Mike Martin. What comes to mind when you hear the name of the second year defensive tackle from Michigan? Most people only think of the 300+ lb player as a stout run-stuffer, but he is much more than that. Allow me to remind you just how good Martin is at rushing the passer.
Mike Martin is... the defensive tackle that managed to sack both Phillip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers.
Mike Martin is...the only player in PFF's top 10 pass rushing DTs that played less than 450 snaps. In fact, he played 76 snaps less than the second most efficient player on the list.
Mike Martin is...the 4th best defensive tackle (out of 68) in terms of pass rush productivity. This stat again is courtesy of the fine folks at PFF.
Now, stats aren't everything and I know that Martin will need a big preseason to see any significant time on the field in 2013, but lets not forget what a talented backup the Titans have here. Martin's aggressive nature, and natural anchor make him a solid player on both first and second down, but his pass rushing ability make him even more enticing as a nickel DT.
If Martin does see significant time, it wouldn't surprise me to see him become one of the young stars on this defense, and his ability to keep players off of the oft-injured Colin McCarthy could make him even more valuable. Look for Mike Martin to build on his impressive season in 2013.