Illustrated and AFCA All-American teams. “It means a lot to be honored like that,” Martin said. “I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by a group guys that works hard. Fortunately for me, I got a little bit of the attention, but it just means I’m on a good team with a great defense.” Martin may be easy to spot on the field with his rainbow of wristbands, but his game is anything but flashy. “I think having guys like Markelle and Jamie (Blatnick) — who have been getting a lot of attention for all their accomplishments — just solidifies the fact that we’re a lot better than people think we are,” defensive end Cooper Bassett said. “We had a lot of great players and a lot of great role players. That’s why we were 11-1 and Big 12 champs.” Martin takes care of business on and off the field. He also is the winner of Oklahoma State’s Nate Fleming Award for his classroom performance. “He’s just a tremendous young man,” Oklahoma State defensive coordinater Bill Young said. “He’s a leader of this team — both on the field and off. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
4/29/2012 10:53 AM
Patience pays off for Oklahoma State's Martin » Stillwater NewsPress
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April 28, 2012
Staff Writer Stillwater NewsPress STILLWATER, Okla. — Markelle Martin sat by the phone waiting and waiting. A third-round projection, the former Oklahoma State safety saw the fourth and fifth round pass without a word from any of the 32 NFL teams. Then the long-awaited call came with a 615 area code. It was the Tennessee Titans. Martin was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 20th pick of the sixth round —190th overall — of the 2012 NFL Draft, joining teammates Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden as Cowboys selected in this year’s NFL draft. A first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and SI.com and a first-team all-Big 12 selection by the conference's coaches as a senior in 2011, Martin was the ringleader of a Cowboy defense that led the nation in turnovers forced and was second nationally in interceptions. “There are so many people to thank,” Martin said. “I thank the Oklahoma State alumni and community. I especially want to thank Shaun Lewis, Brodrick Brown, Daytawion Lowe and the rest of the OSU defense for trusting in me and I also want to thank Terry Henley and Amy Randolph in academics, Coach Mike Gundy, Coach Joe DeForest, Coach Jason Jones and Coach Glenn Spencer for helping me develop into the man that I am and giving me an opportunity to succeed not just in football but also in life.” Martin logged 74 tackles — five for a loss — and had 11 pass breakups, two fumbles forced and one fumble recovered as a senior in 2011, helping lead Oklahoma State to its first-ever Big 12 championship and BCS bowl game appearance and victory. Martin is the 15th Oklahoma State player to be chosen in the NFL Draft since Gundy took over as head coach in 2005. “Markelle is going to be a really good NFL player,” Gundy said. “He’s very intelligent and has been a good hitter for us. He can play two positions in the NFL because he’s smart. He was a really good leader for us and you never have to worry about him getting into anything off the field. He should be a real good safety in the NFL.” For his career, Martin registered 178 tackles and eight tackles for loss. He picked off three passes, broke up 36 passes, forced two fumbles and recovered one. It’s still unclear whether or not Martin will see immediate playing time. The Titans needed a safety after choosing not to sign veteran Chris Hope. They have tagged free safety Michael Griffin as their franchise player and signed strong safety Jordan Babineaux at the start of free agency.
4/29/2012 10:55 AM
Patience pays off for Oklahoma State's Martin » Stillwater NewsPress
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It was a long and stressful road, but now Martin can focus on the future. The waiting process may be over, but Martin hopes this is just the beginning of his NFL career. Among the Cowboys that weren’t drafted but signed as undrafted free agents, Jamie Blatnick signed with the Denver Broncos. Grant Garner will have the duty of protecting Heisman winnner Robert Griffin III for the Washington Redskins, while Josh Cooper joins Brandon Weeden as a memeber of the Cleveland Browns. As of 8 p.m. Saturday, offensive linemen Levy Adcock and Nick Martinez hadn’t signed with a team yet. Defensive end Richetti Jones and safety Johnny Thomas were also hoping to get into training camp with a team.
4/29/2012 10:55 AM
Markelle Martin
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Markelle Martin Oklahoma State, S First team All-Big 12 in 2011, Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine invites. Martin was the leader and physical presence for the Oklahoma State Cowboys defense. Fourth in tackles with 74, five tackles-for-loss and led Cowboys with 11 pass break-ups. Winner of OSU’s Nate Fleming Award for his academic performance. Who Might You Resemble
Combine Stats Height Weight 40x Bench Press Broad Jump Vertical Jump 20 Yrd Shuttle 3-Code Drill Projected Draft Stock Combine Invite All Star Invites Twitter
6'1 203 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 3-4 Yes Senior Bowl @MarkelleMar10
"I'm a little ways off but kind of like an Ed Reed type just versatile with speed and play strong. Just kind of all over the field Oklahoma State, S you got to constantly keep your eyes on ◦ Oklahoma State Cowboys, Markelle Martin talks NFL Draft, D him. I'm a little ways off from there but Justin Blackson and how his knee is feeling – Listen in! hopefully in the next couple years I'll be that kind of player." When Was NFL In Your Sights "I pretty much don't watch to much TV and I kind of stay away from it. My position coach gave me a hea going into the season that I have pretty good chance but I'm probably the last to talk about it. Through o kept hearing people bringing it up to me but try not to worry about it." Facing Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon "Some times it's a little frustrating. After awhile and you get older you understand that these guys are g plays every now-and-then just have to limit the damage they can do. It also helps you become a better forced to learn your technique and learn stuff outside just your athletic ability." How's The Knee (March 15) "Actually this week we started to get a little jogging going on. As long as I feel good the nex keep progressing."
http://college2pro.com/articles/205/nfl-mock-draft-markelle-martin-sc-53/
4/28/2012
Markelle Martin
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What Might Scouts Might Miss "No not really I think any body that turns on the film they see me conducting the defense, playing in the cover out of the nickel. No matter what game they put on of me they will see all that." College2Pro.com Perspective Big physical, aggressive safety. Better hitter than tackler. Reserved with good leadership qualities. Very competitive. Does everything you want a safety to do at the next level. Always seems to be around the tools to become impact player at next level. ◦
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4/28/2012
Safety Plan: Interview with Oklahoma State Safety Markelle Martin | The DC Times
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Safety Plan: Interview with Oklahoma State Safety Markelle Martin Jonathan Bales My last scouting report at the NY Times was on Oklahoma safety Markelle Martin. Shortly following the post, Markelle’s team contacted me to do an interview, and I of course accepted. Many of the old-time DCT’ers know I used to do more pre-draft interviews, and I can tell you Markelle has been (by far) the most well-spoken of the bunch. Recent posts
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Safety Plan: Interview with Oklahoma State Safety Markelle Martin | The DC Times
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From speaking with Markelle, I can tell he’s a Jason Garrett type of guy. He’s incredibly hard-working, intelligent, and loves to play football. Don’t be surprised if Markelle is on the Cowboys’ radar later this month. Share
How is your draft prep going? What kinds of things are you doing? It is going well. Since I injured my knee just after beginning my draft prep, I have been doing a lot of weight lifting. My weight lifting is basically the same as it was in-season, but with more emphasis on flexibility. On the field, I’m back into position drills and really working on my technique. I’m working to make sure I have no false steps and that my mechanics are great. I’m doing a lot of ball drills and working a ton on eye control. I typically spend about 90 minutes on the field each day, then another 30 minutes or so watching film. What sort of film are you watching? I’m reviewing my Oklahoma State film to see what I did well and what I can improve upon. I want to make sure I don’t make the same mistake twice. Have you gotten a lot stronger with so much time in the weight room? My strength is about the same as prior, but my endurance is much better. I think that is important so I don’t tire out during games, and my muscular endurance is the best it has ever been. How disappointing was it to not participate in the Combine? I was pretty disappointed. I knew for a while I wouldn’t be able to participate, but once the time came I got a little antsy and wanted to get out there. I really wanted to compete against the best players in the country. I participated in interviews and helped our free safety with his on-field drills and technique. What were your Combine interviews like? Did they ask you anything really weird? No, nothing too strange. Almost all of it was scheme-related. They asked me about different plays and had me run through some of the things we did at Oklahoma State. A few teams asked me if I prefer playing free or strong. What did you tell them? I like both. I think I am versatile and can play any position. I played the nickel spot in college too. What are your biggest strengths as a player? I love the game. I have a desire to get better and I think it shows in how I prepare for games. I’m always staying a half hour or hour after practice to study extra film. I really want to improve and I work hard to do it. Do you pattern your game after any current or former NFL players? Yeah, I really like the old Miami safeties. I try to make my game like a combination of Sean Taylor and Ed Reed. I want to be able to hit like Sean, but fly around in the secondary like Ed. I think it is important to be versatile enough to do both of those as a safety. Do you check scouting reports and mock drafts a lot? I try my best to block it out, but it is difficult. Of course I look at things people are saying about me. I like to read the positive things and feel good about that. I use the critical stuff as motivation. What would you be doing if you weren’t playing football?
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Safety Plan: Interview with Oklahoma State Safety Markelle Martin | The DC Times
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I think I’d be a motivational speaker of some kind. I love to speak to kids, and I want to show them they can do anything. I think I would definitely be involved with football in some way. I’d probably be a coach and a Share speaker. Any idea where you’ll watch the draft? I’m not sure, but probably just at home with my family. Like Dallas Cowboys Times on Facebook Follow Dallas Cowboys Times on Twitter Like this post? Share it with others: Related posts: 1. Dallas Cowboys Potential 2012 Draft Pick: Markelle Martin, FS, Oklahoma State Scouting report on Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin...
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TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
DE SCOTT SOLOMON 7TH ROUND, 211TH OVERALL
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35 Scott Solomon Class: RS Senior Hometown: San Antonio High School: Marshall
Height / Weight: 6-3 / 270 Position: DE Experience: 3L
Rice Intense leader along the defensive front who came back from an injury that caused him to miss the 2010 season to become one of most productive defensive linemen in school history... Invited to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in lage February. 2011 First-team, All C-USA pick by Rivals.com and College Football News... Second team All C-USA selection by league coaches and Phil Steele... Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football All Texas College posteason second team... Earned C-USA Football All-Academic honors in a vote of the league's SIDs.... One of 19 players who were named to the final watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award for the nation's top defensive end... Completed his career tied for the school record for sacks (24) and ranked second in career TFLs (see chart)... Had at least one TFL in eight of the last nine games and four sacks in the last five... Finished with a career-high 8.5 sacks this year which also ranks second in school history... Caused a goal line fumble on fourth down at Southern Miss that Xavier Webb recovered and returned 96 yards for a touchdown... Tied the Rice career sack record with a pair of quarterback drops vs. Tulane... Seven tackles vs. Tulane pushed his career total past 200... Recorded his 22nd career sack with a drop of Northwestern's Dan Persa... Moved into second on the Rice career sack list with a one vs. Houston... Moved into third on the Owls career TFL list after sharing a pair vs. Tulsa... Moved into third on the Owls career sack list after recording 3.5 TFL and a pair of sacks vs. Purdue... Returned to action in the opener at Texas and was credited with three tackles... Preseason honors candidate and ranks among the national active leaders in career TFL and sacks... Second team preseason All C-USA selection by Athlon and named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Defense preseason second team... Named to Phil Steele's midseason All C-USA first team... Chose to change his number to 35 this season to honor fellow 5th year senior Travis Bradshaw, whose suffered a career ending injury during preseason camp. 2010 Sat out the season after an injury during the
12/14/2011 Steele Names Callahan to All-Freshman Team Joins Martens, Boswell, Solomon, Willson, Nwosu and Hicks on All C-USA team 12/06/2011 Martens and Solomon Earn All C-USA Honors Callahan, Carroll and Hull named to C-USA All Freshman squad 12/02/2011 Solomon and Nordstrom Named to C-USA Football All-Academic Team Owls place pair on squad 11/26/2011 Owls Rally Falls Short in Season Finale SMU 27, Rice 24 11/26/2011 Rice Game Notes
11/21/2011 School record tying 24th career sack 11/21/2011 Scott Solomon 23rd caeer sack 11/21/2011 Tulane week press conference: Scott Solomon 11/19/2011 Senior Day Postgame and Highlights 11/12/2011 Solomon 22nd career sack
11/28/2011 Rice-SMU The Owls closed out the 2011 season by dropping a 27-24 decision to SMU on November 26 11/24/2011 2011 Seniors Carried of the Field Final practice at Rice Stadium for the 2011 Seniors 11/23/2011 UPDATED Rice-Tulane Photo Gallery Expanded photo galleries from the win over Tulane on Senior Day
4/28/2012 4:36 PM
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final stages of fall camp.... Moved inside to defensive tackle during spring drills... Preseason All C-USA selection and a member of named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Defense preseason first team.
11/18/2011 2011 Football Game Program Covers Souvenir covers from the 2011 season 11/04/2011 Scott Solomon Photo Gallery Scott Solomon
2009 Earned second-team All C-USA honors from the league's coaches after an outstanding junior campaign... Lead C-USA defensive linemen with 63 tackles... Tied for sixth in C-USA with .54 sacks per game and tied with fellow DE Cheta Ozougwu for eighth in the league with.88 TFL... Had 4.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks in the last three games... Jumped to eighth on the Owls' career TFL list with one vs. Tulane... Moved into fourth on the Owls' career sack list after picking up 2.5 sacks at SMU... Had a career-best 6.5 sacks this season, which ranks ninth in school history... Forced a pair of fumbles on two of his sacks vs. SMU... Credited with a career-best 11 tackles and three sacks vs. Tulsa... Became the first Owl defensive lineman to reach double figures in a game since John Syptak had 11 stops vs. Houston in 2005...Three sacks were the most in a game by an Owl since linebacker Jeff Vanover had three vs. Michigan State in 2002.. DE Brandon Green was the last Owl lineman to have three sacks in agame (twice in 2001)... credited with four tackles , including a three-yard sack of Joe Webb... ... second team All C-USA preseason selection by the media in a poll conducted by the New Orleans Times Picayune ... named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Defense preseason second team. 2008 Earned honorable mention All C-USA honors from the coaches ... led the team with nine tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks ... totals for yards lost on tackles for loss (48) and sacks (35) were career-bests ... closed with tackles for loss in four straight regular season games (six total) and sacks in each of the last three ... credited with 20 of his 40 tackles on the year in the last four games ... credited with at least a share of a TFL in eight of 12 games ... dominated the Owls' win over Houston in the Bayou Bucket, finishing with six tackles including a sack for a loss of 14 yards and a second TFL for a loss of a yard ... also broke up one pass and caused multiple throws out of bounds to avoid sacks against Houston ... credited with a season-high seven tackles, including a sack vs. Marshall ... blocked the Owls' fourth kick of the season, a field goal vs. Tulane which Chris Jones returned for a 55-yard TD ... also set up a score with a fumble recovery vs. SMU ... missed the Vanderbilt game with an injury ... named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football's All-Texas College second team in the preseason. 2007 Earned C-USA All Freshmen honors from league coaches, as well as freshman all American nods from Scout.com ... led the down linemen and finished fourth on the team with 49 tackles, despite missing the Southern Miss game ... led the team with 11 tackles for loss (41 yards), and 4.5 sacks (26 yards) ... finished 10th in the league in both categories ... made his presence felt right away in his first collegiate action against Nicholls, picking up a tackle for loss on a third down play for his first career tackle ... finished the night with eight stops, two for loss, forced one fumble and recovered another ... made his first career start at Baylor and picked up his first career sack ... came back after missing the Southern Miss game with an injury to register a season-best nine tackles against Houston ... shared a tackle for loss against the Cougars and went on to register at least one tackle for loss in each of the final six games of the season ... closed the season strongly, totaling 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack against Tulane and Tulsa. Marshall High School 2007 graduate of Marshall High School in San Antonio ... Defensive MVP for District 28-5A and a second team All-State selection for coach Mike Carew, after piling up 105 tackles, including 13 for loss and nine sacks ... also named all-area ... sparked his team to a 9-3 record and the 28 5A title ... earned all-district honors as a junior with 69 tackles and four sacks ... also competed in the long jump ... member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta and the Spanish Honor Society ... graduated in the top 10 percent of his class ... second-team academic all-state and listed in Who's Who of American High School Students Personal Full Name: Scott Solomon ... Born: November 5, 1988 at San Antonio ... Parents: Dale and Diane Solomon (two brothers) ... Rice major: Political Science Loading Football St t
4/28/2012 4:36 PM
TITANS 2012 DRAFTEE QUESTIONNAIRE SCOTT SOLOMON (7TH ROUND, 211TH OVERALL) PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Scott Edward Solomon
Children's names and ages (if applicable): None
Position: Defensive end
Nickname: None
Height: 6-3
Father/caregiver's name and career: Dale, anesthesiologist
Weight: 262
Mother/caregiver's name and career: Diane, neurologist
Date of Birth: Nov. 5, 1988
Siblings’ names and ages: Fraternal twin brother named Stuart
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas
Agent: Jeff Nalley
Marital status: Single
COLLEGE College(s) attended: Rice, 2007-11
Significance of jersey number: 35 was because his friend and teammate, S Travis Bradshaw, broke his neck and couldn’t play with that number
College Major: Political science Redshirt season(s): 2010 medical redshirt
Other sports played in college: None
Degree date/credits remaining: Graduated December 2011
College extracurricular activities/volunteerism: Peer academic advisor for the athletic department
College football positions played: Defensive end College jersey number: 93, then 13 for two years, finally 35 in his last year
HIGH SCHOOL High school (city, state): Marshall (San Antonio, Texas) High School Mascot: Rams
High school football positions played: DE, TE Other sports played in high school: Two-year varsity track and field (triple jump and long jump)
Year graduated: 2007
SOCIAL MEDIA Website: None Twitter: None Facebook page (for fans): None
Other social media (for fans): None
Titans 2012 Draftee Questionnaire OFF THE FIELD
Where were you when you were drafted, and who were you with? With his family at his parents’ house in San Antonio Off-the-field interests/hobbies/unique talents: Enjoys working out Any causes that are personal to you (e.g. breast cancer awareness, diabetes research, etc.): Grandmother passed away from breast cancer when he was young Name a person that inspires you: Former NFL defensive end N.D. Kalu, who also attended Marshall High School and Rice and has become a mentor to him. Most memorable college football moment: Going to the Texas Bowl in 2008 against Western Michigan. Significant hurdles overcome in life and/or football career: Getting past his foot injury (broken fifth metatarsal) in 2010. On your “bucket list”: “I just checked it off: getting drafted. Beyond that, I don’t know. Just being a successful player and helping my team win.”
LIST OF FAVORITES Movie: Aliens
Video game: Call of Duty
TV Show: Hard Knocks
Kind of food/restaurant: Greek and Mediterranean food
Actor: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Childhood sports hero: David Robinson and Tim Duncan
Music artist: Five Finger Death Punch
Favorite pro teams: San Antonio Spurs
School subject: Science Car: Trucks
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
SCOTT SOLOMON (RICE) DRAFTED 7TH ROUND, 211TH OVERALL SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2011 CONFERENCE CALL WITH LOCAL MEDIA DE SCOTT SOLOMON (on what he does well that allowed him to have so many sacks) Really, I feel like it just comes from my toughness. When I get on that field I am going to work hard. I am going to be relentless. I am going to be tough out there and that is kind of where I made my bread and butter and that’s where I find success. (on if he knew the Titans needed help in the sack department and if that makes it a good opportunity) Yeah, absolutely. I feel like I am going to go in there and work hard and I can get there and really help out the Titans and do everything I can. (on his strength) I have always been strong, and then when I got to Rice, the strength coaches did an awesome job of getting me even stronger. I have really just relied on my strength at my time at Rice. They did a really good job of developing that as well. (on his foot injury) It was a fifth metatarsal break, that’s a break on the outside of the foot. It’s a pretty common injury. I came back fine from it pretty much without a hitch that next year. I don’t even think about it anymore. (on the pain when it broke) When it happened I knew right away. It actually happened right before the season started in 2010, so I knew right away. (on how helpful N.D. Kalu has been) He has been great. He just texted me saying congratulations. He has been talking to me kind of helping me through everything and letting me know how everything works. He has been a tremendous help and a great mentor for me. He just lets me know what to expect. He guides me on how to carry myself and throughout the years he has helped with pass rush moves, what I can improve on and really help me work my hands better. (on who he patterns his game after) Yeah absolutely, James Casey for the Texans. This cat is the definition of a great NFL football player to me because he does everything perfect. I just try to follow in his footsteps. (on what he wants people to take from his game) I really want them to see how relentless I am, how tough I am. That’s the main thing that I rely is the toughness and strength. (on if he thought about where he would go in the draft) Yeah, it’s really hard to figure out though. I kept thinking about it. I kept going through my head on what teams need and where I could go and things like that. I couldn’t be happier to be a Tennessee Titan. (on where the Titans were on his list of teams that were interested) Obviously, I would love to go to the Titans. It’s a great place. I feel like I could be successful there. They run the defense that I would fit well in. I couldn’t be happier and more excited.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
(on if he has spent any time in Nashville) I have a couple of times. I love the city. (on why he was visiting Nashville) I played a couple of games there against Vanderbilt. (on being from Texas and if he remembers the franchise as the Houston Oilers) Oh yeah, I remember that. (on the mentality of being a seventh round pick) Just to be relentless. I’m going to be a ball of fire in there doing everything I can to help the team out and to be a contributor in any way I can. (on if he is encouraged that past seventh round picks have made the Titans roster) I wasn’t familiar with that, but definitely encouraged now. Hopefully my great attitude will help me get that roster spot. (on if he knows any of the Titans players) I don’t. I’m familiar with Taylor Thompson. Me, Taylor and Kendall Wright have the same agent. (on if Taylor Thompson can play tight end) I know him as a defensive end, but from what I hear he can play tight end. (on how hard of a transition it would be from defensive end to tight end) I think it just depends on the person. I’m sure he will do a great job making that transition.
