NFL Draft 2012: 3 Players Who Can Improve Tennessee Titans' Playoff Chances

The Tennessee Titans entered the 2011 season with a completely new quarterback situation and coaching staff, but avoided much of the turmoil that comes with it by going 9-7.

Finishing just a whisker away from the playoffs, the Titans will pick 20th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. An organization that has a historically good reputation on underground draft success, their later-round picks are likely to have just as much to do with their success in 2012 than their first man chosen.

Uncertainty swirls around this Titans team. Who will be starting under center? Is Chris Johnson poised for a comeback year? Will their two best defensive players, Michael Griffin and Cortland Finnegan, be re-signed in this tumultuous offseason?

With or without these questions answered, the Titans have a few needs that the 2012 NFL Draft could help fulfill. Here's a look at a few players that could play a hefty role in taking Tennessee back to the playoffs. 

Melvin Ingram

He is said to lack the size needed to be an effective defensive end in the NFL. But if there is one thing no one is doubting, it's Melvin Ingram's ability to rush the passer.

Ingram had a breakout year in 2011 at South Carolina, notching three total touchdowns (two defensive, one special teams) while racking up 48 tackles and 10 sacks. He's the total package: Speed to blow past offensive lineman, strength to help penetrate the pocket and a nose for making big plays wherever they are available.

His versatility makes him a great pick up for the Titans with their first-round pick and he would be able to contribute immediately. Tennessee doesn't have much high-quality depth on their defensive line, and a rookie, Karl Klug, led the team with seven sacks.

Simply said, there is a ton of room for Ingram to thrive on the Titans' front line and they desperately need him. He and Derrick Morgan could be among the NFL's most formidable defensive end pairings in a couple years. 

Mark Barron

Senior safety Mark Barron knows how to win better than anyone on the draft board, boasting two national championships in his time at Alabama. 

He has the all-round game that defensive coordinators dream of. He has a nose for the ball, has great positioning, is built perfectly for the safety spot and helps in the run game. 

Titans All-Pro safety Michael Griffin has said before that he has played his last game at LP Field, and it's looking more and more like Tennessee, a historically low-spender in free agency, will part ways with their former first-round pick.   

All the more reason to replace him with a similar player who has more upside. Not to mention they could be without Pro Bowler and pesky cornerback Cortland Finnegan as well.

Barron has dropped on draft boards since the college football season began, falling as far as the second round in many mock drafts. Tennessee could even luck out and get him then, waiting to make a decision on Griffin until the draft plays out. 

The Titans' secondary would be slightly depleted this year as Barron matures and gets used to the NFL game, but due to the decision to say for his senior year under one of the game's best defensive minds, he's much more ready to contribute in 2012 than most players on the board. 

Mohamed Sanu

The Titans' receiving core played well despite losing star Kenny Britt early to a torn ACL, but many of them would have lesser roles on other playoff contending rosters. Bringing in Mohamed Sanu, who skipped his senior year at Rutgers to enter the draft, would give Tennessee some depth at the position.

The last three Scarlet Knights (Britt, Ray Rice, Anthony Davis) to leave Greg Schiano's system early for the NFL have had overwhelming success so far and there's no reason to dispel Sanu's chances of doing so. 

At 6'2", 215 pounds, he has good size and raw athletic ability to make a splash in his first year as a pro. Getting thrown to by a top veteran quarterback like Matt Hasselbeck would make Sanu all the more better and help to develop his game quickly.

Having a lot of receivers capable of making plays would help Sanu to have a breakout rookie campaign as well. Nate Washington isn't getting any younger, but he had a career year in 2011 and secondaries would be required to honor him.

Tennessee's passing attack surprised many in 2011, and an upgrade at an already strong position would help them to air things out and forget about Chris Johnson's lack of production very quickly.