1. Kawaan Short - DE/DT. A day one starter for the defense. Has good pass rush skills and can help prevent teams running down the middle against us. 2. Robert Woods - WR. Finally a high selection of a WR! I really hope Hunter falls to us in the second round, but I just don't see it. Woods was considered a top 10 talent last year but fell out of the spotlight with Lee playing so good. Woods has shown the willingness to block which will please Kubiak so I think they draft him this year. 3. Brandon Jenkins - OLB. Due to his injury he falls. I am a little worried about him not regaining his speed after the lisfranc injury. With Barwin gone, depth is needed at OLB. 3b. David Quessenberry - OT. If the team doesn't pick up a vet T in FA, then a OT seems like a guaranteed pick in the draft. Nobody knows how bad Newton's injury really was and how long the recovery process is. I imagine he will be ready before camp, but there still needs to be a competition for him. I'm not talking about switching Quessenberry and him every other possession. 4. Robert Lester - S. With Reed on board, I think there needs to be a safety drafted to be groomed. Lester might not be able to cover the big TE's, but he can catch picks. 5. Zac Dysert - QB. Possesses the NFL arm and can move out of the pocket if needed. He does lack the accuracy when running, but I feel he can be coached to be successful in the league. 6. Michael Williams - TE. Really liked what he did at the Senior Bowl by catching the ball. The Texans need to 3rd TE and selecting one who can block is perfect. 6b. Zach Boren - FB. Sure they clutts as a FB, but Boren seems to be a more fluid FB. 7. Vance Williams - ILB. Finally found a spot to put in a ILB. There is a bit of uncertainty at the position ILB will be addressed sometime in the draft. Williams is a project player.
Look for the Texans to take the best available player with the #1 pick if a WR they want isnt available...McNair has already made it clear that he wants a threat next to AJ( if the WR are available, look for the Texans to grab them with the first pick)...if not they will get the best available player on the board. #1: WR or Best available #2: ILB/or DT #3: Safety #3: OLB #4: OT #5: TE #6: OLB #6: Defensive player #7: FB/OL
I'll play along, with the idea that these are picks that I, poorly informed fan, would like (at this point in time) based on folks currently projected to be near each spot and not what I expect the franchise to do. Will try to avoid any overly hopeful picks (guys falling unrealistically for my convenience). Rd 1, 27: One of (Jesse Williams, Sylvester Williams, Jonathan Hankins) -->NT is a position that is incredibly hard to mine in later rounds because physical prowess means almost everything. You can't have a pass rush or stout run D if the Earl Mitchell Memorial Highway is in the middle. John Jenkins might be a second round alternative if the Texans like him for Wade's all-penetration system. If you gambled on that, you could chase a surprise BPA in the first, someone like TE Tyler Eifert. I don't like the idea of burning the first rounder on a WR or ILB, unless you think you've got a really special stud you can't pass up. Flipside is that if you pass on WR here, there won't be many sexy options left by pick 57. Rd 2, 57: David Amerson could be the perfect long term replacement for Quin in that he can lineup at CB or S. Swearinger is another S that should still be on the board. This could be another BPA spot. Jenkins could be there, Jordan Reed (TE), Kyle Long (OL), maybe even Mike Glennon (QB). Rd 3, 89 + 95: Patton (WR) could possibly still be available at this point and while he's not a burner, Kubiak's system doesn't really utilize them anyway. Could be a perfect fit. If he falls, Terrance Williams could also be a good choice. I'd definitely have ILB eyes and ears by this juncture. Kevin Riddick and Jon Ballstic could be options. If the right need isn't there, BPA possibilities could be Barrett Jones for OL depth, one of the several value safeties available in a deep draft (Eric Reed), Tyler Wilson (QB), or an OLB (Jelani Jenkins). Rd 4, 124: OL depth (Brennan Williams, Brian Schwenke, Chris Faulk....someone that projects well to the ZBS scheme). I wouldn't mind shoring up CB depth with fellow W&M man B.W. Webb. Past this point, I don't think you could possibly hope to project who's going to be around. Just need to cycle through BPA at want positions and keep an eye out for surprise drops. Grocery List: NT WR ILB S OL CB QB ....and I should also note that it might not be a given that the Texans will hunt for a safety at all. They seem to like Eddie Pleasant a lot going forward, and have an unhealthy fixation on Keo to boot. Are they really looking to go with 5 guys at safety next season? I'd be surprised. In contrast, they've got blowing wind at ILB. Not one single guy signed that isn't coming off a major injury. There may need to be no less than two draftees there. Also have to consider that we've only got two tight ends, and neither replaces the sorely missed blocking we got from Dreesen. Constantly overlooked issue in the run game woes. Unfortunately, most TEs in this draft look to be the hybrid wideout type. Anyway, all I can do is give my opinion on how I'd draft.