Rice starting defensive lineman to miss season - Houston Chronicle
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Rice starting defensive lineman to miss season Rice loses Solomon for year Standout DT to miss season with foot injury JOSEPH DUARTE , Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle Published 05:30 a.m., Thursday, August 26, 2010
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After playing through the pain for at least a year, Scott Solomon’s foot finally gave out. Solomon, Rice’s all-conference defensive tackle, will miss the season with a broken bone in his right foot, delivering a crushing blow as the Owls prepare to face fifth-ranked Texas in their Sept. 4 season opener. He suffered the injury on a non-contact play in Wednesday’s scrimmage. “You just feel for Scott because he’s worked so hard to be the player that he is,” Rice coach David Bailiff said. “It was very emotional for him.” Ads by Google
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Rice starting defensive lineman to miss season - Houston Chronicle
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Solomon is believed to have burst a calcium buildup that had formed on the bone from a previous crack or stress fracture. “Finally it just broke all the way through,” Bailiff said. Solomon, who was unavailable for comment, will have a pin inserted into his foot. The senior has one year of eligibility remaining if he decides to redshirt and return in 2011. Solomon moved from defensive end to tackle during the spring and was expected to help anchor the defensive line. Solomon was a second-team All-Conference USA selection and voted a team captain as a junior. He led all C-USA defensive linemen with 63 tackles. With Solomon out, Bailiff said the team will take a look at a rotation system, adding that Solomon will serve as a team leader while working with younger players in practice. “(Solomon) may not be able to play, but he can still help us in his new role,” Bailiff said. “We expect great things out of him in his new role. I’m sure that’s what he’ll do for us.”
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Rice defensive end Solomon says foot ‘stronger than ever’
Rice defensive end Scott Solomon is anxious to begin training camp. Sitting out all of last season will do that. With about a week until the Owls report for camp, Solomon said he’s concentrated on the season and no longer thinks about the broken right foot that sidelined him all of last season. “The foot is great,” Solomon said Thursday. “The doctors told me it’s really better than 100 percent right now. It’s stronger than ever. “It’s the last thing on my mind.” One of the worst defenses in the nation will get a boost with the return of
Rice defensive end Scott Solomon had 6 1/2 sacks in 2009. (Rice University)
Solomon, an All-Conference USA selection two years ago. Following the loss of starting defensive ends Cheta Ozougwu (seventh round pick by the Texans) and Kramer Lucio (graduation), the Owls will likely rotate Solomon between defensive end and tackle this season. Before the injury last August, Solomon had made the transition from end to tackle. “I’m ready to start hitting again,” said Solomon, who is projected as a mid-round selection in next year’s NFL draft. Solomon said he encountered some pain in the foot during the spring. But doctors performed a procedure, adding bone marrow to reinforce the foot, and he’s had no further discomfort. I’ll have more from my interview with Solomon in Monday’s print edition. ••• Here are a few other football-related nuggets: • The offensive line entering camp is: left tackle Jake Hicks, left guard Eric Ball, center Keshawn Carrington, right guard Davon Allen and right tackle Tyler Parish. Don’t be surprised, though, if redshirt freshman Ian Gray wins the job at left guard.
4/29/2012 10:43 AM
Rice player more than a motor - San Antonio Express-News
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Rice player more than a motor By Tom Orsborn Updated 11:46 p.m., Saturday, February 18, 2012
N.D. Kalu cringes whenever he hears fellow Marshall High School and Rice alum Scott Solomon described as a defensive end with a “great motor.” “That's a slap in the face,” said Kalu, who logged 12 seasons in the NFL as a defensive end. “You usually attach ‘great motor' to an overachiever, someone who works hard but isn't talented. That's said a lot about white athletes because people don't want to give them credit for having athletic ability. “But how many people can bench press 225 pounds 40 times and run a sub 4.8-second 40 like Scott can without having God-given ability? He works his butt off, but he is also a talented athlete.” Solomon will have a chance to display his athleticism this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. He joins Lee graduate Travis Lewis, an Oklahoma linebacker, at the annual showcase. “I'm going to give it my best shot,” Solomon said from Florida, where he has trained the last two months with Athletes' Performance, which is renowned for its combine performance preparation. “I feel like I'm well prepared for it.” Tutorials with Kalu have helped. Solomon selecting the same agent that represented Kalu, who owns a real-estate business in Houston and also works as a sports radio talk show host for KILTAM, underscores their bond. “I really respect N.D.,” Solomon said. “He really knows his stuff. He's also cool. He'll joke around. It's just fun hanging out with him. He has taken me under his wing, and I really appreciate it.” A 1993 graduate of Marshall, Kalu teamed with future record-setting NFL running back Priest Holmes to lead the Rams to the 1991 Class 5A Division II state title game. After finishing his career at Rice as the school's career sack leader with 20, Kalu had stints with Philadelphia and Washington before spending his last three seasons with the Houston Texans. Solomon graduated from Marshall in 2007 after landing a spot on the Express-News All-Area team as a senior. He left Rice sharing the Owls' career sack record with Brandon Green, who eclipsed Kalu's mark by recording 24 from 1999-2002.
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Rice player more than a motor - San Antonio Express-News
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So who is the best pass rusher in Rice history: Kalu, Green, Solomon or Cheta Ozougwu, who the Texans selected in the seventh round in 2011? The answer is easy, Kalu said. “Scott is the most impressive defensive lineman to ever come out of Rice,” said Kalu, 36. “He's way stronger than I was, and he has better technique.” Solomon, 23, started for the Owls as a true freshman. He showed perseverance at Rice, overcoming a foot injury that sidelined him the entire 2010 season and ankle and knee problems in 2011. “(The foot injury) was devastating to him, but he fought back from it because he didn't want to let his teammates down,” Rice coach David Bailiff said. “He was absolutely the heart and soul of the defense with his effort and attitude. He motivated everyone else.” Solomon is projected as a late-round pick, but his relentless style will lead to pro success, Bailiff believes. “He's got Lance Armstrong lungs,” Bailiff said. “He could have been a cross country runner. He never fatigues.” That drive was displayed prominently in the Rice weight room. “He's one of the hardest-working guys I've ever been around and pound for pound one of the strongest,” Jared Kaaiohelo, the Owls' strength-and-conditioning coach, said of the 6-foot-3, 285pound Solomon, who has recorded a 421-pound power clean lift, a 500-pound bench press and a 600-pound squat. “He didn't come in that strong as a true freshman, but he put his time in,” Kaaiohelo said. “He's self-made. He never came in and asked what he could do extra, because to him there is no extra work. It's all just work. He will open a lot of eyes at the combine.” That was the case in April 2006, when Solomon participated in the Nike High School Combine. Ignored by recruiters at the time, Solomon's combined score for various athletic tests ranked eighth out of more than 400 athletes. “Thinking back to that gives me confidence,” he said. But even if Solomon should test poorly in Indy, there's no need for panic, Kalu said. “I told him the combine isn't the end all be all,” said Kalu, a fifth-round pick by the Eagles in 1997. “After I ran a (disappointing time) in the 40 at the combine, I went off to a corner where nobody could see me and cried, thinking I had ruined my chances. So I told Scott, if you have a bad day, don't get down on yourself like I did. He has to remember he can redeem himself at Rice's pro day and that 90 percent of what they evaluate is off film.”
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Rice player more than a motor - San Antonio Express-News
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Bottom line? Kalu is confident Solomon will follow in his NFL footsteps. “I'm really excited about his future,” Kalu said. “I expect to see him play 10 years in the NFL.”
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TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
DRAFT CLIPS
TENNESSEE TITANS FIND PLAYMAKER IN KENDALL WRIGHT BY DAVID CLIMER THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 27, 2012 PAGE: 4C It’s official: The Titans have moved into the 21st Century. This is outside-the-box thinking, at least by Titans standards. They entered the draft needing help on defense. A quick-fix interior offensive lineman also was on the wish list. The last thing they needed in this draft was a wide receiver, right?
Who knows? This might even free up Chris Johnson. If Kendall Wright plays up to the Titans’ expectations and they are able to use more three- and four-wideout formations, Johnson could find more running room.
He even suggested that if a pass rusher like Melvin Ingram or Quinton Coples had been available, the Titans still would have leaned toward Wright.
In years past (read: when Jeff Fisher was the coach), the Titans would have taken the best available defensive player with the No. 20 pick. Not now. Not with Mike Munchak as head coach and with general manager Ruston Webster running the draft.
###
Last year, the Titans went offense in the first round when they picked Jake Locker, establishing him as their quarterback of the future. After that, they turned to defense, drafting four players who started as least one game as rookies.
Wrong. In the NFL of 2012, you can never have enough receivers. The name of the game is outscoring the opponent, not shutting him down. So quibble about the identity of the Titans’ first-round pick if you want. But don’t criticize the position they prioritized. I for one applaud that the Titans have switched gears and gotten with the program. Maybe you think the Titans already were loaded at receiver. Really? As talented as he is, Kenny Britt is coming off major knee surgery. Plus, he missed 16 games because of injury in his first two seasons. Yes, Nate Washington had his best pro season in 2011. Damian Williams took a big step in his second year with the Titans. Lavelle Hawkins and Marc Mariani had their moments. But if you take a step back and survey the NFL landscape, does that wide receiver corps rank in the top quarter of the league? Nope. Does it strike fear into the hearts of defensive coordinators? Hardly. So if you can add a legitimate threat at wide receiver, you do it.
Look for them to switch gears again and start loading up on defense from here on out. Their needs are many on that side of the ball. But in the first round, they simply felt Wright was too good to pass up. Time will tell if Wright has the right stuff. His statistical pedigree is impressive — 302 receptions as a four-year starter at Baylor, capped by 108 catches for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior — but some draft projections had him lasting into the second round. But the Titans are banking on the evaluation process of their scouts and front office personnel, not the talking haircuts on ESPN. When they saw Wright, they saw a playmaker. And you can never have enough playmakers. “I think this guy is electric and a very explosive player,” offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. Webster called it “an easy decision” and noted that Wright was “our highest-rated guy” on the Titans’ board when their number came up.
So much for all those mock drafts.
TENNESSEE TITANS PICK BAYLOR’S KENDALL WRIGHT BAYLOR SPEEDSTER WRIGHT ADDS BIG THREAT AT RECEIVER
Wright, a teammate of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III, caught 302 passes for 4,004 yards and 30 touchdowns in his four seasons at Baylor.
The “Help Wanted” sign over the defensive roster is still flashing at Baptist Sports Park.
“This guy is electric,” offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. “The fact that he has the ability with run after catch … his hands are very, very good. He is a guy who will allow us to move him around and complement our other receivers and allow us a chance to be more explosive offensively. We think we can do an awful lot with this player.”
That’s because on the first day of the NFL Draft, the Titans opted to add more flash to their offense by selecting Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright with their first round pick.
The 5-foot-10, 196-pound Wright, who attended the draft in New York, said it was a hectic day trying to figure out which team might pick him, although he had a hunch the Titans liked him.
It didn’t matter to General Manager Ruston Webster that his team already appeared to be in good shape at wide receiver, even with Kenny Britt still recovering from a knee injury that cut his 2011 season drastically short.
Wright visited Baptist Sports Park earlier this month and also worked out for the Titans. He compared himself to current NFL wide receivers Steve Smith and DeSean Jackson. Some draft analysts also compared him to former Titans and Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason.
BY JIM WYATT THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 27, 2012 PAGE: 1C
“We have a good group, but it is really more about Kendall,” Webster said. “He has the speed and the big-play ability, the ability to catch a short ball and turn it into a long run. And he can create some things for us on offense. He will be fun to watch and is going to make our offense even better than it is.” The chain of events before the Titans were on the clock at No. 20 helped make the decision. With four defensive ends, three defensive tackles, the top two cornerbacks and the top safety already off the board, the Titans had Wright as the top-rated player on their board. Webster said it was an easy call. In fact, he said he would have picked Wright even if defensive ends Quinton Coples (taken 16th by the Jets) and Melvin Ingram (18th by the Chargers) had still been available.
season. The Titans now have insurance in Wright. A unanimous All-Big 12 firstteamer, Wright was third in the nation in average receiving yards (127.92) while playing in the slot and on the outside. “We expect him to be able to help us right away,” Munchak said. “He is very competitive. He makes plays. He is fun to watch on tape.” Heading into Day 2 of the draft, the Titans still have plenty of needs on defense. They left defensive ends Whitney Mercilus (Illinois), Courtney Upshaw (Alabama), Chandler Jones (Syracuse) and Nick Perry (Southern Cal) on the board when they picked Wright. Stanford offensive lineman David DeCastro was a consideration, Webster said, but the Titans had a higher value on Wright. The Titans are scheduled to make two picks today in the second and third rounds. Rounds 4-7 are Saturday. ###
“I like running by people, taking a short pass for a long way. I like getting yards after the catch,” said Wright, who made 108 catches for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. “I am so glad to be a Tennessee Titan and I am so happy to see what I can bring to the team. I am definitely ready to help make plays as a rookie wherever they need me at.” Coach Mike Munchak said there’s no doubt Wright will immediately bolster a corps that the coaching staff already considered strong. Nate Washington, Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins all are coming off career seasons. Marc Mariani is also hoping to get more playing time in his third season. Munchak said Britt, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 4 last year, should be ready for the start of the
TENNESSEE TITANS EXPECT TODAY’S DRAFT PICKS TO HELP DEFENSE BY JOHN GLENNON THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 27, 2012 PAGE: 4C Having surprised many with the selection of Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday, the Titans may well give more consideration to bolstering their defense in the second and third rounds on Friday. As matters stand right now, the Titans have the 20th selection in the second round (52nd overall) and 19th selection in the third round (82nd overall). “We’ll definitely look at some defensive players,” General Manager Ruston Webster said. “Again, we’ll probably stick to our boards. We’re trying to fill needs and do all those things, so we’ll see how it goes. “The thing about picking 20th is that you’re at a lot of team’s mercies if you stay there, so we’ll just have to see how it plays out.” Webster didn’t rule out the possibility of moving up in the either of the rounds, but he didn’t indicate the Titans were champing at the bit to move either. “I would say there’s a chance,” Webster said. “A lot depends on what you have to give up and what we feel like we can get in those middle rounds. Because you probably have to give up a middleround pick, a fourth or something like that, so we’ll just have to see.” The Titans still look most needy at defensive end and at cornerback, having lost starters Jason Jones and Cortland Finnegan at those respective positions. Tennessee did add defensive end Kamerion Wimbley through free agency, as
well as defensive tackle/defensive end Leger Douzable. Who might the Titans look at if they choose to go after one or both of those positions? At cornerback, North Alabama’s Janoris Jenkins is probably the highest-rated player still available, but a host of off-field issues may well keep teams from drafting him until later. Others on the board include Vanderbilt’s Casey Hayward, Montana’s Trumaine Johnson, Central Florida’s Josh Robinson, Virginia Tech’s Jayron Hosley and Georgia’s Brandon Boykin. At defensive end, Marshall’s Vinny Curry, a 6-foot-3, 265-pounder, is one of the top-rated players left at his position. Curry moved steadily up draft boards over the past few weeks, as much for his non-stop motor as for his natural talents. Clemson’s Andre Branch, a 6-4, 260-pounder, may have more speed and natural pass-rushing ability than Curry, but was criticized by some for running hot and cold during games. Other possible ends include Boise State’s Billy Wynn, Nebraska’s Jared Crick and Virginia’s Cam Johnson. If the Titans choose to go the outside linebacker route, Alabama’s hard-hitting Courtney Upshaw — considered by some to be a defensive end — is likely the top player available. Others of note include North Carolina’s swift Zack Brown and Nebraska’s fast, athletic Lavonte David. Most observers figured the Titans were going to use their first-round pick on defense, considering Webster had said one of his top priorities during the offseason was to bolster the front-seven on that side of the ball. The Titans finished second-to-last in sacks, 24th against the run and tied for 18th in overall defense in 2011.
But Webster said the Titans went with the highest-rated player on their board — despite needs. “The big thing for us is just staying true to how we graded the players,” Webster said. “It was really more about Kendall and the fact he was the best player available at that time.” Was defensive coordinator Jerry Gray OK with the selection of Wright? “Of course he was,” Coach Mike Munchak said. “Anytime you add a great player on offense, that gives you a chance maybe to stay on the field, make plays, score points. That helps both sides of the ball.” ###
TITANS MAKE ‘EASY DECISION’ TO ADD OFFENSE, DRAFT KENDALL WRIGHT
touchdown receptions (30). He set another mark with 4,479 allpurpose yards, which included some on punt returns, kickoff returns and rushing.
BY DAVID BOCLAIR THE CITY PAPER APRIL 27, 2012
“Speed, quickness, hands, runafter-catch — all of these are qualities you can’t help but be impressed by regardless of what you see in a 40-yard dash,” scout John Salge said. “… You turn the film on on Kendall Wright and you see a very explosive player, both vertically and laterally.”
With all due respect to Tom Petty, the waiting was the hardest part. Once the time finally arrived for the Tennessee Titans to make their first-round selection Thursday, the decision was easy. With the 20th overall selection they took Kendall Wright, a wide receiver out of Baylor who started more than 80 percent of the games over a fouryear career and averaged nearly 128 yards per game receiving as a senior. “It was an easy decision, yeah,” general manager Ruston Webster said. “… Kendall was at the top of the list when it came time to pick. So it was an easy decision. … He is an exciting playmaker who can help us in a lot of ways and will be fun to watch.” The 5-foot-10, 196-pound Texas native was the preferred target of Heisman Trophy winner and second overall selection Robert Griffin III for the majority of his college career. Wright led Baylor with 50 receptions as a freshman and raised his total every season until he topped out at 108 in 2011. His receiving yards also improved every year to 1,663 as a senior. He had 16 touchdowns through his first three seasons and added 14 last fall, when he also averaged 15.4 yards per catch. “We made each other as good as we were,” Wright said. “I didn’t make him; he didn’t make me — we made each other. And we have the Baylor team. It was a total team effort.” He finished as Baylor’s all-time leader in receptions (302), receiving yards (4,004) and
He ran an announced 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, a time that raised eyebrows among some. According to at least one report, though, some scouts clocked him at 4.49 seconds. At his pro day, the high school track star (he was a state champion in the long jump and triple jump) ran 4.46 seconds. The Titans also worked him out at both their training facility and at Baylor in the weeks preceding the draft. They eventually saw enough to make him the fourth offensive player — and second wide receiver — drafted in the first round over the last five years. The others were running back Chris Johnson (2008), wide receiver Kenny Britt (2009) and quarterback Jake Locker (2011). “When you are looking for guys to help you win, this is the type of guy that jumps to the top of the list,” coach Mike Munchak said. “… He is a guy that is going to help this team win football games. “… Obviously, we expect him to be able to help us right away.” In selecting Wright (the third wide receiver drafted), the Titans opted not to select a defensive end, considered their most significant area of need, or a cornerback or safety. Three of the six picks that followed were defensive ends and the seventh was a safety.
