A pair of strong candidates to be the No. 2 overall pick of the Tennessee Titans will get their chance to make an in-person impression on coach Ken Whisenhunt and other club officials this week.
The Titans are hosting Missouri defensive end Shane Ray on Monday, and Florida defensive end Dante Fowler, Jr. will follow later this week, according to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport. The two were among the top pass rushers in the SEC last year, though Ray was more productive, totaling 14.5 sacks and earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. At roughly 20 pounds heavier than Ray, however, Fowler is considered the more capable of the two in defending against the run.
NFL Media analyst Brian Baldinger projects Fowler to be the Titans' pick at No. 2 overall, though the other five NFL Media analysts who have posted mock drafts all foresee the Titans taking Southern Cal defensive lineman Leonard Williams, who can play tackle and end at 300 pounds.
Rapoport also reported the Titans will get a visit Tuesday from Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby, who would be more of a second-round option for the Titans. Darby has also arranged visits with the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts. His place in the draft could be helped by the the fall of his own teammate at the same position, cornerback P.J. Williams, who was arrested last week on a DUI charge.
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