Mike Vrabel brings an impressive resume into his first NFL head coaching job.

“Vrabel’s been a linebacker in the league and won Super Bowls,” Tennessee Titans linebacker Will Compton said. “He’s been a linebackers coach, a D-coordinator and now a head coach. There’s a lot of benefit and takeaways I’ll be able to get from coach Vrabel. I’m looking forward to it.”

Compton, Jurrell Casey, Adoree’ Jackson and Taywan Taylor all appeared Thursday at 6-4-3 Sports Bar and Grill for a Titans Caravan visit. Those four players and their Tennessee teammates are getting to know a new coaching staff.

Vrabel, 42, was hired Jan. 20 as the Titans’ new coach. He replaced Mike Mularkey, who was fired despite Tennessee advancing to the AFC Divisional Playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Vrabel put his own mark on the Titans’ coaching staff, installing Matt LaFleur as offensive coordinator and Dean Pees as defensive coordinator.

New coaches and players have familiarized themselves with each other in recent weeks during offseason team activities.

“The biggest thing is just the way they prepare us – the mechanism for how they install the playbooks, the way they prep us on the field,” said Casey, a defensive tackle. “They’re making sure we all understand the playbook. They’re making sure we compete and stay conditioned.

“A lot of times you go out there in the OTA phases and people take it for granted. Our coaches are trying to maximize every hour that we’ve possibly got out there. That’s what you need to be a championship team. They’re trying to bring that mentality to the Titans.”

Vrabel’s no stranger to championship football. He was a linebacker for New England Patriots teams that won Super Bowls in the 2001, ’04 and ’05 NFL seasons.

Vrabel played in the league from 1997-2010. Then he coached college football as a defensive assistant for three seasons at Ohio State, where he was an All-American linebacker.

Vrabel moved to the NFL’s Houston Texans and worked from 2014-16 as a linebackers coach and then last season as defensive coordinator.

The Titans gave Vrabel an offer this winter to become a head coach for the first time and he jumped on it.

Vrabel’s winning pedigree combined with the recency of his career have helped the new coach acclimate himself to his players, Compton said.

“I mean he’s a players’ coach,” said Compton, a former Washington Redskin who signed this offseason with Tennessee. “He was in the league not too long ago. He knows how to relate to players and connect with everybody.”

New Titan Compton hopes to make impact

Compton’s been a productive linebacker in the NFL, making 96 tackles for the Redskins in 2015 and a career-best 106 the following season.

Compton was limited to nine games last year for Washington and became a free agent. He was a key offseason addition for Jon Robinson, the Titans’ executive vice president and general manager.

“When free agency happens, a few people make some offers, have you out for a visit, give you a little pitch on why they want you there,” Compton said. “I leave a lot of that up to my agent. When it came down to it, Tennessee was the best fit. They had a great opportunity.”

Compton joins a linebacking corps that includes Daren Bates, Jayon Brown, Nate Palmer, Gimel President, Wesley Woodyard and 2018 first-round draft pick Rashaan Evans.

Compton said he hopes to “bring attitude, leadership and ability” to Tennessee’s defense.

“I think I can make an impact here,” Compton said.

Evans highlights Tennessee draft picks

The Titans drafted just four players last week: Alabama linebacker Evans, Boston College defensive end Harold Landry, Arizona safety Dane Cruikshank and Washington State quarterback Luke Falk.

Tennessee moved up in the first round, from pick No. 25 to pick No. 22, to draft Evans. The Titans got a 6-foot-3, 232-pound outside linebacker who was a tough tackler with the Crimson Tide.

Evans was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference pick in 2017 for an Alabama team that won a national title. He started 12 games, tied for the team lead with 74 tackles, led the team with 13 tackles for loss, made six sacks, and broke up three passes.

The Tennessee cornerback Jackson faced Evans’ Crimson Tide squad when he was in college at Southern California.

“I know what type of guy and player he is,” Jackson said. “He’s physical and fast. Everybody else in the draft, I don’t know much about.”{&end}