“We were considering a lot of different positions so it wasn’t like we were focusing on, ‘OK, we just have to take a receiver,’ ” Webster said. “… It was more about the fact that we really liked Kendall Wright.” That took any consternation away from the decision. It did not, however, help Wright, who referred to the draft process as “just crazy” and said he had no clue where he eventually might land. “I felt like coming into this thing if I wasn’t drafted in the first round or second round or third round or wherever I was drafted, I feel like with my work ethic and my ability I can make any team,” he said. “… I knew coming into the draft I had to stay positive and nobody knew where they were going to be drafted except Robert Griffin and Andrew Luck. “I was just staying positive.” Now the Titans need him to stay productive. No one says that is going to be easy. ###
TITANS PICK BAYLOR WR WRIGHT AMASSED 108 CATCHES FOR 1,663 YARDS IN HIS CAREER BY TERESA M. WALKER ASSOCIATED PRESS APRIL 27, 2012 NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans need help on defense. They decided the best way to get it with the 20th overall pick in Thursday night’s NFL draft was by taking an “electric” offensive playmaker in Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright. The Titans made Wright just the fourth wide receiver ever drafted by the franchise in the first round but their second in four seasons. They expect the receiver to contribute in a big way in his rookie season. Wright may have been a surprise pick to some, but new general manager Ruston Webster said the Titans just stuck to their draft ratings. “It really was more about Kendall and the fact he was the best player available,” Webster said. Coach Mike Munchak, trying to build off a 9-7 record in his first season, said adding a talented player like Wright will help the defense immediately because the offense should stay on the field and score more points. “It helps both sides of the ball,” Munchak said. “I mean when you’re looking for guys to help you win, this is the type of guy that jumps to the top of the list. And that’s what’s exciting about it I think for the whole team. “This is a guy who’s going to help this team win football games.” Wright joins Haywood Jeffires in 1987, Kevin Dyson in 1998 and Kenny Britt in 2009 as the only wide receivers drafted in the first
round by this team. Britt is coming off a torn right ACL and has missed games to injuries each of the past two seasons. The Titans also looked at receiver Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech along with Michael Floyd of Notre Dame. They visited with Wright and also sent their coaches to work out the Baylor receiver. And Wright now becomes an extra target for either Matt Hasselbeck or Jake Locker, the quarterbacks who Munchak wants competing to see which starts this season. Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer called Wright electric and compared him to the likes of Drew Hill and Ernest Givens from this franchise’s days with the run and shoot offense as the Houston Oilers. “The fact he has the ability, with his run after catch, his hands are very, very good, and I think he’s a guy that will allow us to move him around and complement our other receivers and give us a chance to be more explosive offensively,” Palmer said. “And the fact he can get down the field, if you watch the film, he’s throwing passes, he’s made outstanding catches. I think this guy is electric and a very explosive player.” The 5-foot-10, 196-pound Wright caught 108 passes for 1,663 yards working with Robert Griffin III at Baylor last season, and he was timed at 4.46 seconds in the 40yard dash. Wright played four seasons at Baylor and finished his career with 302 catches for 4,004 yards with 30 touchdowns. ###
AFC SOUTH BLOG BY PAUL KUHARSKY ESPN.COM APRIL 27, 2012 Wright can have early impact for Titans Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer looks at first-round pick Kendall Wright and sees a player who reminds him of players from the franchise’s passing glory days. “I think this guy reminds me of Drew Hill and Ernest Givins that we had back in the run and shoot days in Houston,” Palmer told Nashville media. “He is a guy that can also play outside. He closes the cushion between himself and the defensive back very quickly. The fact that he has the ability with the run after catch, his hands are very good, and I think he is a guy that will allow us to move him around and complement our other receivers and be more explosive offensively. The fact that he can get down the field, and if you watch the film he has thrown passes and made big game catches. I think this guy is electric and a very explosive player.” Jeff Fisher and Mike Heimerdinger, his offensive coordinator during much of his tenure with the Titans, were often reluctant to lean on rookie wide receivers. Palmer emphasized that his offense can create opportunity for a firstyear guy, which will be a refreshing change. “You can go back and look at our record; we had Terry Glenn in New England, as a rookie caught 90 balls,” Palmer said. “We had Kevin Johnson at Syracuse as a receiver first year had eight touchdowns. You had Andre Johnson who had 975 yards his rookie year. So, I think this system allows a rookie to come in and play early. There is enough evidence of that in the history of our coaching to indicate that we’re counting on this guy to come in and play.”
Britt and Wright a big-time duo for Titans INDIANAPOLIS -- In Kendall Wright, the Titans add an explosive receiver who can go deep and should be a help to quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker. Kenny Britt is still recovering from a torn ACL. But even before he’s healthy, I don’t hesitate to call Britt, Nate Washington, Wright, Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins the best group of receivers the Titans have had since relocating to Tennessee in 1997. I’ve written tonight about how the Colts have an obligation after adding Andrew Luck to give him weapons to work with. This pick by Tennessee suggests the Titans feel a similar obligation to Locker, the quarterback they picked eighth overall a year ago. In 2011, Washington blossomed in a way I figured was not possible for a seventh-year man. Some of that came from his willingness to embrace an opportunity to work out of the slot when the Titans went three-wide. Going forward they will have some options as to where to line people up when three receivers are on the field. And it should be more often than ever since the run-and-shoot days of the Oilers. Wright should be a home run hitter. And a Britt-Wright pairing should give the Titans a duo that can pull them further in line with the mindset of today’s winning NFL formula, where things center a lot more on throwing it than running it.
“If guys like David DeCastro, a third offensive tackle and Ryan Tannehill go before 20, that will help push someone the Titans like a lot to 20.” “They could like Michael Floyd, they could like Kendall Wright. But I don’t think a receiver is going to outweigh a defensive player.” “Dre Kirkpatrick could be there for them. He’s a playmaker. He’s been coached hard. He can help them." “There may be a lot of options for them at defensive end and defensive tackle, and I wouldn’t dismiss linebacker, either.” Guy No. 2: “Last year their big thing was ‘stop the run, stop the run, we don’t like these little defensive linemen.’ Every time I hear something now it’s, ‘We’ve got to rush the passer, put heat on the passer.’ “They’d take Kirkpatrick if he’s there. I don’t think he will be there. Then I don’t think there is a corner that’s attractive at 20.” “It’s too soon for a guard or center, but if DeCastro fell, I could see them taking him.” “I’m talking myself into Dontari Poe for them. Jerry Gray has had Pat Williams and Sam Adams. Poe will give some push and chase some sacks to Kamerion Wimbley and Derrick Morgan. Last year they liked Nick Fairley. Poe has a similar profile to Albert Haynesworth but better football character. He hustles, he tries hard. He’s only played five seasons of football.”
Tennessee
Stat to solve: Titans' rush D up the middle
Thoughts on the Titans' draft from two people involved in evaluating personnel for NFL teams:
Tennessee head coach Mike Munchak and defensive coordinator Jerry Gray put a bigger emphasis on bigger players.
Scouting Titans
Guy No. 1:
chatter:
Indications were they thought Jeff Fisher’s team had become too pass rush-centric, giving up some
fundamentals of run-stopping in the process. Trouble was, the Titans’ rush defense in 2011 was mediocre, giving up 4.5 yards per rush -- 22nd in the NFL. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the unit’s struggles were magnified when opponents ran up the middle. On runs up the middle, Tennessee yielded 4.5 yards per carry (ranking 28th), gave up six runs of 20 yards or more (tied for 28th), gave up 52 first downs (32nd) and allowed 338 yards after contact (23rd). Two rookies factored into the Titans run defense: tackle Jurrell Casey and middle linebacker Colin McCarthy. They'll get better and play more. The big run-stuffing tackle the Titans brought in, Shaun Smith, wasn’t very effective and lost playing time as the season went on. The focus is on the pass rush, but in a draft likely to be defense-heavy, the Titans need to be sure to continue to address run defense, too. ###
TITAN INSIDER BLOG BY TERRY MCCORMICK TITANINSIDER.COM APRIL 27, 2012 Defense focus
must
be
second-day
By Dan Ariks Alabama's Courtney Upshaw slipped through round one on Thursday undrafted. The Tennessee Titans chose to ignore the defensive side of the ball in round one by adding wide receiver Kendall Wright, University of Baylor. The Titans do need to turn their attention to defense in the later rounds, however. With the departure of Cortland Finnegan, Vanderbilt star Casey Hayward could help fill a need in the secondary, and should be available in the second or third round. It also looks as though the Titans want to upgrade at the linebacker position. With Will Witherspoon in the last year of his deal, the Titans could look no further than Alabama’s versatile LB/DE Courtney Upshaw. If Tennessee is really serious about showing teams different looks outside of the 4-3 base, adding Upshaw could do wonders. The Titans could add an extra rusher in either Upshaw or Akeem Ayers, and drop the other into coverage with Colin McCarthy. However, it seems unlikely that Upshaw will be available when the Titans select at 52. When asked if his team would move up in tomorrow's round GM Ruston Webster replied, “There is a chance that we could move up.” Webster added that the Titans like what could be available in the middle rounds of the draft and that moving into the top 10 of the second round would likely cost them a fourth-round choice.
Other options may include adding a defensive end, offensive lineman, or safety. What is your opinion? Who should the Titans target in rounds 2-3? Titans make the Wright pick By Terry McCormick The Tennessee Titans make Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright their first pick in the 2012 draft with the 20th selection overall, and the selection certainly indicates an updated philosophy regarding the team's offensive thinking. Wright had 108 receptions for 1,663 yards in 2011 on the receiving end of Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III's passes. In selecting Wright, the Titans' philosophy is to make the offense more dynamic and have as many weapons as possible available once Jake Locker is ready to take over as the quarterback of the future. Matt Hasselbeck could still be the beneficiary of that in the interim. In other words, the days of Eddie George and a cloud of dust appear to be gone from Baptist Sports Park. It adds another receiver to a group that should return Kenny Britt from an ACL tear last year, as well as 1,000-yard receiver in Nate Washington and emerging tight end Jared Cook. “We're very excited to make our first-round pick in Kendall Wright of Baylor. We spent a lot of time watching Kendall. We brought him in here for a visit, sent our coaches to work him out,” Ruston Webster said of his first pick as Titans general manager. “He is an exciting playmaker who can help us in a lot of ways. He'll be fun to watch, and it'll make our offense even better than it is, and we're very excited about that.” With Britt coming off the injury that cost him most of last year, Wright also gives the Titans good insurance in the event Britt is not
ready to start the season. Wright also is the second wide receiver drafted in the first round in the past four years by Tennessee, which had not selected a wide out first since Kevin Dyson in 1998 before taking Britt in 2009. Wright, having played with the mobile Griffin, should mesh well with Locker once both are on the field together. “His strong point is making plays after the catch and getting himself open and doing something with the ball after he catches it,” Webster said. “He is used to playing with a mobile quarterback, and they should work well together.” Tennessee looks to be molding the offense in similar fashion to the way offensive coordinator Chris Palmer enjoyed success in previous stops such as New England under Bill Parcells and the New York Giants more recently with Eli Manning. Palmer says Wright can come in and play right away as a rookie. “You go back and look at New England and we had Terry Glenn who caught 90 balls as a rookie. We had Kevin Johnson of Syracuse as a receiver (in Cleveland), and he caught eight touchdowns. We had Andre Johnson who had 975 yards his rookie year (in Houston),” Palmer said. “I think this system allows a rookie to come in and play early, and there's enough evidence of that in the history of our coaching to indicate that we're counting on this guy to come in and play.” Wright himself said he compares favorably to other undersized playmakers, who have become dynamic threats at the receiver position. “I've been compared to Steve Smith, DeSean Jackson and Santonio Holmes,” Wright said. “We're smaller receivers, and I think that's why they compare us. Steve Smith is ferocious going across the middle and making big
grabs. I like playing big. I'm not a big receiver, but I like to play big.” By selecting Wright, the Titans bypassed other need areas such as cornerback and defensive end. At end, a number of pass rushers were available including Illinois' Whitney Mercilus, Courtney Upshaw of Alabama, Chandler Jones of Syracuse (who went one pick later to New England) and Nick Perry of USC. Guard David DeCastro and center Peter Konz were also available when the Titans picked. ###
DRAFT NOTEBOOK: TITANS EXCITED TO ADD ‘ELECTRIC’ PLAYMAKER WRIGHT TO OFFENSE BY CRAIG PETERS TITANS ONLINE APRIL 27, 2012 NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kendall Wright loved basketball first. Although he can dunk with ease, Wright realized he couldn’t lengthen his 5-foot-10 frame. He did discover, however, he can turn short passes into long gains on a football field. “I’ve been playing basketball forever,” Wright said. “I played my freshman year of college and that was it. That was my first love, but it’s not too many basketball players in the league that are 5-10, 5-11 anymore, so I (chose) football.” It turned out to be a good decision for Wright, who started 42 of 50 football games and finished his collegiate career with 302 catches for 4,004 yards and 30 touchdowns. Others, including Titans executives and scouts, took notice as the former Baylor wide receiver increased his production each year with the Bears. Wright caught 108 passes for 1,663 yards (averaging 128 yards per game) and 14 touchdowns in his senior season in bringing Baylor to the national limelight. Tennessee drafted Wright Thursday night in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft with the 20th overall pick. “We spent a lot of time watching Kendall, brought him in here for a visit, sent our coaches to work him out,” Titans general manager Ruston Webster said. “He is an exciting playmaker that can help us in a lot of ways and will be fun to watch. He’ll make our offense even better than it is. We’re very excited about that.”
Wright set school records in catches, yards and touchdowns and also boasts a school-record 4,479 career all-purpose yards. He said he is thankful for the opportunity to join the Titans, who expect him to contribute this season, and was amazed by the atmosphere of spending Thursday night in Radio City Music Hall in New York. Wright is expected to visit Baptist Sports Park Friday to speak with reporters. “It’s been incredible. It’s been very exciting. I’m so blessed to be a Tennessee Titan right now. I can’t wait to see what I can help bring to the table,” Wright said. “I feel like coming into this thing, if I was drafted in the first round or second round or third round, or whenever I was drafted, I felt like with my work ethic and my ability, I felt like I could make any team. I’m definitely ready to help make plays as a rookie as a receiver, or kick returner or punt returner, wherever they need me at.” Offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said Wright is “electric” and will have opportunities to impact games by lining up on the outside or inside (slot) positions. “I think he is a guy who will allow us to move him around and complement our other receivers and give us a chance to be more explosive offensively,” Palmer said. Wright’s selection follows a season in which Titans receivers Nate Washington, Damian Williams and Lavelle Hawkins and tight end Jared Cook all set career highs in multiple categories after Tennessee lost top receiver Kenny Britt to an ACL and MCL injury in Week 3. Britt, who was chosen in the first round in 2009, has been rehabbing after his surgery. Although many analysts predicted the Titans would use their only first-round selection to bolster their defense, Webster said Wright was the highest graded player at the 20th spot.
“We were considering a lot of different positions, so it wasn’t something we were focusing on in terms of, ‘Ok, we just have to take a receiver because of Kenny’s health,’ ” Webster said. “It was more about the fact that we really like Kendall Wright. It was an easy decision.” Titans coach Mike Munchak, who will be entering his second season as head coach, said Wright’s addition on offense will help Tennessee’s defense as well. “Anytime you add a great player on offense, it gives you a chance, maybe, to stay on the field, make plays, score points,” Munchak said. “It helps both sides of the ball. When you’re looking for guys that can help you win, this is the type of guy that jumps to the top of the list. That’s what’s exciting. This is a guy that’s going to help this team win football games.” Titans scout Jon Salge, whose territory includes Texas and other states in the central U.S., said Wright’s drive and attributes make a great combination. “The first thing you notice about Kendall is on the field, this is one of the most competitive football players that I watched this year and really in the last couple of years altogether,” Salge said. “He’s a very competitive football player. He really, really wants to be good. That’s his makeup. In terms of actual ability, the explosiveness — I think that term was used — you see that. You can’t help but see it. Speed, quickness, hands, run after catch, all of these were qualities that you can’t help but be impressed by. You turn the film on Kendall Wright, you see a very explosive player, both vertically and laterally, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.” Wright said he thought that he made a good impression with Titans executives, scouts and coaches during his visit to Tennessee and the workout he did for coaches, but he “had no clue” when he would be drafted.
“I knew they liked me a lot but I had no clue they were going to draft me because this draft thing is crazy, but I’m excited to be a Tennessee Titan,” Wright said. “I watched film while I was there. I know they have an explosive receiver, Kenny Britt, that I can learn from and they have a great running back, Chris Johnson, and they have two quarterbacks in Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker that are really good and can sling it.” ELSEWHERE IN THE DIVISION: Indianapolis and Jacksonville also went for offense, but Houston opted for defensive help. The Colts upheld what had been predicted when the 2011 season ended and drafted Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick of the night. Luck (6-4, 234) became the first overall pick for Indianapolis since Peyton Manning in 1998. Luck, who declared for the draft after his junior season, completed 713 of 1,064 passes (67 percent) for 9,430 yards and 82 touchdowns against 22 interceptions in his collegiate career. Luck is expected to start immediately and replace Manning, who left the Colts in free agency and signed with Denver. Jacksonville, which began the night with the seventh overall pick, traded up to the fifth spot that was held by Tampa Bay. The Jaguars drafted Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon (6-1, 207). Blackmon also declared for the draft after his junior season. He finished his college career with 253 catches for 3,564 yards and 40 touchdowns. The Texans, coming of their first AFC South title in franchise history, picked Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus (6-3, 261) with the 26th pick. DRAFT DAY DEALING: It started with one slot. Cleveland, which started the night with the fourth pick traded up to Minnesota’s third overall spot. The
Browns drafted Alabama running back Trent Richardson, and the Vikings drafted tackle Matt Kalil. The change in order was slight, but it appeared to kindle a flame of activity. Jacksonville traded from seventh to fifth with Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers drafted Alabama safety Mark Barron. Dallas vaulted from 14th to sixth and tabbed LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne when it swapped with St. Louis. The Rams selected LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers. Philadelphia leapt from 15th to 12th to take Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox by switching with Seattle. The Seahawks opted for West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin. New England began the day with the 27th and 31st picks, but moved up to 21st and 25th, respectively, by trading for spots held by Cincinnati and Denver. The Patriots, who will open 2012 against the Titans at LP Field, selected Syracuse defensive end Chandler Jones and Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower. Cincinnati then took the 27th pick from New Orleans through New England, Minnesota took the 29th from Baltimore, and Tampa Bay took the 31st spot from New England through Denver. ###
TENNESSEE TITANS' KENDALL WRIGHT PICKED FOR DEPTH, CALLED 'DAY 1 STARTER' BAYLOR, TITANS COACHES BELIEVE RECEIVER WILL CONTRIBUTE BIG BY JIM WYATT THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 28, 2012 PAGE: 1C Two people who know Kendall Wright well predicted immediate NFL success for the wide receiver drafted by the Titans on Thursday. “He’ll do great,” said Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III, who was Wright’s teammate at Baylor. “I was real excited to hear his name called. He will instantly make the (Titans) better because he is a dynamic playmaker.” Wright was selected 20th overall and was the third receiver drafted in the first round, behind Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon (fifth, to the Jaguars) and Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd (13th, to the Cardinals). Baylor Coach Art Briles admitted he’s biased, but he said the Titans got the best of the bunch. “Kendall was the most unique receiver in the draft, without question,” Briles said. “You can find the prototype players, but it depends on whether you want first downs or touchdowns. Kendall will get you touchdowns. “The Titans have a Day 1 starter. He is just an exceptional player.” The Titans introduced Wright during a press conference Friday at Baptist Sports Park. Decked out in a sharp new suit as he sat in between General Manager Ruston Webster and Coach Mike Munchak, he had the relaxed smile
of a player ready to make an impact in the NFL. No one has questioned Wright’s talent — he had 4,004 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns in four seasons at Baylor. But the Titans were asked how they would use Wright. How do they plan to fit him into an already-deep receiving corps with Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, Damian Williams, Lavelle Hawkins and Marc Mariani? It’s not a bad problem to have, Munchak said. The Titans plan to let Wright get comfortable at one receiver spot and go from there. He’s capable of playing on the outside or in the slot. He also has experience as a return man. “Obviously we think he can be a lot of help this year, that is why we chose him with the 20th pick,” Munchak said. “We feel like he gives us a lot of options, and we can maybe do things as an offense we haven’t done in a while. We just want to be productive, and score more points. It gives us more options.” With a smile, Wright said he’s ready to do his part. He will return to Nashville for a rookie minicamp in two weeks. “I will meet (my new teammates) down the road,” Wright said. “I am ready to learn from them and take any advice that they can give me. I am ready to play alongside those guys.” ###
TENNESSEE TITANS ADD SPEEDY LINEBACKER ZACH BROWN IN NFL DRAFT NORTH CAROLINA'S BROWN DENIES 'ALLERGIC TO CONTACT' CRITICISM
“I would say when he was in high school four years ago, that socalled expert wouldn’t get in the wrestling ring with him,” Gray said. “If you are allergic to contact then I don’t think you’re a wrestler.”
