2011 Senior Bowl: Defensive Linemen Titans Fans Should Watch

Over the years the defensive line has been one of the cornerstone positions of the Titans defense.

In fact, once upon a time the Titans defensive line was one of the most feared in all of the NFL. Those days are unfortunately long gone.

In an offseason where the Titans have many needs, the defensive line has sprung up as one of them. Here’s some defensive linemen playing in the upcoming Senior Bowl that you should watch for.

North Team

Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue (Projected Round: 1-2)

Whichever team decides to draft Ryan Kerrigan will get a guy who strung together three years of solid numbers at Purdue. He capped off his collegiate career with 13 sacks, 70 tackles, a forced fumble and led the nation in tackles for loss with 26.

You also can’t forget about Kerrigan’s impressive four-sack performance against Michigan this past season.

Kerrigan is one of the highest-rated defensive lineman in this year’s draft class, and the Titans are most likely planning to take a hard look at him.

Getting a solid defensive end to line up opposite of Jason Babin would be a huge upgrade to the Titans defense.

Marcell Dareus, Alabama (Projected Round: 1-2)
Just being from the University of Alabama makes Marcell Dareus an intriguing option for the Titans, but there’s plenty of other reason why we should keep an eye on him at the Senior Bowl.

Dareus is a big man who could beef up any defensive line. The Titans struggled a bit at the defensive tackle position last season, so a guy like Dareus would add some size to it.

The only downside to Dareus is that his numbers weren’t all that amazing in 2010. That could all change if Dareus shows up big in the Senior Bowl.

Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma (Projected Round: 2-3)

Anytime you can draft a guy with as much experience in playing on the big stage as Jeremy Beal has, you know you’re probably making a good decision.

Beal compiled three-straight seasons of seven or more sacks and 50 or more tackles from 2008 to 2010.

His career numbers are just as impressive as he finished with over 200 tackles, 28 sacks, and five forced fumbles.

What’s great about a guy like Beal is that he’s a potential bargain pick that the Titans could steal in the second or third round of the draft.

However, if Beal has a strong Senior Bowl outing then he could get picked up in the first round. He already has the numbers.

South Team

Jarvis Jenkins, Clemson (Projected Round: 2-3)

Out of all of the defensive tackles participating in the Senior Bowl, Jarvis Jenkins might deserve the most attention from the Titans.

The best thing about this guy might be his knack for blocking kicks. Jenkins had four blocked placekicks in his collegiate career. Good enough for a school record.

He’s also great at pressuring the quarterback and is very durable, as he only missed one game over a three-year span.

It’ll be interesting to see how well Jenkins uses his athleticism in the Senior Bowl.

Allen Bailey, Miami Fla. (Projected Round: 1-2)

It may have been a down year for the Hurricanes as a team, but that wasn’t the case for Allen Bailey.

As of now many mock drafts have Bailey going in the first round, but it’s possible he could slip into the second round.

The most valuable part about Bailey is his 50 games he played in college, which is third-most in school history at Miami.

All those games led to 103 tackles, 12 sacks and 31 tackles for loss.

He was named the Strength Training Athlete of the Year by the team this past season.

Expect Bailey to show you why he’s so coveted in this upcoming draft during the Senior Bowl. If Bailey has a strong Senior Bowl, then it may force the Titans to take him with their first pick if they really want him.

There's other things besides the Titans defense that needs changes in the offseason, and here's one Titans player that needs more touches on offense next season.