The Texans are in a reasonable spot in my opinion. They have several positions where they are in need of an upgrade but at most of those positions, there is player on the roster than can possibly fill that void: - NT - the Texans continue to say they like Earl Mitchell. They may be confident enough in him that they dont draft an NT til the late rounds, but at the same time a top pick at the position will be a great upgrade. - S - with the Ed Reed signing this is less of a need but as we all know the guy is getting up there in age. Drafting a replacement wouldnt hurt. I could also see the player they draft at safety taking Manning's position. - OT - The Texans may continue to stick with Newton for another year. I know its not the best idea for any of us but remember what Duane Brown was his first year as a starter. I dont think its out of the realm of possibility that Newton drastically improves. That being said a top pick at the position could make for a dynamite O-Line. - ILB - The return of Cushing is going to dramatically improve the position. Plus in dime packages the second ILB is not even on the field. The Texans may not want to "waste" a high pick on a guy that wont be on the field as much. The one position on the team that I cannot make a case for is WR. Posey's injury really put this team in a bind. Jean and Martin are not the answer at #2 WR. I think Posey could be but you cant expect anything from him this year. This is a position I feel the have to address in the first 2 rounds. I honestly would not be surprised by any position they draft. Depth is needed at so many positions.
1st - Keenan Allen - WR Cal. Only because Hopkins will be gone, if not go Hopkins who has better speed. Both are WR1 for the future. 2nd - John Jenkins - DT GA. Prefer Jesse Williams but I don't think he is here. Both fill in for Cody's departure. 3rd - Jon Bostic - ILB FL. Would love Minter but he'll be long gone. 3rd* - Bacarri Rambo - S GA. Perfect guy for Reed to groom. Ball-hawk is an understatement with this guy. 4th - Ryan Swope - WR TAM. Smaller than Walter but still a good WR2/3 option and we know Kubes loves his aggies... 5th - Honey Badger - CB/S LSU. Probably will drop and would be a steal based on talent. 6th - Brandon Moore - DT UT. Basically a one year player (juco guy) but great numbers. Could be a home-run pick this late. 6th* - Kyle Juszczyk - FB Harvard. Good blocker and great hands. Plus you've got to draft a Harvard guy. 7th - Joseph Fauria - TE UCLA. Got the pedigree (Christian Fauria's nephew) and scores TDs.
Love the idea of going Nose in the 1st round. If either Williams is there, that'd be a great pick. I'd be shocked if Sylvester was on the board, but Jesse might be there. Don't think Hankins has the athleticism to play nose in Wade's system, but I can't claim to have watched many Buckeye games this year, so maybe he's more skilled than i realize.
Love the first 3 rounds but after that it gets a little over zealous. Swope will not make the 4th, honeyBadger will probably not make the 5th
1st - Jesse Williams - DT- Alabama 2nd - Kevin Minter - ILB- LSU 3rd - Kyle Long - OL- Oregon 3rd* - Bacarri Rambo - S- GA. 4th - Marcus Davis -WR- VT 5th - Vance McDonald -TE- Rice 6th - Mike Glennon -QB- NC. State 6th* - Chase Thomas -OLB- Stanford 7th - Armonty Bryant -DE- ECU
I would love to have a guy like Swope, but I seriously doubt he will be around in the fourth round. I think he will be a third round pick.
Yeah, I wish he had not done so well at the pro day. I would have loved to get him in 4th, if we go a different direction in the first, or our top pics at receiver are gone, I wouldn't mind picking him up in 3rd or even 2nd if they rate him that high.
I love the idea of mock drafts but some people need to check on where some of these prospects are ranked. I recommend the CBS draft prospects website which has round projections for all of its players: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2013/all Predicting Kyle Long in the 3rd when he is ranked as a 2nd round pick is foolish. I mean sure he might fall to the top of the 3rd but to the bottom??!?! Give me a break. I have already mentioend the foolishness of Swope making it to the 4th. Vance McDonald in the 5th!?!?! Guy is projected a 2nd round pick!!! I know predicting the draft is a complete fools affair anyways but lets have some serious possibilities here.
bro its an internet message board if you can't dream big here you can't dream. Prospects slip all the time. Don't be a debbie downer.
i agree. i tried to keep my list reasonable but understand that picks move up and down all of the time. for example the website he listed for rankings has 67 players as ranked 1st or 2nd round with an additional 20 players ranked as 2/3 round. So that is 87 total players that could go in first two rounds. Doesn't take a genius to figure out there isn't that many picks in the first two rounds. So do that enough times plus consider the surprise jumps/falls and that's how 2's turn into 3's and 3' turn into 4's, and so forth... I took that fact into account when I made my list and would be ecstatic if we got 4 out of the 9 picks I posted.
Ok ok I probably overreacted, and truthfully most of the picks arent that bad I just think it would behoove some to simply take a look at that site before making their "pick".