“I can do a little bit of everything,” he said. “I can blitz, I can cover, and I can stop the run. Put me out there and I’m a linebacker. If you ask me to do something I can do it.” ###
BYJIM WYATT THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 28, 2012 PAGE: 1C The Titans got younger, and a lot faster, at the linebacker position on Friday night with the selection of North Carolina’s Zach Brown in the second round of the NFL Draft. Immediately after the selection was made, however, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock questioned whether they got tougher. “He’s somewhat allergic to contact,” Mayock said right after the Titans picked Brown. “We are just going to have to see now,” said Brown, the 52nd overall pick in the draft. “Everybody that said that’s the knock (on me), they are going to find out when the season comes.” After racking up 230 career tackles in four seasons at North Carolina — and running a 4.37 in the 40 at his Pro Day — no one is questioning Brown’s speed as he heads into the NFL. When he joins the Titans, he’ll immediately become one of the faster players on the team, which is saying a lot for a linebacker. Brown is a sideline-to-sideline player with a highlight-reel full of him running down opposing ball carriers. Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray pointed to Brown’s 29-0 record as a high school wrestler to answer questions about his toughness. Gray said Brown played the style of play the Tar Heels asked him to in college. He’s more than capable of bowing up to stop a fullback in the hole, Gray said.
Now, the Titans will find out if Brown is capable of wrestling a starting spot away from Will Witherspoon in his rookie season. Witherspoon, headed into the final year of his contract, started last season alongside rookies Colin McCarthy and Akeem Ayers. Gray won’t be afraid to turn the 61, 242-pound Brown loose. Fourthyear linebacker Gerald McRath will also be among those competing for a starting spot. “Young guys generally make a lot of plays, they have a lot more athletic ability and can run a little bit longer,” Gray said. “If (Brown) does (beat out the veterans) that it will be a plus for us because he has to beat out some experienced guys like (Witherspoon) and McRath and guys like that, so he is going to have to work to get up there with those cats. “If he comes out of camp as or starter, then it means he’s really worked his tail off to play. The Titans eyed Brown in the predraft process, hosting him on a visit to Baptist Sports Park. Brown also visited the Bears, Lions, Ravens and Jets. As a senior at North Carolina, Brown racked up 105 tackles, and 5.5 sacks. He had seven career interceptions. Titans linebackers coach Frank Bush described Brown as “big, fast, and athletic. “He is passionate about the game,” Bush said. “The one thing I can’t coach is speed and he’s got it.” Brown, who’s good friends with former Titans linebacker David Thornton, said he’s ready to roll.
RUN DEFENSE TARGETED IN 3RD ROUND BY JOHN GLENNON THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 28, 2012 PAGE: 4C
ball on us. We had the best redzone defense in the country for six weeks straight, and that’s something we worked our tails off at.” Martin has received a lot of praise from analysts regarding that work ethic, as he’s frequently called a “high-motor” player.
MIKE MARTIN • Position: Defensive tackle • College: Michigan • Ht, wt: 6-1, 306 pounds • Lowdown: Martin is considered a physical, powerful interior lineman who should be able to help the Titans plug up some leaks in the run defense … Served as a team captain during his senior season, recording 64 tackles, with 3.5 sacks and six tackles for loss … Martin played primarily nose guard while at Michigan … He has a highschool wrestling background, and analysts give him high marks for his high motor.
As part of their ongoing campaign to become better against the run, the Titans added a powerful defensive lineman in the third round of Friday’s draft. The Titans used the 82nd overall pick to select nose guard/defensive tackle Mike Martin, a physical, high-effort player who says his specialty is stopping the run. That’s music to the ears of the Titans, who finished 24th against the run last season. “That is something that’s always been something I pride myself on and something we pride ourselves on at Michigan,” said Martin, who will join Jurrell Casey, Karl Klug, Sen’Derrick Marks and Shaun Smith as regulars battling for playing time on the Titans’ defensive line. “That was our mission statement (at Michigan), I guess you could say. No one was going to run the
“I’m a guy that’s not going to stop,” Martin said. “The whistle is going to have to be blown three or four times for me to stop on the play … I’m going to be disruptive. I’m going to be consistent.” Added Titans General Manager Ruston Webster: “He is what you want in a nose tackle. He is tough as nails, a grinder. He doesn’t mind doing the dirty work and he brings the kind of mentality we want in our defense.” Martin developed a relationship with Detroit Lions’ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh when he attended Suh’s football camp last summer. Martin said on Friday he admires the drive Suh brings to every play. “He’s got a heck of a motor,” Martin said. “I want to be that guy who proves he has that motor in the NFL because I feel that is what I relied on in college. When guys would quit on a play or just decided not to finish, I was going to finish and I was going to make a play because of that.” The 6-1, 306-pound Martin was a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior last year after recording a career-best 64 tackles — with 3.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. Martin played primarily nose guard while at Michigan, but says he’s very versatile, which has been an important quality for Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray. Webster said Martin will continue to work primarily in the nose-guard position, even though the Titans will continue to use a 4-3 as their base defense.
“He was born to play in the middle, and that is not a bad thing at all,” Webster said. “He just has the mentality it takes to play nose.” Martin says he’s open to any spot on the defensive line. “I’m very versatile,” Martin said. “I had three years of experience playing (nose guard) in the 3-4 defense and then having the opportunity of playing in a 4-3 under (defensive coordinator) Greg Madison also,” Martin said. “That gave me so many snaps at each position, I feel like I can really go anywhere. Wherever I am placed, I’m going to do well.” Might that even include sliding outside to defensive end in certain situations? “Hey, (Michigan) put me at linebacker and I made some plays at linebacker and defensive end,” said Martin, who was a team captain last year. “So wherever I’m going, I’m going to do something.” ###
TITANS TURN TO DEFENSE WITH PAIR OF PICKS ON SECOND DAY OF DRAFT
in workouts, including the 40-yrad dash where he was one of six defensive linemen whose time was better than 4.9 seconds.
BY DAVID BOCLAIR THE CITY PAPER APRIL 28, 2012
He was a three-year starter at Michigan who had at least two sacks in each of his four college seasons.
Zach Brown lined up a lot of different places during his fouryear career at the University of North Carolina. Through it all, he never stayed in one spot very long. Simply put, the 6-foot-1, 242pound is fast. The Tennessee Titans, who selected him in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2012 NFL draft, plan to make the most of that speed by putting him at one position and turning him loose. “He has the speed. Now let’s focus him in on what his job is,” defensive coordinator Jerry Gray said. “I think he’ll become a lot better football player when he doesn’t have to do everything.” Brown was the first of two defensive players the Titans took on the draft’s second day. They added defensive tackle Mike Martin from the University of Michigan in the third round (82nd overall). The final four rounds will take place Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. “We feel like we had a productive day in terms of filling some needs and getting some talented football players,” general manager Ruston Webster said. “Zach Brown is probably as talented a football player as you can find – big, fast, very athletic. And then Mike Martin is what you want in a nose tackle. He is tough as nails. He’s a grinder, doesn’t mind doing the dirty work and brings the kind of mentality we want on our defense.” At 6-foot-1, 306 pounds, Martin was the fifth-shortest defensive lineman in the draft. He performed well in all drills at the combine and
“When you watch him on film, he’s manhandling big people and he understands how to control big people,” defensive line coach Tracy Rocker said. “We’re not going to stretch him out anymore. We love him for what we got him for, and I think he does a good job with what he has.”
“One thing I can’t coach is speed, and he’s got it.” Brown made just 23 starts total but averaged nearly 60 tackles per season. He finished with five and a half career sacks and seven interceptions, including three in each of the last two years. “I can do a little bit of everything,” he said. “I can blitz. I can cover. I can stop the run. Put me out there and I’m a linebacker. If you ask me to do something, I can do it.” The Titans don’t plan to ask that much. ###
Whereas Martin benefits from a quick first step, every step Brown takes goes quickly. He was a state champion high school sprinter in Maryland who set UNC’s indoor 60-meter record following his freshman football season. In a pre-draft workout he ran the 40 in 4.44 seconds, which made him one of the fastest linebackers available. “I think it helps me cover the slot receivers and the running backs and the tight ends,” Brown said. “Not a lot of linebackers can do that.” Brown, though, did virtually everything an outside linebacker can do at some time during his college career. He played primarily on the weak side through his first three seasons before he moved to the strong side as a senior. He was a special teams captain as a junior and the team’s most valuable player as a senior. “The obvious thing is the speed,” Titans linebackers coach Frank Bush said. “He’s a big, fast athlete. … Spending time with the kid, we found a kid who was passionate about the game. He had been there for four years. He had played in a lot of different positions, and quite frankly he wants to get honed in and learn one particular thing so he can do it even better.
TITANS GO DEFENSE ON DAY 2 OF NFL DRAFT BY TERESA M. WALKER ASSOCIATED PRESS APRIL 28, 2012 The Tennessee Titans need plenty of help on defense, and they started trying to fill some of their needs on the second day of the NFL draft by selecting speedy North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown and Michigan tackle Mike Martin. The Titans need to improve a pass rush that ranked next to last in the NFL last season with only 28 sacks. They drafted receiver Kendall Wright in the first round, then used their second and third round picks on Friday to address the defense. They went for a linebacker in the second round for a second straight year with Brown and then grabbed Martin, someone Titans pass rush specialist Keith Millard compared to old teammate, Hall of Fame lineman John Randle. With four picks left on Saturday, general manager Ruston Webster said he feels they had a productive day. "Zach Brown's probably as talented a football player as you can find,'' Webster said. "Big, fast, very athletic, and then Mike Martin is what you want in a nose tackle. I mean he is tough as nails. He's a grinder, doesn't mind doing the dirty work and brings the kind of mentality we want on our defense. So feel good about both picks and looking forward to seeing them when they get in here.'' The Titans can only hope that Brown contributes immediately, following in the footsteps of Akeem Ayers - who started all 16 games as a rookie in 2011. But Brown's not the defensive end many thought the Titans would select very early in the draft. The Titans, however, also had the 82nd pick overall in the third round among the seven total selections
they have in this draft. The Titans also have a handful of players at linebacker, but coach Mike Munchak said three play heavily on special teams while Brown brings something different with his speed. "We got a guy we think is versatile, that can play the weakside backer,'' coach Mike Munchak said. "We like to bring that linebacker, he's someone who has good rush skills, having five sacks this year as an outside linebacker that's something we really haven't had from that position. The fact that he can cover and run with the people that we have to cover in our division ... there's a lot of things he offers.'' The 6-foot-1, 242-pound Brown set the North Carolina record with a 6.72-second time in the 60 meters as a member of the Tar Heels track team in 2009. He was timed at 4.44 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in February and was even faster at his pro day (4.37 seconds in the 40). Brown had seven career interceptions at North Carolina, and he had his best season as a senior. Brown had 105 tackles with one fumble recovery, three forced fumbles and 13.5 tackles for loss to go along with 5.5 sacks. The Titans wound up with two rookies starting at linebacker by the end of last season when fourthround pick Colin McCarthy replaced veteran Barrett Ruud and started the last seven games. Gray said Brown's speed will let him play in space while also rushing the quarterback, and the coordinator isn't worried about being too young at linebacker if the rookie winds up pushing past veterans Will Witherspoon and Gerald McRath to earn the starting job. "He's going to be competing and the best guy's going to get the job,'' Gray said. Linebackers coach Frank Bush said Brown is a big, fast athlete eager to learn one position.
"One thing I can't coach is speed, and he's got it,'' said Bush, who added that he's heard talk about Brown not being a physical linebacker. "We are just going to have to see now,'' Bush said on a conference call. "Everybody that said that's the knock, they are going to find out when the season comes.'' The Titans also had two rookies play heavily at defensive tackle in 2011 in third-round pick Jurrell Casey and Karl Klug, a fifthrounder. Martin is another former high school wrestler who had 10 career sacks at Michigan along with 25 tackles for loss. Munchak said Martin is the kind of player centers and guards do not like to play against because he's such a nuisance to block and can make offensive linemen look bad if they don't play hard. But Martin, who played 49 games in four years at Michigan, is 6-foot1, 306 pounds. Webster said that size is no problem playing inside at the nose tackle, and Millard said Martin resembles Randle for his tenacity and passion: "He's the total package.'' ###
TITANS DRAFT MICHIGAN DT MIKE MARTIN IN THIRD ROUND TERESA M. WALKER ASSOCIATED PRESS APRIL 28, 2012 The Tennessee Titans have made tackle Mike Martin of Michigan their first defensive lineman selected in the 2012 NFL draft at No. 82 overall in the third round. The 6-foot-1, 306-pound Martin had 172 career tackles with 10 sacks and 25 tackles for loss in 49 games at Michigan. He ranked among the best tackles in drills at the NFL combine in February as he posted the third-best vertical jump and tied for the best broad jump. Only Dontari Poe, a first-round pick by Kansas City, did better than his 36 reps on the bench press. The Titans need help on the defensive line to boost a pass rush that managed only 28 sacks in 2011. They also need help against the run after ranking 24th in the league. ###
AFC SOUTH BLOG BY PAUL KUHARKSY ESPN.COM APRIL 28, 2012 Titans add another high-motor wrestler Nose tackle Mike Martin should pressure veteran Shaun Smith for playing time, and could ultimately push Smith off the roster. Tennessee nabbed Martin in the third round, 82nd overall. Martin“Mike Martin is what you want in a nose tackle,” general manager Ruston Webster told Nashville media. “He is tough as nails. He is a grinder. He doesn’t mind doing the dirty work and brings the kind of mentality that we want on our defense.” Like Karl Klug, a successful pass rushing DT from last year’s draft, Martin has wrestled and said it helps him operate in close quarters. “I’m a guy that the whistle is going to have to be blown three or four times for me to stop on the play,” Martin said. “I think that (Ndamukong) Suh plays that way, he’s got a heck of a motor and I just want to be that guy who can prove that he has that motor in the NFL. I feel like that is what I relied on in college. When guys would quit on a play or just decided not to finish, I was going to finish and I was going to make a play because of that.” I was (too) hard on Zach Brown, the second-round linebacker. I like the sound of Martin. Still, the Titans are due for a defensive end. Eager to hear Titans explain Brown choice I’m eager to hear the Titans talk about North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown, whom they just picked at No. 52. The outside reviews are not very good. Over in our chat, Matt
Williamson of Scouts Inc. said Brown is a track star with no football acumen. The Titans have emphasized getting bigger and are trying to improve their pass rush. It would appear Brown does neither, as he’s just over 6-foot-1 and around 244 pounds and his speed seems to lend itself more to coverage work than pass rushing. Even if the Titans envision him in that role going forward, they’ve long been a team that likes to talk about rushing linebackers but rarely follows through. Is he going to knock veteran Will Witherspoon from the weakside spot? Or succeed him next year? Draft analyst Mike Detillier likes Brown -- rating him second at outside linebacker behind only Courtney Upshaw and putting him as a late first- or early secondround guy. Pro Football Weekly put Brown in the top 50. Mel Kiper said he was a second- or thirdround player who would create split opinions and cited instinct concerns. Detillier wrote that Brown's acceleration upfield is "unmatched my any other linebacker," that he has "rare closing speed to the ballcarrier" and that he has "firstrate flow skills laterally and eats up a lot of ground." While Brown could be a tease, Detillier also said that with hard work, Brown can show he "has the skills to be a special player." Still, like a lot of people, I'm thinking Tennessee could have done better in the spot. ###
TITAN INSIDER BLOG BY TERRY MCCORMICK TITANINSIDER.COM APRIL 28, 2012 Titans net DT Martin in the third round The Tennessee Titans continued to address defensive needs by choosing Mike Martin of Michigan in the third round with the 82nd pick of the draft overall. In Martin, the Titans believe they have a guy who can do the blue collar dirty work in the trenches to make the interior of their defensive line better, especially against the run. “That is something that has always been something that I prided myself on, and we prided ourselves on at Michigan, and that was always our mission statement, I guess you could say,” Martin said of his run-stuffing. “No one was going to run the ball on us.” That is music to the Titans' collective ears, as Tennessee struggled in stopping the run with power runners like Arian Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew in the AFC South. “He's a nuisance to block for a guard. He's a guy that gets leverage. He gets in the gap and gets to the guard. He's quick off the snap,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said. “In our division when you play zone running football teams, that's what creates the problem in the middle is penetration by a nose tackle.” The arrival of Martin likely puts veteran Shaun Smith on notice regarding his role after 2011. “Mike Martin is what you want in a nose tackle. He is tough as nails. He's a grinder. He doesn't mind doing the dirty work and brings the kind of mentality we want on our defense,” Titans general manager Ruston Webster. “You look at his motor, and he's relentless.”
Martin, 6-1, 306, had 10 sacks over four years from his defensive tackle spot for the Wolverines, and had 25 tackles for loss in his career. He is a three-year starter at Michigan and played in 49 games over his career for the Wolverines. But his value goes beyond the numbers, and he is ready to try and impact the Tennessee defense. “I'm gonna be disruptive. I'm gonna be consistent. I'm gonna have a motor. I'm not gonna stop till the whistle blows,” Martin said. “I'm a guy that's not gonna stop. The whistle's gonna have to be blown three or four times for me to stop on the play.” He has even struck up a friendship with Detroit Lions star Ndamakong Suh, whom he now calls a mentor, at Suh's football camp. “I got real interested in what he was doing, and I reached out to him and I tweeted him and he tweeted me back and said, 'I'd love to have you out.' I got to meet him and talk to him a little bit more extensively at his camp,” Martin said. “He's been one of those guys behind the scenes that nobody really knows about that I can call. He's sort of my guy like a mentor and a hub of information. He's a guy that he's always offered up his time. “I think Suh plays that way. He's got a heck of a motor and I just want to be that guy that can prove he has that motor in the NFL, because I feel like that's what I relied on in college. When guys would quit on a play in college and decide not to finish, I was gonna finish and make the play because of that.” Keith Millard, the Titans pass rush coach, said Martin's skill set and demeanor remind him of a former teammate of his – John Randle. “He's got that John Randle thing to him. All the things that everybody is saying about him now, everybody said the same thing about John Randle,” Millard said. “John Randle was a smaller guy, a
squattier guy. The question is where do you play him when he first got into the NFL, but his tenacity and love for the game, and his passion. When you look at Mike Martin, he's gone through this his whole life. He's always been the underdog type of guy, and he's always come out swinging and he's always come out ahead.” Titans grab linebacker Zach Brown in second round The Tennessee Titans turned to the defensive side of the ball in the second round and added North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown, whom they believe can compete for the weak side linebacker spot with veterans Will Witherspoon and Gerald McRath in training camp. Zach Brown will vie for the will linebacker spot with the Tennessee Titans Brown, a four-year player at North Carolina, ran a 4.5 time in the 40 and had 5.5 sacks his senior season for the Tar Heels. Like first-round pick Kendall Wright, he made a pre-draft visit to the Titans. Titans general manager Ruston Webster had high praise for Brown's athletic ability. "Zach Brown is probably about as talented football player as you can find. He's big, fast and very athletic,” Webster said. “They said they were gonna try and make it happen, and now I'm just ready to roll,” Brown said after being taken with the 52nd overall pick in the draft. Brown said he considers former Titans linebacker David Thornton “a big brother” and someone who helped to mentor him through some tough times. As for his contributions to the Titans, the coaching staff is excited to add a player who can be a threedown linebacker because of his speed and cover skills. Brown had seven career interceptions,
including three as a senior at North Carolina. “He'll come in and get a chance to play will linebacker and get a chance to play in space, maybe make some plays in space,” defensive coordinator Jerry Gray said. “He'll get a chance to blitz off the open side, which will be good for us, and we know he can run. He'll be able to get into our nickel package. He's an athletic guy and the speed that we're looking for.” If there was a criticism of Brown, it was his tackling or perceived lack of it. Despite being credited with 105 tackles last year, NFL Network's Mike Mayock said Brown was “allergic to contact,” and ESPN's Jon Gruden offered a similar assessment. Brown offered this rebuttal, “We're just gonna have to see now. Everybody that said there was a knock (on me), they're gonna find out when the season comes.” Gray pointed to Brown's 29-0 mark as a high school wrestler that the label isn't correct, and that Brown was simply a product of what he was asked to do in the Tar Heel defense. “If you're allergic to contact, I don't think you're a wrestler,” Gray said. “To me, that's the package they're using him in. A lot of times you can be put in a position to where they let you go run and chase and that becomes who you are. And they kind of put that tag on you.” ###
TAG TEAM: TITANS PICK TWO FORMER WRESTLERS BY CRAIG PETERS TITANS ONLINE APRIL 28, 2012 The Titans tagged in a pair of defensive players with wrestling backgrounds Friday, adding speed at linebacker and grit on the defensive line. Tennessee tabbed North Carolina senior Zach Brown (6-foot-1, 244 pounds) in the second round with the 52nd overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft and followed with the selection of Michigan defensive tackle Mike Martin (6-1, 306) in the third round with the 82nd overall pick. Brown, a native of Columbia, Md., and Martin, a native of Redford, Mich., each won prep wrestling titles. Titans general manager Ruston Webster said a wrestling background can produce a certain set of physical and mental attributes that transfer well to the gridiron. Returning defensive tackle Karl Klug frequently credited his wrestling background with his production last season as a rookie. “To me, wrestlers do have that natural leverage,” Webster said. “They understand leverage. They understand how to use their hands, and typically, they’re tough guys. That’s why, I think, you see it more in guards and centers and defensive tackles. It is something that, to me, when a guy has been a wrestler, especially when he’s been a successful wrestler, it says something about his toughness and commitment.” Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray said Brown’s speed will make him the third or fourth fastest player at any defensive position. “He’ll come in and get a chance to play “Will” linebacker, get a
chance to play in space,” Gray said. “He has athletic ability. He can make plays in space. He’ll get a chance to blitz off the open side, which will be good for us. We know he can run, so he’ll be able to get into the nickel package.” Brown set the Tar Heels record, running the 60-meter dash in 6.72 seconds, in 2009. He clocked a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in February, and followed it with 4.37 in the same event during his pro day. “The obvious thing is the speed,” Bush said. “He’s a big, fast athlete. We like a lot of things that way. Spending time with the kid, you find a kid that was passionate about the game. He had been there for four years, played a lot of different positions, and quite frankly, the kid wants to get a home and learn one particular thing to do so he can do it even better.” Gray said North Carolina moved Brown multiple places on the field and basically used him as a chaser. “What we’ll get a chance to do, with Frank’s assistance, is to put him in a position where he’s comfortable,” Gray said. “This will be better for him because he won’t have to line up in five or six places.” Veteran scout Cole Proctor surveyed Brown and said, “He has those things I haven’t seen (in a linebacker).” “He’s just a fine athlete; I think he’s going to do a great job for us,” Proctor said. “He’s a willing special teams player, and I think coaches will be looking forward to having him here and training him.” Martin also delivered impressive performances at the NFL Combine. He led all defensive tackles/nose guards with a 4.25 time in the 20yard shuttle, ranked third with a 33.5-inch vertical and second with 36 bench press repetitions of 225 pounds.
