Tennessee Titans NFL Draft Profile: Mike Martin
By Chase Maher
With the 82nd pick of the third round the Tennessee Titans selected Mike Martin, DT, Michigan. I am going to try and keep this unbiased, but I love this pickup. Mike Martin is a beast of man with an unstoppable motor. He will be a plug and play nose tackle in the 43 defense and has the versatility to play in hybrid blitz schemes too. Tennessee’s recent trend of drafting hard working guys that produce didn’t stop here, the 6 ft 1 in., 306lb defensive tackle recorded 64 total tackles last year, 24 of them for a loss. He isn’t a pure pass rusher, despite having more sacks in his career than defensive tackles Dontari Poe and Michael Brockers combined, but he is a man possessed that refuses to lose at the point of attack.
Ruston Webster on Mike Martin:
"tough as nails"
Mike Munchak on Mike Martin:
"nuisance to block"
Mike Martin may not have the sexiness of a first round defensive tackle, but like fellow 3rd rounder Jurrel Casey, he will be a force in the middle. When watching tape of Mike Martin you will notice he has wonderful hands and never stops, which can certainly be accredited to his wrestling and shot put background. Martin was a 2-time high school wrestling champ, a 2-time shot put champ and Gatorade Player of the Year for Michigan high school football. I am happy we have a guy like this on our team because he isn’t a guy that needs to be pampered and babied. He will show up day 1 ready to work.
Pros: Martin is almost impossible for offensive lineman to block because he never stops moving. Martin has excellent hands and works extremely well in tight spaces. He is shifty and strong (36 reps) and has the kind of work ethic that makes coaches smile.
Cons: Mike Martin doesn’t have exceptional athleticism and is one of the shorter defensive lineman in the 2012 draft class.
Personally, this is a great pickup for a team lacking a full-time difference maker next to Jurrel Casey. Martin, Casey and Klug are now one of the better young core of defensive tackles in the league. Casey and Martin will be tough to run against and their motors will break down offensive lineman opening up windows for linebackers and defensive ends.
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