Titans coaches expect Martin’s frame, which is shorter in length than some defensive linemen, to be an advantage in the leverage battles against offensive linemen that occur every snap. Titans coach Mike Munchak, a Hall of Fame guard, said Martin’s energy and effort will enable him to make opposing interior linemen look bad if they think about taking off a play. The Titans received solid production from Klug and defensive tackle Jurrell Casey in their rookie campaigns, but coaches said Martin will have an opportunity to compete for playing time at the post as well. BIG BROTHER: Brown said he learned a little bit about the Titans through a close relationship with former Tennessee linebacker David Thornton, who was an assistant at UNC after retiring from pro football and prior to joining the personnel staff of the Colts. Thornton was the 2008 recipient of the Titans Community Man of the Year Award. “That’s like my big brother,” Brown said. “He was down there at Carolina for two years.” Brown also knows a little bit about Nashville and LP Field from playing against the Volunteers in the Music City Bowl in 2010. “I liked the stadium while I was there,” Brown said. “I liked the field. I could actually wear the cleats I wanted to wear.” GOOGLE THIS: Martin told reporters shortly after his selection that he thought the Titans were very “genuine” with him when he officially visited Baptist Sports Park. When asked what he already knew about the team, Martin said, “I know that I’m going to Google the hell out of the Titans right now. I know a lot about the Titans, but I’m going to get a deeper understanding of every single detail about the
organization and get ready to go here.” THREE WITH FOUR: All of the Titans selections so far — Brown, Martin and first-round pick Kendall Wright — played four years at their respective schools. “I like four-year starters,” Webster said. “That, kind of like talking about the wrestling thing, says something about a player. You have to be a special player to do that. It doesn’t always happen that way, but there are always tend to be four-year starters that have seen a lot of ball, and I think it helps them when they come into the league.” IN THE DIVISION: Indianapolis started the second round with another offensive selection; Jacksonville opted for defense; and Houston’s second-round pick went to Tampa Bay through a trade. The Colts followed their No. 1 overall pick of Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the first pick of the second round (33rd overall) and went back to Stanford in drafting tight end Coby Fleenor (6-6, 247). Indianapolis drafted Clemson tight end Dwayne Allen (6-3, 255) with the 64th pick and Florida International receiver T.Y. Hilton (5-10, 183) in the third round. The Jaguars drafted Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon in the first round Thursday and followed on Friday with Clemson defensive end Andre Branch (6-4, 259) in the second round with the 38th overall pick. Jacksonville took California punter Bryan Anger (63, 208) with the 70th pick in the third round. The Texans tabbed Ohio State receiver Devier Posey (6-1, 211) with the 68th pick and Miami (OH) guard Brandon Brooks (6-5, 343) with the 76th pick in the third round. ###
TITANS INCREASE DEFENSIVE SPEED WITH 2012 NFL DRAFT CLASS BY JIM WYATT THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 29, 2012 PAGE: 1C NFL coaches and executives can't worry about hurt feelings or ruffled feathers. Teams tinker and retool each and every offseason, and many times it means the end of the road for some veterans. At the least, the new arrivals force the older players to step up their game if they want to stay on the roster. The Titans added seven new players during the 2012 NFL Draft, which ended on Saturday. After selecting Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright in the first round, the Titans took five defensive players in their final six picks. Coach Mike Munchak said his team just got faster and more athletic, and if the draft class caught the attention of some veterans, that's a good thing. "When you play in the league and they draft guys, it always makes guys uncomfortable because you don't know what that means," Munchak said. "But I think that guys realize that we are doing what it takes, and we are trying to put the best team out there to win. They understand that the game is a business, and you can't keep everyone. It creates some good competition." On Saturday, the Titans drafted Clemson cornerback Coty Sensabaugh in the fourth round. He joins a group of young players competing for playing time behind returning starters Jason McCourty and Alterraun Verner. In the fifth round the Titans took SMU's Taylor Thompson, a college defensive end, who will transition to tight end. They rounded out the
draft with Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin in the sixth round and Rice defensive end Scott Solomon in the seventh round. General Manager Ruston Webster's focus was to add speed and athleticism on defense. Secondand third-round picks Zach Brown, a linebacker from North Carolina, and Mike Martin, a defensive tackle from Michigan, lead that effort from this class. "Defensively, I think youth is good -- you have to be able to run, hit, move," Webster said. "As guys get older and they start losing a step, even though they have that great savvy and all that, it does affect your defense. Offensively it is not as big a deal. "But defensively, at all positions, it is such an athletically demanding side of the ball, it is important to be young actually. Now do you want to mix in some veterans with leadership and all that? Yes, you do, but you also have to be able to run and hit and change directions and do all those kinds of things. The reactions are important. So for me, I like being young on defense." After getting good to great contributions from four defensive players drafted last year -linebackers Akeem Ayers and Colin McCarthy, defensive linemen Karl Klug and Jurrell Casey -- the Titans were already young on defense. The team's defensive rookies led the NFL last season with 39 starts and 97 total games played. So which veterans may be on the spot? Linebackers Will Witherspoon and Gerald McRath should face a challenge from the speedy Brown. The Titans plan to give him a chance to start on the outside. As for defensive tackles, ninth-year pro Shaun Smith needs a strong offseason and training camp, as does fourth-year pro Sen'Derrick Marks. The status of 33-year-old tight end Daniel Graham could
hinge on how quickly Thompson develops. Brown described what he thought it would take to unseat a veteran. "You have to be hungry, real hungry, because that veteran in front of you doesn't want to give up his spot," he said. "So you have to be hungry and you have to push yourself to push him. ... I am a competitor and the best player is going to play." Webster said that the Titans filled most of their needs over the past three days. Now he will bring in undrafted players and more veteran free agents. "For me, it is hard when we bring guys in because you know it affects other people. I have a great deal of respect for the men that play this game. To some degree, it bothers me," Webster said. "But I would also expect the kind of guys we have on our team to step up and compete and try and make this as good a team as we can be." ###
CORNERBACK COTY SENSABAUGH BRINGS LOTS OF VERSATILITY BY JIM WYATT THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 29, 2012
"The kid is extremely bright," Titans secondary coach Brett Maxie said. "He is going to have the opportunity to play (inside or outside) because we think he can do both. I think his speed can be utilized any place, because that is something you can't coach."
PAGE: 4C When the Titans lost cornerback Cortland Finnegan in free agency, they didn't panic. There was no rush to sign anyone. There was no exploring a trade. And the Titans don't plan to replace Finnegan with Coty Sensabaugh, the cornerback they selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday. The Titans like what they have at cornerback but think Sensabaugh will bring competition and keep the position strong even without Finnegan, who signed with the Rams last month. "I think we have been smart about how we have done it," Coach Mike Munchak said. "We are going to lose some players. Our philosophy was we were very happy with what we have in-house with the young guys. "But we knew in the draft if the right guy was there, that's how we'd answer to losing a guy. We felt like this was a guy who could come in and help us right away." Sensabaugh, who attended DobynsBennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., is capable of playing several positions in the secondary. At Clemson, he lined up in the slot then switched to the outside. He had 87 tackles and four interceptions over 52 games, including 17 starts. Sensabaugh, second cousin to Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh, has run the 40-yard dash in 4.31 seconds. He was clocked at 4.42 during the NFL Combine in February.
The Titans have two young but proven cornerbacks in Jason McCourty and Alterraun Verner. Behind them is a group trying to win playing time: Ryan Mouton (missed last season with an Achilles injury), Chris Hawkins (former practice squad player) and Tommie Campbell (seventh-round pick last year). "I am going to get to know a lot of them really soon, I am sure," Sensabaugh said. "It's all in God's hands. I'm going to work hard and let him take care of the rest. I just want to continue to come in and continue to help my team win." Munchak said the competition should be fun to watch this offseason and in training camp. The rookies report to Baptist Sports Park on May 10 and will have seven weeks in the offseason program. "Everyone is in the mix, and it adds a lot of excitement," he said. "It is going to be fun to watch to see it all unfold." ###
TITANS DRAFT RICE'S SCOTT SOLOMON IN SEVENTH ROUND BY JOHN GLENNON THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 29, 2012 PAGE: 4C Going into the NFL Draft, some observers considered defensive end the position where the Titans needed the most help. The Titans addressed the situation just before shutting down for business Saturday, taking Rice defensive end Scott Solomon with their seventh-round pick, 211th overall. Tennessee had given up a seventhround pick earlier in the day, in order to move up in the fifth round to pick tight end Taylor Thompson. But the Titans got a seventhrounder back in a separate deal with the Vikings, surrendering their 2013 sixth-round pick in the process. General Manager Ruston Webster said it was a priority to return to the seventh round specifically because of Solomon, whose 24 career sacks are tied for the most in Rice history.
Where do the big sack numbers come from? "I feel like it just comes from my toughness," Solomon said. "When I get on that field, I am going to work hard. I am going to be relentless. I am going to be tough out there and that is kind of where I made my bread and butter, and that's where I find success." Solomon might be a defensive end, but when asked who he patterns his game after, he picked another Rice alumnus -- fullback/tight end James Casey of the Texans. "That cat is the definition of a great NFL football player to me because he does everything perfect," Solomon said. "I just try to follow in his footsteps." Another influence on Solomon: former NFL defensive end N.D. Kalu, who attended both the same high school (Marshall High in San Antonio) and the same college as Solomon. "He has been great," Solomon said. "He's been talking to me, kind of helping me through everything and letting me know how everything works. He has been a tremendous help and a great mentor for me." ###
"He's relentless," Webster said. "It's one of those things where those guys that are relentless pass rushers -- who never stop -- usually end up winning because of that. "I remember, and this is a very good player, but Patrick Kearney was that way. He came every down. I think that's kind of what (Solomon) is. He's all out, all the time, and that wears on an offensive tackle." The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Solomon missed the entire 2010 season after breaking his foot, but he came back with a strong 2011. He posted career highs of 8.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss, numbers that earned him first-team Conference USA honors.
TITANS SEE VALUE IN DEFENSIVE END TAYLOR THOMPSON AS A TIGHT END BY JOHN GLENNON THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 29, 2012
Thompson as a tight end. He said he visited nine other teams leading up to the draft. A native of Prosper, Texas, Thompson was a highly recruited tight end coming out of high school, and he committed to Vanderbilt before changing his mind.
PAGE: 4C When Titans scouts attended practices leading up to the unheralded Players All-Star Classic in Arkansas in February, a certain defensive end immediately impressed them. Oddly enough, it was because of the way he ran pass patterns and caught the football. A couple of months later, the Titans made that defensive endturned-tight end their fifth-round pick, selecting SMU's Taylor Thompson with the 145th overall selection on Saturday. The Titans moved up 10 spots in a trade with the Dolphins to take Thompson, surrendering their seventh-round pick in the process. It's a decision that's sure to be discussed much. Thompson never caught a pass in four years at SMU, but the 6-foot-6, 259-pounder was a very talented defensive end for the Mustangs, starting at that position his final three seasons. It was only prior to SMU's bowl game last season that Thompson began dabbling at tight end -- the position he played in high school. He continued working there during the all-star game in Arkansas. "He was practicing full time at tight end -- routes, catching the ball, blocking, the whole deal," Titans scout John Salge said. "That's when we said, 'Wow, this guy has some ability.' And obviously, during his pro day, he worked out as a tight end as well. We're just excited to have him. He's a good athlete." It's clear the Titans weren't the only team that was interested in
But there were at least a couple of reasons he wound up moving to defensive end at SMU: New Mustangs Coach June Jones employed a spread offense that didn't utilize the tight end, and Thompson bulked up so much that he was a better fit at defensive end. But now he's come full circle, and the Titans love the athletic potential that Thompson -- who says he's run a sub-4.5 40-yard dash -- brings to the table. "I'd say his growth will have to come in the technique of blocking, but as far as being a receiving tight end, I think he's uncanny," offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. "He's got outstanding speed. He's got outstanding size and hands." Thompson compared himself with a couple of NFL standouts -- Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots and Jimmy Graham of the Saints. "Gronkowski is a big, physical guy, and (Graham) is an athlete who decided to try out for football his last year in college," Thompson said. "So any of those guys. ... I'm just a big, physical guy that can make plays. I can run down the field, but I can also help in the run game." ###
TITANS SHOW RARE CREATIVITY ON DRAFT DAY BY DAVID CLIMER THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 29, 2012 PAGE: 1C When the Titans drafted Taylor Thompson in the fifth round, he was first identified as a defensive end. A few minutes later, his position was listed as tight end. So, which is he? Both. Thompson was a three-year starter at defensive end for SMU. But he comes to Nashville as a tight end. That tells you all you need to know about the Titans' draft class. A franchise that for so long played it by the numbers instead rolled the dice, thinking outside the box and drafting outside of convention. Despite a glaring need for a pass rusher, they picked a pass catcher in the first round. Their second-round choice, No. 52 overall, is a linebacker whose college coaches suggested he was allergic to contact. Their only cornerback pick was last seen playing on a defense that gave up 70 points in the Orange Bowl.
While we'll attach a grade and a pithy comment to every draft class, does anybody really know what team hit and what team missed? Of course not. Get back in touch with me in three or four years and I'll be glad to grade this draft for you. For the Titans, this was a risk/reward draft. They surprised everyone by picking wide receiver Kendall Wright in the first round, went the athleticism/potential route in the second round with Zach Brown, gambled on the speed of Clemson cornerback Coty Sensabaugh in the fourth and traded up 10 spots to grab the position-hopping Thompson in the fifth. As for that pass rusher, they swooped in to grab Scott Solomon - in the last round. Cue Ruston Webster, the Titans' first-year general manager: "In terms of athletic ability, we upgraded our group." With that in mind, Thompson fits right in -- assuming he can pull off the rare defense-to-offense switcheroo. Titans brass sees him as a Jimmy Graham/Rob Gronkowski type of talent -- a big guy (6-6, 259 pounds) with 4.58 speed in the 40 that can get open downfield. "Mom, Dad and God gave him size, speed and athletic ability," offensive coordinator Chris Palmer said. "... It's a no-brainer in the fifth round."
And did you hear the one about the tight end whose last pass reception was four years ago in high school?
Thompson, who is from Prosper, Texas, committed to Vanderbilt out of high school but reneged and signed with SMU.
Say this much for the Titans: They kept things lively. By keeping us all guessing, they made a mockery of all those mock drafts.
There, he switched to defensive end because, among other things, Coach June Jones does not use a tight end in his spread offense.
OK, OK. One team's diamond in the rough is another team's lump of coal. And vice versa. That's the beauty of the NFL Draft.
Talk about a double-reverse. "I started the NFL Draft as a defensive end, and then I had a lot of teams that wanted to draft me as
a tight end, so I went that way," Thompson said. And then there is Brown, a linebacker who is shadowed by the perception that he relies on his speed to avoid contact rather than seek it. Note, please, that the label was not attached by some talking haircut such as Mel Kiper. Rather, it came from some of the coaches at North Carolina. "It is what it is," Brown said with a shrug. "You can't change it. They're not my coaches anymore." Brown's answer for anybody that questions his willingness to hit: "OK, you line up across from me, and then we'll see who shies away from contact." Personally, I'm taking his word for it. ###
TITANS TAKE OKLAHOMA STATE'S MARKELLE MARTIN IN SIXTH ROUND BY JOHN GLENNON THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 29, 2012 PAGE: 4C When Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin took a look at the safety rankings heading into the NFL Draft, his name was near the top. So he was understandably disappointed as the hours and days passed without a phone call from an NFL team. The Titans finally ended Martin's wait on Saturday, choosing him with their sixth-round pick, 190th overall. Martin, who expected to go at least a few rounds earlier, dropped in large part because he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee just after the Senior Bowl, which left him unable to participate in the NFL Combine or Oklahoma State's pro day. "In the beginning, I knew I was going to drop a couple of rounds -but to drop so far, I had no idea," Martin said. "As the rounds started to go by, I texted my agent, and he told me it was probably because of the knee. It's something I understand and am OK with. "I'd rather it be something that can be fixed than something you can't fix. I can really get back to 100 percent, so I would rather slip for something like that than for some other issue." The good news for the Titans is that Martin, who started 37 straight games at Oklahoma State, seems to be well on his way to getting back to top form. He held his own workout day just a few days before the draft, and even though he estimated that he was
only at 80 percent, Martin ran a 4.6 40-yard dash and recorded a 34inch vertical jump. "Of course, he tells me he feels great and he feels ready to go," Titans General Manager Ruston Webster said. "But we'll see when he gets here. I think what we felt medically was that by the time the June camps rolled around, he'd be able to go." Once fully healthy, the 6-foot-1, 207-pound Martin looks forward to showing the skills he displayed at Oklahoma State, where he recorded 74 tackles and 11 pass breakups as a senior. He had three interceptions as a junior but none as a senior. Martin said he has strong cover skills, which is important in the NFL these days with so many multiple receiver sets and so many pass-catching tight ends. "I think that's one of my best attributes," Martin said. "... I can cover. That is something I'm comfortable doing. I don't mind coming down and being a nickel corner and just putting myself in position to make plays." ###
TITANS DRAFT ANALYSIS THE TENNESSEAN APRIL 29, 2012 PAGE: 6C JIM WYATT * Best pick: Baylor WR Kendall Wright. The Titans could've played it safe by taking Stanford's David DeCastro or a defensive end. They went with Wright, who has a chance to be an impact player immediately. * Riskiest pick: SMU TE Taylor Thompson. He played defensive end in college. The Titans spent Saturday talking him up, and it sounds like nearly a dozen other NFL teams were on to him. But Thompson didn't have a catch in college, so he has a lot to prove. * Overall: The Titans created competition at several positions, with good numbers now at wide receiver, defensive tackle and linebacker, so some veterans are on the spot. Mike Martin will be a force in the middle of the defensive line, and Zach Brown gives the Titans a linebacker fast enough to keep up with tight ends. JOHN GLENNON * Best pick: Michigan DT Mike Martin. Kendall Wright is obviously the most talented of the picks, as any first-rounder should be. But I really like the way Martin fits with this team. The Titans have been talking for a long time about trying to better themselves against the run, and the 6-foot-1, 306pound Martin prides himself on shutting down enemy running attacks. * Riskiest pick: North Carolina LB Zach Brown. It's one thing to select a tight end that never caught a pass in college, but at least that was a fifth-rounder. The Titans may also have taken a chance with Zach Brown, who has received a wide range of reviews. He's commonly considered an excellent athlete, but
is he enough of a football player? We shall see. * Overall: It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to review drafts before a single player sets foot on the practice field. But I will agree with the Titans that they increased their speed and athleticism at some key positions. If both Wright and Thompson pan out, this team could feature a much-improved offense this fall. Defensively, I think Martin should be a good boost to the line, but the Titans still look needy at end. DAVID CLIMER * Best pick: Baylor WR Kendall Wright. Sure, the Titans needed help elsewhere, but you can never have enough playmaking wide receivers. * Riskiest pick: North Carolina LB Zach Brown. The jury is still out on the second-rounder. If he is indeed allergic to contact, the NFL is not for him. * Overall: Wright is a keeper, but the Titans simply didn't fill enough of their needs. If Brown doesn't pan out, it will be another big miss in the second round, and later picks don't project to see much playing time this season, if ever. Time will tell.
###
TITANS MAKE TRADE TO DRAFT PLAYER WHO SWAPPED POSITIONS BY DAVID BOCLAIR THE CITY PAPER APRIL 29, 2012 Studying philosophy does not often have a direct impact on the career of a football player. For Taylor Thompson, though, it made a difference. He thinks he is a tight end, therefore he is. The Tennessee Titans traded away their seventh-round pick in order to move up 10 spots and draft Thompson in the fifth round Saturday, the final day of the 2012 NFL Draft. An all-conference – not to mention draft-worthy – defensive end at SMU, he declared as a tight end, a position he last played in high school. “I started the draft [process] as a defensive end and then I had a lot of teams that wanted to draft me as a tight end,” Thompson said. “So I went that way. … Since I played defensive end for the past four years in college I kind of have the mindset of the opponent. That’s a huge thing in football – to understand the enemy. “I have that athletic side to me that I can bring to the offense. I can really be an aggressive and athletic tight end.” Over the final four rounds the Titans also took cornerback Clemson cornerback Coty Sensabaugh in the fourth (115th overall), Oklahoma State safety Markeele Martin in the sixth (190th overall) and Rice defensive end Scott Solomon with a pick in the seventh (211th overall) they acquired from Minnesota. In order to move up and select Thompson, they swapped their fifth-round pick (155th overall) with Miami and gave the Dolphins
their scheduled seventh-round selection (227th overall).
Salge reconsidered their opinion of him.
“We didn’t want to sit in the fifth round and maybe go with someone we weren’t as comfortable with,” coach Mike Munchak said. “We had a chance to lose him. We feel that he has a chance to … come in and make this football team. … We feel there are a lot of ways he can contribute and it’s not too often there is a chance to get a guy like this, especially in the fifth round.”
“This is a player who was above the line as a defensive end prospect,” Salge said. “So, we knew we were dealing with a premier athlete from the beginning. I believe we saw enough during practice at the all-star game and during the pro day routes, running routes, sinking his hips, looking fluid/smooth, getting down the field. It comes naturally to him; you can see that.
A three-year starter during his fouryear career, he led SMU with seven sacks, made 41 tackles and forced six fumbles in 2011. Late in the season, though, he discussed his professional options and began to put in extra work catching passes and running routes. Recruited out of Ponder (Tex.) High School as a tight end by the likes of Oklahoma State, Colorado State and Vanderbilt (he initially committed to Vanderbilt) he elected to stay close to home. After he committed, SMU hired June Jones who installed his spread offense, which rarely – if ever – utilizes a tight end. By the end of his freshman season, Thompson was a starter at defensive end. “Obviously there were questions because there is no film on me in college,” he said. “I’ve played obviously, as a tight end. I’ve had about 10 workouts as a tight end. I had the Pro Day as a tight end. It was, I think, just enough film on me to make me a prospect.” He was one of eight available tight ends with a recorded 40-yard dash time of faster than 4.6 seconds, and offensive coordinator Chris Palmer raved about the size of Thompson’s hands. Some considered him as high as a potential third-round pick at that defensive, but his coaches got him an invitation to the first Players All Star Classic in Little Rock, Ark. as a tight end. That’s where Titans scouts Blake Beddingfield and John
“This is not like you are taking defensive end and making him tight end for the first time ever it’s almost like he’s been playing all along. “
a a – it
Tight end, of course, is a position that has served as a star vehicle for some unlikely candidates. San Diego’s Antonio Gates was a college basketball player before he became a an eight-time Pro Bowler in the NFL. Jimmy Graham played only one year of college football but caught 99 passes for New Orleans last season, his second in the league. “He was involved in their program there [at SMU] and to the kid’s credit, he stayed and played a position and exceled at being a defensive end,” Palmer said. “In his heart he wanted to be a tight end.” Now he is. Briefly • Sensabaugh is a second cousin to Dallas safety Gerald Sensabaugh, and the two grew up together “Both are very bright football players and have very high football IQs,” secondary coach Brett Maxie, who coached Gerald Sensabaugh at Dallas, said. “They are students of the game. They are very humble and very good men. “Gerald is an and talking to me of Gerald humble, very
exceptional person, Coty, he reminded in that way. Very well spoken, very
genuine, a good person, football is important to him.”
and
• Martin started the final 37 games of his career but dealt with plenty of injuries along the way. He sustained a torn meniscus in January, which required minor surgery and prevented him from conducting and pre-draft workouts until earlier this month. He missed spring practices in 2011 following shoulder surgery and had a hip injury in 2009. “I can play through anything,” he said. “I’ve been banged up and played through it. … I show up and play. Regrdless of what injury I have, I want to go out and compete and give it 100 percent.” • The Titans traded a sixth-round pick in 2013 to get back in the seventh round this year specifically to select Solomon, whose 24 career sacks tied him for Rice’s all-time lead. “When I get on that field I work hard,” Solomon said. “I’m going to be relentless. I’m going to be tough out there and I feel like that’s where I make my bread and butter. And that’s where I find success.” ###
TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFT REVIEW April 26-28, 2012
PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPTS
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
RUSTON WEBSTER, MIKE MUNCHAK, CHRIS PALMER, JON SALGE THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE AT BAPTIST SPORTS PARK GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (opening statement) I am very excited to make our first round pick Kendall Wright from Baylor. We spent a lot of time watching Kendall, we brought him in here for a visit and we sent our coaches to work him out. He is an exciting playmaker who can help us in a lot of ways and will be fun to watch. He is going to make our offense even better than it is, so we are very excited about that. (on Kendall Wright’s strengths) I think his strong point is making plays after the catch, getting himself open and then doing something with the ball after he catches it. Sure, he will be used to playing with a mobile quarterback; that should work well. They should work well together. (on if he is comparable to Derrick Mason) I can see that to some point. He is similar in size and the fact they were both playmakers. For me, that’s a compliment for Kendall to be compared to Derrick Mason. (on what Kendall Wright brings to the current receiver core that was not there) We have a good group, but I think it’s more about Kendall. He has the ability to catch a short ball and turn it into a long run. He can create some things for us on offense. I think he will mesh well with what we have and he will add to the group. (on how much drafting Kendall Wright had to do with Kenny Britt’s health) We were considering a lot of different positions so it wasn’t like it was something that we were focusing on in terms of, ‘OK, we just have to take a receiver because of Kenny’s health.’ It was more about the fact that we really like Kendall Wright. (on if it was an easy decision) It was an easy decision. We talked about in the earlier press conference about having the six guys lined up, well Kendall was at the top of the list when it came time to pick. It was an easy decision. (on what would have changed if defensive linemen Melvin Ingram and Quinton Coples were there) Well I think Kendall would have been our pick even at that point. We really felt good about him and what he would bring to us in comparison to what was there, and we are excited. OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR CHRIS PALMER (on Kendall Wright) This guy is electric and I don’t think it has anything to do with the ability of the quarterback. I think this guy reminds me of Drew Hill and Ernest Givins that we had back in the run and shoot days in Houston. He is a guy that can also play outside. He closes the cushion between himself and the defensive back very quickly. The fact that he has the ability with the run after catch, his hands are very good, and I think he is a guy that will allow us to move him around and complement our other receivers and be more explosive offensively. The fact that he can get down the field, and if you watch the film he has thrown passes and made big game catches. I think this guy is electric and a very explosive player. SCOUT JON SALGE (on the team taking his recommendation) I agree with coach. The first thing that you notice about Kendall is that on the field he is one of the most competitive football players that I watched this year and really in the last couple years all together. He is a very competitive football player and he really wants to be
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
good. That is his make-up. In terms of his actual ability, the explosiveness, you see that. You can’t help but see it. Speed, quickness, hands, run after catch, all of these are qualities that you can’t help but be impressed by. Regardless of what you see in a 40-yard dash, guys getting trained to basically run a track drill, you turn the film on of Kendall Wright and you see a very explosive player both vertically and laterally. (on Kendall Wright’s basketball skills) I am aware of his talents on the court and he is pretty proud of the athlete that he is. I have never seen him do it, but I have no doubt that he is pretty good. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if Jerry Gray was OK with drafting an offensive player) Of course he was. Any time you add a great player on offense that gives you a chance to stay on the field and make plays and score points. It helps both sides of the ball. When you are looking for guys to help you win, this is the type of guy that jumps to the top of the list. That’s what’s exciting for the whole team. He is a guy that is going to help this team win football games. Obviously, that is very good for your defense when you are scoring points and doing those types of things which adding another weapon like this will allow us to do. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on previously saying that improving the defense was a priority and how that impacted the decision to draft an offensive player in Kendall Wright) The big thing for us was to just stay true to how we grade the players. I think I also talked about levels to take a certain player. Kendall was our highest rated guy at that point in time, so we took him and we’re excited about him. We’ve obviously been watching him for a long time, and Jon (Salge) did a great job. It really was about Kendall and he was the best player available at the time.” (on if he knows where Kendall Wright was on the Titans’ draft board and where specifically that was) Yeah. Obviously he was in the top-20. (on if it is fair to say that there were defensive guys in their top-20 that got drafted prior to their pick) Yeah, that is fair to say. (on if they thought that Kendall Wright would still be on the board going into the draft) We weren’t sure he would be there. We thought he might, but there were a couple teams ahead of us that we thought could take him. So, we weren’t sure. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if they expect Wright to be able to help them this year, despite a history of wide receivers not always making an immediate impact) Obviously we expect him to be able to help us right away. Like Coach Palmer mentioned, he’s a guy who is very competitive, he makes plays, he is fun to watch on tape. So, we’re not looking at what happened in the past or years ago, we’re looking forward to this year and we felt when you pick a guy, like we did, at 20 that the player is going to be able to help us this year. We’re excited about that. In fact, this guy is going to help us win football games, and looking forward to working with him when he gets in town. (on where Kenny Britt is in his recovery from season-ending knee surgery and if he’ll be ready for the start of training camp) All intentions are good. He’s running, he’s not cutting yet, but he’s out running. He’s lifting with the guys who are in town. He’s obviously in meetings with the players this week. I think he’s very excited where he’s at—the plan, if everything goes well that by training camp he’s kind of where he was last year. We’re keeping an eye on him, we’re making sure he doesn’t do too much and then getting him into the preseason games and kind of see where it goes from there. Obviously, we’re assuming we’ll have him for the start of the season. OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR CHRIS PALMER
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
(on if he’s excited about putting all the offensive pieces together now that he has Kendall Wright to go with playmakers already on the roster) Let me just go back to the one question you asked. You can go back and look at our record; we had Terry Glenn in New England, as a rookie caught 90 balls. We had Kevin Johnson at Syracuse as a receiver first year had eight touchdowns. You had Andre Johnson who had 975 yards his rookie year. So, I think this system allows a rookie to come in and play early. There is enough evidence of that in the history of our coaching to indicate that we’re counting on this guy to come in and play. Where we plug him in, I think that is the beauty for our offense because I think he can play outside, I think he can play inside and there are several other spots. Two nights ago I went back and looked at the film, and when we start the draft process one of the things that Ruston (Webster) and Mike (Munchak) are going to ask me is, ‘Where does this guy fit?’ So I take four or five guys and I look at them and I say, ‘Coach, this is where I think this guy will fit, this is what I think we can do with him.’ Then they are going to make their decision on the final board on what we say we can get done with the player. So, obviously we think we can do an awful lot with this player. (on referencing his days coaching the ‘Run-n-Shoot’ offense and if he wants to use more three and four-wide receiver sets this year) We’ll play to our talent, okay—last year, I thought (Jared) Cook was a good player and I thought he had a good year for us. I think Dave Ragone, our wide receiver coach, did a great job with the receivers. Each one of them had their best season. A guy like (Lavelle) Hawkins, had 19 catches in three years and he winds up with 47 catches. I think this system is a very friendly system for quarterbacks and wide receivers. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on if taking Kendall Wright in the first round makes it more likely the Titans draft defensive players in the second and third rounds of the NFL Draft) Yeah, we will definitely look at some defensive players. Again, we’ll probably stick to our board, but we’re trying to fill needs and do all those kind of things. We’ll see how it goes—the thing about picking 20th, is you’re at a lot of team’s mercy if you stay there, so we’ll just have to see how it falls out. (on how seriously they considered drafting Stanford offensive lineman David DeCastro) We considered it, we considered it. We just felt like to get a playmaker of Kendall’s ability was probably best for us at that time. But, we did consider it and we did talk about it. (on if it is likely the Titans will look to trade up in the second round) I would say there is a chance. A lot of it depends on what you have to give up, and then what we feel we can get in those middle rounds because you probably have to give up a middle round pick, a fourth or something like that. So, we’ll just have to see. SCOUT JON SALGE (on if there is a specific NFL player that Kendall Wright reminds him of) A lot of people have different styles of doing this, and comparisons aren’t really my style. I feel like I identified Kendall as a very good football player and I’m very happy we have him. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on if there was any validity to the report that they looked seriously at Georgia Tech WR Stephen Hill) We did a lot of work on Stephen Hill. He’s a talented player coming out of an option system, but our coaches and ourselves did a lot of work on Stephen once he declared to come out. So yeah, we looked hard at him and he’s a talented guy—it’ll be interesting to see what happens with him.
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
MIKE MUNCHAK, JERRY GRAY, FRANK BUSH, COLE PROCTOR FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE AT BAPTIST SPORTS PARK SCOUT COLE PROCTOR (opening statement) Zach Brown, North Carolina, linebacker. He has been there four years, a great athlete, undefeated heavyweight wrestler, 27-0, with 17 pins coming out of high school. He won the 100-meter, 200-meter champion and he was also on the 4x100 state championship team. He is just a great athlete that is very versatile and covers the field, sideline-to-sideline. He had five sacks this year and seven career interceptions. He is just a fine athlete. I think he is going to do a great job for us. He is a willing special teams player and I think the coaches will be looking forward to having him here and training him. DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JERRY GRAY (on how he fits into the defensive scheme) He will come in and get a chance to play Will linebacker and get a chance to play in space. He has athletic ability. He can make plays in space and get a chance to blitz off the open side, which will be good for us. We know he can run, so he will be able to get into the nickel package, which is our sub package. Again he can play in space, cover guys. He has all athletic ability and the speed we are looking for. SCOUT COLE PROCTOR (on if there is a current linebacker he reminds him of) No, he has the speed. He has those things that I haven’t seen. I just think he is an individual and I’m looking forward to having him here. (on if the speed is unusual for a linebacker) Yes, yes. (laughing) HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on the competition at the linebacker position) He will definitely bring that. We thought we needed someone a little different like we said. We thought that was kind of a need of ours going into the draft. A lot of our linebackers are more special-team oriented. A lot of the guys we have, Tim Shaw, Patrick Bailey, Kevin Malast—they’re really special teams guy, not necessarily linebackers that can get us out of a game. I think like Jerry (Gray) was saying we got a guy who we think is versatile who can play the weakside backer. We like to bring that linebacker, he has good rush skills, he had five sacks this year as an outside linebacker and that’s something that we really haven’t had from that position. The fact that he can cover and run the way he has with the people we have to cover in our division, with these tight ends these days. There are a lot of things he offers. Playing the sub package is another thing that allows us to move Akeem (Ayers) to do something else on third down that we think he could be better at, so it gives us a lot of options. We were looking for someone like him in the draft, we went into the draft thinking we’d like to fill this need and we were able to do it with our second round pick. DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JERRY GRAY (on if playing four years at UNC will help him adjust to the NFL) When you look at him on tape, he is at a lot of places and what we will get a chance to do with Frank’s (Frank Bush) assistance, is to put him in a situation where he is comfortable. Now you are comfortable at will, learn what you are supposed to do. He has experience because he has been there four years, this will just be that much better for him because he doesn’t have to line up in five or six different places. Here is where I am supposed to line up and I can go from there. (on people saying that he is ‘allergic to contact’) I would say that when he was in high school four years ago that so called expert wouldn’t get in the wrestling ring with him. They said he was 27-0. If you are allergic to contact, then I don’t think you are a wrestler.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JERRY GRAY (on if he is known more for his speed than for his tackling) To me, that is the package that they are using him in. A lot of times you can be put in a position where they let you go run and chase, and that becomes who you are, so they kind of put that tag on you. I think if they were running lead downhill and told him to go take on the fullback; I bet he would have done that—if that was his role. I think his role at North Carolina was to go run and chase. All their guys are really fast; they’re strong and athletic so he fit right along with what the guys at North Carolina were doing. LINEBACKERS COACH FRANK BUSH (on what they like about Zach Brown) The obvious thing is the speed. He’s a big, fast athlete. We like a lot of things that way. Spending time with the kid, we found a kid who was passionate about the game. He had been there for four years, he had played in a lot of different positions and quite frankly he wants to get honed in and learn one particular thing to do so he can do it even better. One thing I can’t coach is speed, and he’s got it. DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JERRY GRAY (on if the Titans could be too young at linebacker if he were to win the starting position) No, I think young guys generally make a lot of plays. They’ve got a lot more athletic ability, can run a little bit longer—hopefully, if he does do that then that will be a plus for us because he has to beat out some experienced guys in ‘Spoon (Will Witherspoon) and McRath (Gerald McRath) and guys like that. He’s going to have to work in order to get up there with those cats and really do what he’s supposed to do. If he comes out of camp as our starter that means he really, really worked his tail off to play. (on if the Will starting linebacker position is open for competition going into camp) He’s going to be competing and the best guy is going to get the job. SCOUT COLE PROCTOR (on how all the off the field issues surrounding the North Carolina football program the last couple years impacted Zach Brown) He wasn’t suspended, he wasn’t involved, his name wasn’t brought up in any of that stuff and I think that is a credit to his character. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if they considered drafting Wisconsin offensive lineman Peter Konz) Of course, like Ruston (Webster) talked the last couple days we had three or four guys—we had some of the linebackers, a little group of guys when we were six or seven picks away just to cover all the what ifs and what may happen. So, he was definitely a guy we were considering, but like I said we were leaning to the defensive side of the ball and when we had one of the linebackers available that we felt could fit our need as we discussed earlier that made the decision easy to make. DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JERRY GRAY (on if Zach Brown could be used in some of the nickel packages) Yeah, when he comes in the building he will probably be one of the three or four fastest guys on the defense—and Tommie Campbell can run. This guy can really, really run. He has the speed, and now let’s focus him in on what his job is, and I think he will become a lot better football player when he doesn’t have to do everything. Just mesh into your deal and I think he’ll be Ok. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if they have any players targeted with their upcoming third round selection) It’s still too early. So much happens between the one pick and the next. Like I said, we were two picks out and it changed dramatically with who was available, so we’ll just wait and see what our options are two hours from now.
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
RUSTON WEBSTER, MIKE MUNCHAK, TRACY ROCKER, KEITH MILLARD, JOHNNY MEADS FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE AT BAPTIST SPORTS PARK GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (opening statement) You always feel like it is a good day. The draft is probably like college recruiting, you feel great about it. We feel like we had a productive day in terms of filling some needs and getting some talented football players. Zach Brown is probably about as talented a football player as you can find, big, fast, very athletic. Mike Martin is what you want in a nose tackle. He is tough as nails. He is a grinder. He doesn’t mind doing the dirty work and brings the kind of mentality that we want on our defense. We felt good about both picks and we are looking forward to seeing them when they get in here. (on Martin being short by defensive line standards) I guess if you said what’s Martin’s issue, probably length but I just think in there sometimes that is an advantage. I think if you look at Jurrell Casey and guys that I have been around through the years that played nose, it is such a leverage game that that can work to their advantage. I think really in a lot of ways that works to his advantage. That combined with his motor, which is relentless, I think allows him to succeed. (on the versatility of Martin on the defensive line) I would say that he is going to be in the middle. He was born to play in the middle. That is not a bad thing at all, but Coach Rocker could probably speak to that. He is a tough guy. He just has the mentality it takes to play nose. DEFENSIVE LINE COACH TRACY ROCKER (on his role on the defensive front) I think the thing we have to remember is that this guy was a state wrestling champ in high school there, and he understands leverage about playing down in the defensive line. I think when you watch him on film he stays on his feet, and I think he cannot just play nose he can probably eventually help us play at the three technique. Those are the things that you see with him. The biggest thing you have to understand is this guy comes to work every day. That’s the thing that excites us, and that’s what he brings into the defensive line room—the workman’s mentality. No doubt that we all feel good about him that he can do multiple deals, and I think that’s with time. Right now, we see him as a nose tackle and as we keep going and developing we will see where it leads. (on if they are going to use more of a 3-4 look when he is on the field) No, we can also play him in that 3-4 look, but we’re going to stay with what we’ve been doing since we got here. We’re not going to jump the defense, we’re going to stay with what we believe in and do those things. We just feel that he brings a workman’s attitude and there’s no doubt he can help us on defense. (on if he was particularly hard to block when watching his film) Again, the guy understands leverage. When you watch him on film you don’t see him—he’s the one manhandling big people. He understands how to control big people. I think that has a lot to do with his wrestling background. The thing is, he’s 6’1 and 300 pounds. We’re not going to stretch him out anymore, but we love him for what we got him for and I think he does a good job with what he has. No doubt he’s a big man, he’s got a nice physique, he can play football for us—he’s a football player and he can help us here. SCOUT JOHNNY MEADS (on what he saw when he evaluated Martin) The same thing, that he’s an all-out football player. The fact that he was considering coming out last year, and didn’t have as good of a year as he would have liked to have had and decided to come back and show that he is capable of doing a lot more, and he did. Just going out from practice when you saw him out there, just like all the guys were saying he’s a worker, he’s a grinder, he’s the type of guy
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
who’s going to do the things that are necessary to beat guys on the offensive line. He’s that kind of guy, the matter of the height of the guy isn’t what you would look for, but other than that he’s an all-out football player. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on blocking Martin) He is a nuisance to block for a guard. He is a guy that gets leverage, he gets in the gap, he gets the guard, he is quick off the snap. In our division when you are playing zone running football teams that is what creates the problem in the middle is penetration by the nose tackle that the guard can’t get the fit on the nose tackle with the center scoop block. If you watch the film when he goes against Iowa and teams like that, that play the pro offense, he does a great job of making a lot of plays in that situation. He is a guy that just makes plays and because of his height, like Ruston mentioned, he is hard to get a fit on because he has that natural … it is kind of what (Jurrell) Casey does to people. It is hard because as linemen you have to get your hands … you have to be perfect to get these kind of guys. They are quick off the ball and when you watch the tape you just see a guy making plays, and making plays. I guarantee you ask any guy that plays against him, those centers, that is the guy that they don’t want to play against. They can make guys look very bad if you are not playing hard every snap. It is fun to watch a guy like him. That is his fit initially is in the middle and he can create some chaos in their along with Sen’Derrick (Marks) and (Jurrell) Casey and that kind of group, the young guys. Like Rock said, at some point maybe he can play some three and he is one of those guys that you can’t underestimate his pass-rush ability. He had 10 sacks in the last couple of years. He creates problems in the middle and that is what we are looking for. PASS RUSH SPECIALIST KEITH MILLARD (on if Martin reminds him of any defensive lineman) He’s got that John Randle thing to him. All the stuff that everybody is talking about right now, everybody said the same thing about John Randle. John Randle was a smaller guy, a squattier guy. The question was where do you play him when he first got in the NFL, but his tenacity and his love for the game and his passion. When you look at Mike Martin, he’s gone through this his whole life. He’s always been the underdog type of guy, and he’s always come out swinging and he’s always come out ahead. He’s a smart football player, just like Rock (Tracy Rocker) and Mike (Munchak) said, he’s a great leverage player and when you’re playing on the nose and some of the blocks you have to deal with he’s the perfect guy to handle it. He’s a natural pass rusher, you can see it on tape, he’s quick, he gets on people really quick, he reads protection very fast, he’s got a great first step, he can flip his hips, he’s got the balance, he’s got the total package—he’s just 6’1. GM RUSTON WEBSTER (on where his board stands at the moment) I think we are in pretty good shape. There are still a lot of names up there and there are still a lot of guys that we like at different positions. It’s interesting being at 20 in comparison to last year because you have to wait and watch some guys go, but we have a lot of names on the board. The good thing about our scouts is they like a lot of players, so we should be in good shape. (on adding players at positions with good numbers already) I think that Munch (Mike Munchak) would agree that we want to create competition and these guys will do that. Hopefully we brought in the type of guys that are going to come in and battle for jobs. We have the type of players already on this team that they are not going to give up their jobs. Yeah we will have some competition, but that should make all of us better. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on creating competition) When you play in the league and they draft guys it always makes guys uncomfortable because you don’t know what that means. I think that’s going on these next couple of days and then guys actually get in the building and guys start working together, then you realize that the best guy is going to make the football team. I think it becomes a real positive thing and I think that guys realize that we are doing what it takes and we are trying to put the best team out there to win. I think players appreciate that and these young players start to earn the respect of the veterans. I think that they realize that these guys are pretty good football players and have a chance to help us just like happened last year. They understand that the game is a business and you can’t keep everyone. It creates some good competition and once you get through this weekend it’s business as usual when we start up next Monday. GM RUSTON WEBSTER (on both picks today having a wrestling background) To me wrestlers do have that natural leverage and they understand leverage and they understand how to use their hands, and typically they are tough guys. That’s why I think that you see it more in guards and centers and defensive tackles. It’s something that to me, when a guy has been a wrestler, especially when he has been a successful wrestler, it says something about his toughness and his commitment.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
(on all three draft picks being four-year players in college) I like four-year starters. It’s kind of like what we were talking about with the wrestling thing, it says something about a player that can start four years at a big school. Whether it’s Michigan, Baylor, or North Carolina, you have to be a special player to do that. It doesn’t always happen that way, but it’s good to get four-year starters. They have seen a lot of ball and I think it helps them when they come in the league. (on if day three will be more drafting for need positions) We will look at needs and when we can do that, we will. We will kind of see how the board falls off. If there is a player that can really help us, somebody that slipped that we really liked, we will take a look at that as well. We want to fill all of our needs before we get out of the draft, but sometimes that’s hard to do. We will see what happens. (on the defensive end position in the middle rounds) Yeah, we looked at some ends in these previous rounds. It’s something that we have looked at, but for whatever reason there was a better player there or it didn’t happen. We will continue to look at that position. (on if it was tough to not draft Peter Konz) Yeah, Konz was tempting and we had good discussions on him as well as a couple of other guys. It definitely was something that we thought long and hard about and Munch (Mike Munchak) and I talked a lot about.
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
RUSTON WEBSTER, MIKE MUNCHAK, KENDALL WRIGHT FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE AT BAPTIST SPORTS PARK GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (opening statement) We are very happy to have Kendall with us. It has been great being able to spend a little bit of time with him when he wasn’t with you guys today. We are just looking forward to a great career here. It is our first pick with me as GM and I couldn’t think of a better guy. WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on how often he played slot compared to outside receiver while at Baylor) I played both equally, so I enjoyed slot when I was in slot and the outside when I was outside. It is fun playing both. (on how the last 24 hours have been) It has been crazy and very exciting. I’m glad to be a part of this organization. (on if he has ever been to Nashville before) No I haven’t, only on my visit. I heard it is a great place, so I’m glad to be in this great place. (on what the coaches have said on how he will fit in with the team) Just playing slot or on the outside and being versatile. If I can help on special teams then I can do that too, kick returns or punt returns or whatever. Just anything I can do to help the team. (on why he didn’t return many kicks or punts in college) I did a little bit of it, but coach he didn’t want me to do much of it. Most of the team when I didn’t do it was because the game was close and they really needed me on offense. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on how he plans to use him in the return game) That is something to be determined. I think we just take it slow and get him into practice and OTAs and learn the offense first. Obviously, we will work on catching and keeping his skills good at catching punts and kicks and things like that. We will see how things develop throughout the preseason and go from there. WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on if playing quarterback in high school helped with route concepts) Playing quarterback helped a lot. It helped me read and know what the defense was doing most of the time. Now as a receiver I know what the quarterback is thinking and when he is going to throw it and how he is going to throw it and things like that. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on how important it is to get him on the field as quickly as possible) We are excited. Obviously, we think he can be a lot of help this year and that is why we chose him with the 20th pick. All the rest of that is to be determined. We feel like he gives us a lot of options to use him a lot of ways. We will do some things maybe as an offense that we haven’t done in a while and maybe as consistent. It is more or less just getting together. That is what is nice about having the offseason. He will be able to come back in the middle of May and spend about seven weeks with the whole team and get a good feel for the offense. We will get a good feel for what he is. I think the most important thing we do with most positions is you come in and not
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
try to do too much, don’t overwhelm the guy, let Kendall play one spot, learn him learn that, learn our offense, build confidence and you just try to go from there. We just take it one step at a time and then the next step is training camp and you kind of pick up where you left off in camp and preseason games and then you see what he is ready for, how he fits and how we go forward as an offense. (on the depth of the receiver position on the roster and if it is the best it has been in a while) We hope so. We just want to be productive. We want to score points. We know that is what it comes down to in this league, putting more points on the board. We feel we will be able to dictate more and kind of do what we want to do. There may be games where we can play three wide more and maybe some four wides more, maybe some two tight ends the whole game. I think it just gives you more options that you can go into each game and decide what is the best personnel to put on the field to win that particular Sunday. Having someone like Kendall also us to do more things than maybe we have done in the past. (on where he envisions Wright playing initially) We haven’t really talked about it. I think it just depends on practice, who’s healthy and who we have out there at practice time when we start. That is why we always try to tell you guys when we start training camp, don’t get too excited where we are playing guys because it may be outside, it doesn’t mean we are deciding the outside spot is his best position. Like we all know, he can play all the spots for a receiver, so I think it will be depending on who we have at practice and talking with Chris (Palmer) and seeing exactly where we want to start Kendall if it outside or inside or a little bit of both. We just want to keep it kind of simple and let him learn to offense and see how much of it carries over from what he did in college to what Chris has for him. Just kind of take it step-by-step knowing that we have plenty of time to answer all those questions. WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on any players on the Titans roster he played with or against) I played against James Kirkendoll when he was at Texas, and on my visit I met Michael Griffin. He’s another Texas guy. I feel like I can get along with those two guys. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on comparing Wright to other receivers in the draft like Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd) I think they’re just different styles. I think Floyd and Blackmon are a little bit different. They’re bigger guys, but he, as we said last night, is excellent after the catch and has the speed to get deep. He brings something totally different than them. They’re all three good players, and this was a highly productive guy that can make things happen on the field. In that way, they’re similar. (on what Wright brings to the receiving corps that is different ) I really think that Kendall has some special traits. We have a lot of good receivers, just like I said last night. But we’ve added another playmaker to the group. We have some nice playmakers. When you include our tight ends and our running back, Kendall is just another one. WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on how he compares to Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd) It’s different. They play outside. They play really one position, and I play both slot and outside. It’s not really comparable like that. We’re all different receivers, and they’re obviously good receivers. (on the adjustment of going from the spread offense at Baylor to the Titans offense) I could just use what I learned from the spread, put it into this offense that I’m about to be running and try to take some of the same things I used and add it to what I’m going to learn. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on whether the selection of Wright affects the quarterback competition) I think they’re both just really excited. Any time for a quarterback you add a weapon, they’re excited. It shouldn’t change at all as far as those two guys battling it out. It just gives them another opportunity to make big plays. (on whether he has shared any advice as a former first-round draft pick) I haven’t had a chance to. He’s been pulled around so much since he’s gotten in the door. The media has grown a lot more. Back when I came in, I got together with the media for about 15 minutes and was done. So we haven’t had a chance to talk yet, but I’m looking forward to that. It seems a long, long time ago that I had this moment also. It’s special. I think we talked about it actually when
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
he was in for his visit back a couple weeks ago to enjoy the process. I know it’s a lot of hassle. Going to New York, I think is a once-ina-lifetime thing to be part of. He had the opportunity to do that, which I think is special for him and his family. So we talked about some of those things before the draft. It’s interesting to hear it because it brings me back, remembering those days when I went through something similar. We didn’t go to New York back then, but it still was a very exciting day. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment for your family and for yourself. You’re off to a new adventure. WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on having a head coach who was also a first-round draft pick) We talked when I came on my visit. He just told me enjoy the process, stay positive, and when I can, get a workout in. Stay in shape. It’s hard to stay in shape and get a lot of workouts in when you’re always on the road. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on whether the college spread offense makes it more difficult to evaluate a receiver) For me, the thing is you just look at the physical traits. Does it necessarily transfer? No, but I think you still look at the talent and the physical abilities that the player has and try to decide if that fits into what you’re going to do offensively. So their athletic ability, their quickness, their speed and those type of things, that usually will transfer. The other thing that’s something that Kendall has is instincts and a feel for playing the game, which is a big part of it. Those type of guys should be able to adapt to any offense. WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on if he grew up a Cowboys fan) I didn’t even grow up watching football. I was a Michael Jordan fan (laughing). GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on how fortunate the Titans were that Wright was available with the 20th pick considering a report that the Browns planned on drafting Wright) Truthfully, I was sweating it. Mike knows I was a little nervous at the time. We did feel real fortunate. You know, you hear those things the day after. You don’t know them for sure while the draft is going on. It actually always makes you feel good about your pick when you hear something like that. Yeah, we were very fortunate, and I was very nervous. WR KENDALL WRIGHT (on meeting any Titans players since being drafted) I’m going to meet them down the road. I haven’t met any yet, but I’m ready to learn from them. Learn from them and take any advice that they give me and be ready to play alongside those guys.
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
JOHN SALGE, CHRIS PALMER, MIKE MUNCHAK SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE AT BAPTIST SPORTS PARK SCOUT JON SALGE (opening statement ) Taylor is a Prosper, Texas, kid. He was a high school tight end who wanted to stay close to home. He was actually recruited by Vanderbilt to play tight end and a couple of Big 12 teams. He is a Texas kid and went to SMU. As you know, June Jones, they don’t use a tight end in their offense. In order to get on the field and help the team out he played defensive end. He was a three-year starter at defensive end there. He was a very productive player there at defensive end. He still always probably thought of himself as a tight end but he just wanted to help the football team any way that he could. After the season ended he went to the Players All-Star Classic in Little Rock, Arkansas. It’s the first year that they did that All-Star game. He played only tight end that week of practice so myself and another member of our staff, Blake Beddingfield, went out there and saw him run around practicing full time tight end routes, catching the ball, blocking, the whole deal. That’s when we said ‘Wow, this guy has some ability.’ Obviously, on his pro day he worked out as a tight end as well. I’m excited to have him. He is a talented athlete. OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR CHRIS PALMER (on if there is enough tape and evaluation time to make a good judgment on him) Let’s go back to the scenario of going to SMU. He had selected to go to SMU before June (Jones) took the job. He is a very intelligent kid, very bright and he made his decision based on the school, not so much the offense. When he got there, he thought he was fast enough to be a wide receiver. The thing that was good was that he played some wide receiver and he knows many of the concepts that we have and that we are teaching right now and the terminology is very similar. We don’t do all of the things that they do in college because of the wide side of the field, but he will come in here and he will know some of our concepts right away. When he came in here to visit with us, the scouting department asked us to look at him on film in the All-Star game. The unfortunate thing is that they took four tight ends to that. The coaching staff said that you only get to play these four, so there weren’t a lot of plays in there. There was one particular play where he went down the seam, which we ask our tight ends to do, and he made a very nice catch. He was very fluid. I would say that his growth is going to have to come in the technique of blocking. As far as being a receiving tight end, I think he is uncanny. He has outstanding speed, he has outstanding size and hands. One of the things that you guys have to do, if you don’t ask him a question, shake hands with him just to see how big his hands are. In the back of his mind, he almost transferred from SMU to be a tight end but he liked the school, he was a philosophy major, he was involved in their program there and to the kid’s credit, he stayed and played a position and exceled at being a defensive end. In his heart he wanted to be a tight end. I see traits, and you will hear us talk about traits, it’s like Cookie, (Jared Cook) we saw traits in Cookie a year ago. This kid has traits that you are looking for in the characteristics of that position. (on if he is four years behind in the development of a normal college tight end) I will tell you what the Fortune 500 clubs do. They recruit liberal arts education schools so they can bring people in that aren’t brainwashed. You cannot find a tight end that blocks on the college level. It’s all spread, it’s all releasing, and it’s a different game. I think in years past, you would be able to say, ‘Hey, these tight ends are all blocking.’ You cannot find a tight end that is blocking in today’s college game. I don’t buy that that he is four years behind. There are no bad habits. John Zernhelt, our tight ends coach, is a former offensive line coach, I think that is going to help in his development up to the position. (on if he is ‘raw’) I think that is true Jim (Wyatt), but the thing that you can’t coach is that mom, dad, and God gave him size, speed and athletic ability. For us to get him where we got him, there is a reason that he took 10 visits. It’s not like we are the only one that saw the acorn. He is a very talented guy, and that is what coach (Mike) Munchak has hired us for, to develop players and I feel good about it. I feel good about his position coach coaching him. I think it’s a no brainer in the fifth round. (on if there is something about the tight end position that allows for quicker development from great athletes) If you are as old as me, you go back and now on TV, if you look all the 6’4” and 6’5” guys are playing basketball. If you go back to when I was growing up as a Giants fan, Lawrence Taylor and Banks, those linebackers are not in existence right now because they are all playing hoops. I think those guys who have come over that have played four years of basketball and wind up at tight end, they are tight ends in their hearts. Dee Rowe, the old basketball coach at UConn called me about (Donyell) Marshall, their kid. They said that we
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
don’t think he is going to get drafted, he would be a great tight end. Well, he played about 10 years in the NBA. You look for guys like this. I’m not concerned about him being behind and I think there are enough guys because you see that athletic ability. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on moving up to draft Taylor Thompson) Yeah we had a few guys that we thought about picking, and a couple of our guys got picked right away that we were thinking about, which made us think about moving up. That was the reason for it. We didn’t want to sit in the fifth round and go with someone that maybe we weren’t as comfortable with. We had a chance to lose him. We feel that he has a chance to obviously, to come in and make this football team. A lot of times in the fifth round it’s hard to really bank on that. Just having him in the building, besides watching the film, the passion the guy had. The guy loves the game and loves what he does. He is smart and he gets it. You don’t see many on the draft board at that position. How many were drafted? Three or four tops, it’s hard to find a guy like this. He is so willing to do all of the different things. In talking to him, he already understands the language, he has been around it. There is a lot of upside and like coach said, a lot of tight ends in college don’t block anybody. It can be hard to find offensive linemen. You can bring one in and they have never run blocked in four years. You have to teach them how to do things. A lot of these guys are in a two point stance, the offensive linemen these days. It’s kind of hard to evaluate players. A lot of times you bring in an offensive lineman and they have never been in a three point stance or they have never been run blocking because they have never been asked to do that with all of the spreads. Here is a guy getting in a stance and we are talking to him and the guy has a great knowledge of the game. He is not going to fail. His personality is that he is not going to fail, whatever he does. He will let us rush him at defensive end in every game if we ask him to. He will want to go do that for us if we got in a spot during a game where we needed help on the defensive line. He will be able to help on special teams. He is a rare kind of guy that doesn’t come around too often. When we all met him we just assumed that we wouldn’t have a chance to get him because we assumed that he would be gone in the third round. Someone like him is hard to come by. He kind of excites you because he brings a different type of energy. When you meet him you will see what we are talking about and the fact that he is so raw, we feel like we can kind of just plug him in and teach him. He can do a lot of things, he is athletic, he can be moving, he can be cutting off of the back side. There are a lot of things that he can do that isn’t very hard to teach. We feel that there are a lot of ways that he can contribute and it’s not too often that there is a chance to get a guy like this, especially in the fifth round. All of those factors went into and what is the alternative? Not moving up, not taking this guy? We thought about what was best for the team and we did exactly what we did. OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR CHRIS PALMER (on if it will be a challenge to find playing time for both Thompson and Jared Cook) No, I don’t think he’ll take snaps away from Jared, but it gives us the flexibility that we have another receiving tight end that has excellent speed. One of the things, from a coaching standpoint, we talked to Coach Munchak about it is you get a receiver, and we’re talking about some different formations for Kendall (Wright). Now you get another tight end that you say, ‘Now, do we want to go to our three-tight end package?’ Once you identify what they can do, we have enough flexibility that now it’s our job to go out and get him going. If Cookie gets hurt, who do we have as a receiving tight end? Craig Stevens is a good blocker. Craig is more of an all-around guy; he can hurt you in the passing game, he’s a good blocker, but now you get in a situation where you have a guy that is a real good receiver. He’s a fast guy. Who’s going to match up with him? Are you going to match up a linebacker on him? Are they going to match up a safety on him? What was your best time on him—4.5? (Scout Jon Salge responded with 4.58 at 260lbs) You can’t coach that. SCOUT JON SALGE (on if they looked at any high school tape to evaluate him as a tight end) No, first of all this is a player who was above the line as a defensive end prospect. So, we knew we were dealing with a premier athlete from the beginning. I believe we saw enough during practice at the all-star game and during the pro day routes, running routes, sinking his hips, looking fluid/smooth, getting down the field. It comes naturally to him; you can see that. This is not like you are taking a defensive end and making him a tight end for the first time ever—it’s almost like he’s been playing it all along. Actually, this is a kid who would go through pat-and-go in pre-game with the receivers and backs at SMU. Actually in practice you would see him in their goal-line sets. Obviously, (SMU Head Coach) June (Jones) didn’t use a whole lot of goal line stuff, you’re going to have to search very hard to find him on the field in a game situation. I feel like in terms of pure athletic ability and traits I saw him catch the ball enough, run enough routes to know this guy has premier ability as a tight end. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if the media has misread a need for improvement at defensive end and on the interior of the offensive line) I think the offensive line we signed (Steve) Hutchinson, which I think gave us a good feeling going into the draft. We felt like the offensive line we would look at something, so no I don’t feel like we were in dire need there. We think we have guys we can win with now, guys who can compete. If we can find a young guy in the draft, so we’re good there. What was the other position, defensive end? No, we got the inside guy (Mike Martin), we knew we were going to have at least one defensive lineman, which we did yesterday with Mike. We feel good with where we’re at—we’re going to pick the best players, like we talked about, we picked five players, and we feel we have guys in all different ways that are going to help this team win. Obviously, the draft isn’t the end of building your roster by any
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
means; we still have a long way to go before opening day. So, if we at some point feel there are needs we missed out on then we’ll go out and do our best to find guys to fill those roles. (on if the Titans are still looking to improve at center after bringing in four free agent centers but failing to sign any of the four) No, I think for us it was more just seeing what was out there. A lot of these guys we wanted to see medically where they were—the older guys, they’ve been in the league a while. It was to see what kind of fit we thought they’d be, would they upgrade us, would they not, so you’re just kind of doing your homework. I think we’ve done a really good job. Instead of wondering what that guy looks like, what it’s like to talk to him and some of the guys we brought in, we brought them in and we spent the time to see exactly what was out there. So, if we decide to do something, if we decide to move a guy to a different position or compete a different way or saw something that really excited us, we were in a position to make those moves in an educated way—not just assuming that off of tape. We wanted to bring guys in, have doctors see these guys and get a feel for them. I think if people assume a lot of things, but also we’re trying to find a way to put the best guys on the field. It doesn’t mean you’re disappointed with what you have; I think you’re always trying to find a way to get better. If we thought it was better, we would have done something. So, that’s why we are where we are, and not just at offensive line, at other positions we’ve brought a lot of people through these doors that we’re taking a look at for a lot of reasons. We know there are only certain needs you’re going to fill in the draft because you don’t have a whole lot of control over who you’re picking. You’re not just going to just pick a guy because you assume that’s a need, we have to get guys who are going to help this team in different ways to win. This is just another example of it to me; this is a guy who’s going to bring a lot of character to this team, he’s just a different type of guy, a different type of athlete that’s going to be able to help us in different ways. When we met him we felt that way when he left, that it would be interesting to see if this guy would fit or if we’d have a chance somewhere in the draft to pick him and it just so happened to work that way. SCOUT JON SALGE (on if Thompson had a draftable grade at defensive end) Absolutely, this is a guy—we start this whole process a year ago looking at players who are eligible for this draft. So, he’s been on our radar since the summer and even before then. You’re getting a really, really good athlete. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if Thompson will work with the defensive line in practice or games) That’s the beauty of him. I think we can do a lot of things with him. He’s a willing guy. Obviously we’re talking about the tight end spot, but again that’s the fun thing about him. His personality is he’s willing to do anything to help the team win. I just think he’s a unique individual. When you meet him, you’ll kind of get a better feel for what I’m talking about. I think he’s a guy we’re targeting on the offensive side of the ball right now, but the point is in a pinch he can do a lot of things for us. Besides special teams, like we said, if something ever happened on the defensive side of the ball he’s got experience there. That’s something that we’re always looking at down the road, but right now it’d be more on the offensive side initially and just kind of see where it goes. See how he can best help us win.
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
MIKE MUNCHAK, COLE PROCTOR, BRETT MAXIE, STEVE BROWN SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE AT BAPTIST SPORTS PARK SCOUT COLE PROCTOR (opening statement) Coty Sensabaugh, of course he is a Tennessee boy, a DB from Dobyns-Bennett high school, one of the better programs in the state over the years. He is a quality young man; he has already graduated last August. He is a student of the game with excellent speed. Some people say well he is 1.3-year starter, but why? Well he had some good players in front of him but he was almost like a starter because he was in the nickel and dime packages when he wasn’t in the base defense. He’s a good special teams player. I think he’s a quality young man and I think he’s really going to flourish here. SECONDARY COACH BRETT MAXIE (on his position on the field) No, he’s done both. The first three years he was primarily their inside guy in nickel and this past season he was the full-time outside defender. He was very valuable to that program in terms of a guy who was very bright who could play inside and outside. They had so many great players to play outside and he was a great one, so they had to find a way to get him on the field. One of the ways to get him on the field quickly was to put him inside. If there was ever a need for him to play outside during a situation when he was primarily an inside defender then they felt really comfortable about him playing outside. The kid is extremely bright. Clemson does a lot of things defensively in terms of adjustments. In talking to him at the Combine he did an outstanding job telling us exactly what they did from a schematic standpoint, plus I spent some time with their defensive coordinator who spoke really highly of the kid. Their defensive background is much like Alabama and Nick Saban. It is the same system. There are a lot of moving parts and it’s a multiple defense. This kid came in very early and did quite well. (on if he will play inside or outside at cornerback) He is going to have the opportunity to do both because we think he can do both. ASST. SECONDARY COACH STEVE BROWN (on his style of play) He is a guy that we believe when you watch him on film; there are certain times he shows great instincts in what he is doing. If you had told me that he had only started for one year, I would have been shocked because he is very athletic, he runs well, he sees things well, he can do a number of things, so he adds great depth to what we are trying to do. I think he has a chance to be a really, really good player for us. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on always having young defensive backs in the system ready to step in) It helps a lot. I think we have been smart how we have done it. When we lose some players like we did this year, we didn’t panic and jump out and try to fill it by signing a free agent and replace a guy because we lost a guy. I think our philosophy was that we thought we were happy with what we had in house with the young guys like you mentioned (Jason) McCourty really coming into his own and (Alterraun) Verner being here a while now and we have some young guys back. We knew in the draft if the right guy was there that is how we would answer to losing a guy. Like the coaches are saying, we just felt this is a guy that would come in right away and help us in a lot of ways between special teams and playing the nickel packages and dime packages. That is the nice thing about him when you get a guy here in the fourth round that can help us in a lot of ways. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if his versatility will create competition at different spots in the secondary) I think that’s exactly right. I think that’s what’s exciting is you don’t have to worry about putting him in one spot. The fact that he is such a smart football player, you are not as worried about moving the guy around because he can handle it. He has already done it and been
TITANS DRAFT QUOTES April 26-28, 2012
MIKE MUNCHAK, RUSTON WEBSTER SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE AT BAPTIST SPORTS PARK GM RUSTON WEBSTER (opening statement) We have wound up the draft portion of this year, but we are still working on free agency. Our scouts and our coaches are scurrying right now. It looks like something on Wall Street when that starts to happen. It’s kind of an intense and fun time. I feel good about where we are. Our draft picks today are guys that our scouts, myself, our coaches had convictions on. We feel strongly about them and I think all of them will come in and compete for jobs and we plan on them all making it. We will see what happens. It’s a good group, different kinds of players. Some are a little more upside type of guys and some are a little more solid and are what they are and are the type of guys that we like to have on our team. I think if you look at all of them in terms of a background and all of that they are pretty solid guys. We feel fortunate to have them. (on if it was important to get back in the seventh round or was Scott Solomon the reason for the move) You know what, it was Scott Solomon. When we were picking Markelle Martin, we kind of had the conversation about who would be the better fit for us, Solomon or Martin, and obviously, Martin was a player that we liked and sent Brett Maxie down to work out just recently. That was also a big area need so we felt like we needed to take Martin there. As we went on, we started to get calls from teams looking to make a trade for their seventh round pick for a sixth next year. I felt like we had a good chance to have several comp picks next year due to losing some players in free agency so the thought is that we had that sixth to give and we really wanted Scott Solomon, so that was our reason for getting back in. (on if would have been surprised to hear that he waited until the seventh round to take a defensive end) Yeah, I think it’s kind of the way it fell a little bit. We really like him and we had him higher than the seventh round, so for us that’s a good thing. It just fell that way. To me, the defensive ends were not to the level of the safeties, but just like the safeties, in my mind it wasn’t necessarily as deep as the other positions. I felt that DT was deep and linebackers were deep, but not so much with defensive th ends I feel like. It’s not surprising when you are picking 20 and you have to wait a little bit. (on the long-term health of Markelle Martin) I don’t think that he is going to be affected long term. Our medical staff felt strongly about him and we didn’t have any issues that way. We brought him in just recently and everything went extremely well. (on if Markelle Martin would have been a second or third round pick if not for the knee injury) Markelle was a guy who we felt like his knee was going to be good enough to be ready to go. I think Markelle had a chance to be a higher pick had he not had the injury. He couldn’t really work out but he was in meetings so it was tough for teams to get down there and see him. We were able to get Brett (Maxie) and Brett was real motivated to go see him. Also, I think his junior year was a little better than his senior year and that affected him. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on any similar attributes among the picks) I think it’s speed. I think we got a lot faster. I think Jerry (Gray) talked about it with (Zach) Brown. We know Kendall Wright and the quickness and the speed that he brings to it. (Mike) Martin is a nose tackle that runs a 4.8. The corner (Coty Sensabaugh) is a 4.3 guy and the tight end (Taylor Thompson) runs a 4.6 or less. We definitely brought a lot of speed and a lot of guys that loved the game. The fun thing is a lot of the guys who we brought in we already brought in through on visits. Quite a few of these guys the whole staff had a chance to meet and the whole building had a chance to meet in different meetings. That’s one thing that is nice that we’ve set up is that the guys that come into this building spend time with everyone in the building from the PR department, to the front office, to the coaches, so you get a chance to get a feel for these guys other than just their athletic ability. I think that’s what is encouraging. We got some guys who love to play, some guys who bring a passion to it along with talent, or we wouldn’t have selected them. I’m really excited about the group we have, that they’re going to come in, they love to compete and they’re going to add a lot to the football team. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
(on what they like about Scott Solomon) He’s relentless. It’s one of those things that those guys that are relentless pass rushers who never stop usually end up winning because of it. I remember, and this is a very good player but Patrick Kearney, he was that way. He came every down, every down, so by the third quarter he ends up with two sacks. I think that’s kind of what he is. He’s all out, all the time and that wears on an offensive tackle, so I think he can give us something there. (on how his first draft as Titans General Manager went) It feels good that it’s in the books. Nerve wracking at times, but it was really enjoyable—Munch (Mike Munchak) was great and our scouts. I thought everything ran pretty smoothly in the room. (on drafting five-of-seven guys on the defensive side of the ball and if they feel like they addressed their needs) Yeah, defensively especially—I think we hit pretty much everything. We had some key needs and were able to hit most of those. (on how he felt about the centers in the 2012 Draft and if they tried to draft one) How do I feel they came off the board? Well, there were some centers there at times that we probably had chances to pick, but there were players there that we just felt we needed a little more. In the case of Taylor Thompson probably a guy that we feel like can really end up being a fine player for us. There are some decent undrafted options that we’re working on and we’ll see what happens. (on Taylor Thompson’s potential as a tight end) The funny thing is that we kind of liked him as a defensive end too. I think the thing with tight ends now is it’s like fullbacks—they’re going away. Even teams that have tight ends, they split them out, they do different things with them, so when you line up a draft board you don’t have a lot of tight ends on the draft board just like you have even less fullbacks. The position because of the nature of the college offense just isn’t the same. To me, Taylor is less of a risk than taking a college basketball player and trying him at tight end. He’s been in the trenches, he’s been a two-gap defensive end where he’s had to battle and hold the point and do all those type of things. It’s going to take a certain degree of toughness to do all of that. From that standpoint it gives you comfort that he can do it. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if Akeem Ayers could factor in as a defensive end or pass rusher in 2012) Yeah, that’s something that you saw last year. When you look at the board and you’re talking about defensive ends we have two starting defensive ends; we have a first-round draft choice from two years ago in Derrick Morgan and then obviously we went out and got (Kamerion) Wimbley this year to start at defensive end. We have some other guys like Dave Ball on the roster. We feel we have guys there, and on third down I do think that Akeem will get the opportunity to do more of that. That was something he did very little of in college, we used him somewhat in that last year, but then he went to the linebacker spot—we talked about that the other night. He played the Will linebacker in nickel and that’s where Zach Brown becomes such a big pick where he can maybe do that and free Akeem up to be more part of that rotation. That’s where those pieces of the puzzle we’re trying to figure out how important it is to get a Will linebacker. We needed a starter there, plus the fact that he can play nickel all of a sudden Akeem frees up and he becomes a rush end some. He’s part of a three-down package, four-down package more so than a coverage linebacker on the second level of nickel. It just gives you more options when you bring other players into play, if you don’t do that and you take a different position then you don’t have that option at all. Then you may feel a little short-handed when it comes time and someone gets nicked or we have to go to a threedown package because we have one less end, that kind of thing. I think it just gives us more options. Does that mean he’s going to be a true defensive end, no. It just means he’s going to have an opportunity to work more in that position and with his speed—I’m not sure of his sack total, but again he had some nice pressures on the quarterback. The Carolina game comes to memory when he had to play end quite a bit. He had a sack or two in that game, so he has the skills to be very good at the rush end. Some of the guys we drafted gives us that opportunity to move guys around besides (Karl) Klug inside and (Jurrell) Casey inside and now Mike Martin inside, we have some different variables that we like. It’s going to be fun to see how it all comes together and we experiment with these guys. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on the AFC South drafting six wide receivers and only two cornerbacks [at the time of the press conference]) It tells you that this is a very wide-open league and the focus is on scoring points—probably more than ever. It’s becoming more of a wide receiver-quarterback league every day. (on if it’s unusual to get an entire draft class of four-year college players) It is unusual, because it isn’t an easy thing to do. Like I said, I like those kind of guys because you get experience and you get maturity, and it takes some maturity to come to this league and handle money, handle your time and become the kind of player you need to be and reach your potential. I think it’s unusual that we have so many, for sure.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
(on if the 2012 offensive guard prospects weren’t as NFL ready after the top two or three) Yeah, I thought it was average. There were some guys in the middle rounds that we liked that just went that were good players. They probably weren’t at the top of everybody’s list, but as mid-round players we liked them. GM RUSTON WEBSTER (on what position still needs help) What I would really like to do is get all of these guys in here with the free agents and see what we have, and then probably regroup from there. I will get with Lake (Dawson) and the pro guys and Munch (Mike Munchak) and we will see what direction we need to do. We understand that we have to keep building the roster and adding players. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on what position still needs help) What’s nice this year, is that we have an opportunity with offseason programs starting with practices in May and June, you can really get a good feel for what you have and what you don’t have. You are not surprised in training camp, as maybe we were by someone last year when we didn’t have this opportunity. It gives you a chance to bring guys in and sign some free agents and sometimes you get some surprises there when you kind of see how they are and how they fit together. You start doing practices in May and June and then all of the sudden you start to see what more your needs are. Maybe you get some surprises and maybe you get some guys that aren’t what you thought they are going to be. You have to go out and see who frees up and you never know who may free up from other teams. This year we signed (Steve) Hutchinson and (Kamerion) Wimbley, and no one thought that they would be free. All of the sudden we got two great players on our team because of that. That’s the fun part, and the good part is that we have some time to bring the roster in and bring these guys together and let the coaches start working with them and see what we do have and what we don’t have. If there are a couple of things that we need to improve upon, then we have opportunities to do that even before we get to camp. (on how many undrafted free agents there will be) They moved the roster limit to 90, so we will probably sign somewhere between 10-14 guys. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on if there is a limit on signing bonus money) There is a limit on signing bonus money. Last year, it was a certain number and it’s gone up just a little bit. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on the plan for the rookies going forward) For the past years we’ve brought them in I think the week after the draft. We are going to wait until May 10, which is the second weekend. The reason behind that is we can bring them in that Thursday and keep them here. They will have rookie orientation for the guys we do sign so maybe 20 guys will have that orientation with just one-on-one time with the coaches and get their equipment and those type of things, get their physicals. That will be Friday or Saturday and we’ll have Sunday off. Then Monday they will start in with the players. It will be part of the normal program. That was one of the reasons why I mentioned earlier that we decided to start our offseason program a week later so those guys will have an extra week with us. Rather than one less week, we will have one more week in phase two. Phase two will be starting soon with the offseason program. Phase two means that the coaches will be going on the field with the players plus meeting time. The rookies will just jump right into the program and that will be part of the last seven weeks of the nine-week program. We will finish up towards the end of June. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on why they drafted Coty Sensabaugh) He has good height. He has speed. He’s got some cover skills, natural cover skills. I think those are probably the three things. He’s a guy that came on this year and really was one of those players that you go in early and take a look at and he grows on you as time goes because he is really getting his playing time, really getting into the swing of things. His speed jumped out at us. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on what stands out about this draft class) I think one thing I like is in terms of athletic ability we have a great group. I really like the combination of linebackers we have. There is a lot of speed and athletic ability in that group. I also like offensively we added to the athletic ability and speed with Kendall (Wright) and
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
Taylor (Thompson). I feel good about that. I feel good that it is a solid group of guys that are going to come in and compete and work hard to handle their business and take care of things. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on what Scott Solomon is best known for) Effort and relentless effort. Relentless effort and instincts. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on if Solomon is a Vanden Bosch type player) I think just talking to Rock (Tracy Rocker), I’m very excited about the attitude and work ethic these guys are bringing into the room. We bring in guys that would mix nicely with Karl Klug and Jurrell Casey and (Zach) Clayton from last year. You really change that room quite a bit from some of the guys that left and some of the guys we are bringing in. That’s what you need with the D-line. It’s all about relentless and work ethic. I think when you bring guys like that in it makes the offensive line better. I think they work against guys that are going to be some great battles in camp. Over the years, I think that is where the line has gotten better. When I coached them all those years it had to do with practice. The type of practice we have and the type of players that went against each other that made those guys better. That’s what that excitement is; we’re bringing in guys that are very competitive and creating competitive situations in different spots. You are not going to find guys as comfortable in their areas because they are going to be competing with someone for the job. That adds to a great atmosphere and a great workout. That is what encourages us and we were happy to get some of the guys we have for a lot of the reasons we’ve talked about already. It should be a great work ethic and a great tempo. Instead of coaches yelling to create all of that, you have players that that’s how they work. Like I said in the beginning that is the passion they have for the game. That stuff doesn’t get talked about much but I think it will bring a lot of energy to our field and to our competition we will have and hopefully be contagious as we go into the season. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on how soon to expect Markelle Martin to be 100 percent) We hope when he comes in for the minicamp he will be able to do some things. Of course, he tells me he feels great and I’m ready to go. We’ll see when he gets here. I think what we found medically was that by the time the June camps roll around he will be good. HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK (on how soon expect Markelle Martin to be 100 percent) The good thing there is we don’t have offense versus defense until June. We can’t do OTA’s until after Memorial Day weekend and then he should be able to do all things. In the meantime, he shouldn’t be limited because it’s more time with your coaches and more time in individual drills. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on if there was anyone that the team just missed as a draft pick) There were some guys. I think, without naming names, that’s the thing about picking 20, you get into that do I trade up and go get this guy that I really want or do I wait knowing we have a good pool of players there and keep the pick in the next round or whatever. That’s the dilemma. I think by the time we drafted Taylor Thompson I was tired of some of that happening and we moved up. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on if the fifth round was bad for missing guys) A couple of guys went in the fifth round. We had our group and some guys went and we felt like the best thing to do was to go up and just get it over with. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on the defense getting younger) I look at offense and defense a little different. Defensively, I think youth is good. You have to be able to run, hit and move and as guys get older and start losing a step, even though they have that great savvy and all that, it does affect your defense. I think offensively, it’s not as big a deal. Especially O-line and quarterback and those type of positions. Defensively, I think at all positions, it’s such an athletically demanding side of the ball that I think it’s important to be young. Do you want to mix in some veterans who can give you leadership and all that, yes you do. But you also have to be able to run and change directions and do all those kinds of things and move quickly. The reactions are important. So for me, I like being young on defense.
Titans 2012 Draft Transcript
GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on how he wants veterans to react to bringing in competition from younger guys) I think for me it’s hard when we bring guys in as you know. It affects other people. I’ve got a great deal of respect for people that play this game. To some degree, it bothers me. I also would expect the kind of guys that we have on our team to step up and compete and try to make this as good a team as we can be. GENERAL MANAGER RUSTON WEBSTER (on if having a lot of guys at certain position will increase competition and make the team better) I do.