2004 Texans Draft Analysis

1st 10th - Dunta Robinson
Postion: Cornerback/Free Safety
College: South Carolina
Height: 5-10
Weight: 186

From a top 10 pick standpoint it doesn't look like that great of pick. Atlanta got the player we really wanted but then so did everyone above us, however the move by Coleman to Free Safety allows us to basically fill 2 positions with one player. Coleman said that he would do anything to help out the team when he talked to Capers before the draft about moving to the safety spot. So now we basically have shored up the secondary problems. Kenny Wright is coming off an injury at the end of the season last year and this was a bigger need than DL, which at the #10 spot we could very well have picked Wilfork. The progress on the DL injuries during the off season has given us a little confidence that the whole starting unit will be healthy come day 1 of the season, and still have Deloach as a solid backup. If one of the DL can't go at the start of the season the DeLoach does provide veteran starting value. Dunta is very good on the blitz, plays physical at the line. Shows good overall athletic ability. High character kid who has good intelligence. Added plus is that he can play free safety.

“When he came onto our field,” former Gamecocks DB coach John Gutekunst recently recalled, “the first thing you noticed was how aggressive he was. He played like a linebacker.” He also ran like a wide receiver. It’s this package of aggressiveness and speed that makes Robinson one of the top CB prospects in the NFL draft. The 5-foot-10 5/8, 186-pound Robinson — who ran a 4.34 40-yard dash at February’s NFL Scouting Combine — is a strong candidate to be selected in the first half of the first round. In his latest mock draft, PFW draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki has the Jets taking Robinson with the No. 12 pick.

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1st 27th - Jason Babin
Position: Projected ROLB
College: Western Michigan
Height: 6-3
Weight: 258

To all 3-4 defensive fans, MERRY CHRISTMAS! I've heard a lot of negative rumblings on this selection and I for one am very in shock that we would have the cajones to go after this guy. We traded up from a second round pick to move up to the 1st round and it cost us a 3rd, a 4th and 21 spots in the 5th. That's a lot to give up but we are basically banking on Babin to be a starter right away with Dunta. To me it was a deep draft and my thinking was that we would load up on players, but when one of my pics for the 3rd round, Courtney Watson, was drafted in the 2nd, I understood that those picks in the 3rd and 4th rounds would most likely be backups anyways. And from our draft history in the 3rd and 4th rounds you can see how they pan out.

Weary, Fred G Tennessee - Backup
Hill, Charles NT Maryland - No longer with the team
Wells, Jonathan RB Ohio State - backup
Baxter, Jarrod FB New Mexico - starter, but may be a backup this year
Antwan Peek OLB Cincinnati - backup
Seth Wand T N.W. Missouri - backup
Dave Ragone QB Louisville -backup
Domanick Davis RB Louisiana State - starter

2 starters out of 8, and really Davis is our only solid starter. Babin was highest on my tweener list to draft for in the 3-4 and they must really like this guy, as I have read numerous things about his good motor and skills. He did score a 22 on the wonderlic test so he's no dummy, I love smart linebackers. He's fast, strong and smart. Ran his 40s (4.64, 4.67), the short shuttle (4.14) and the three-cone drill (7.03). He also had a 34-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-1 broad jump and 28 strength lifts. 28 LIFTS people. If ever there was a prototypical 3-4 linebacker, this is it. I think that Capers had a lot more pull on this pick than Casserly. The cost of the selection is worth the measly little 3rd and 4th round picks for scrubs.

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4th 122nd - Glenn Earl
Position: Safety
College: Notre Dame
Height: 6-1
Weight: 222

We've drafted 2 guys that are were hurt pretty bad, this is one of them. Everything that I've read about him has his stock dropping because of this injury, but nothing else. Touted as the hardest hitting safety in college football he's got the skills to make it in the next level. I for one was looking for a DT at this point, but like I stated earlier we've got a solid guy in DeLoach as a backup so we can venture out into other areas. He benched 225 pounds 20 times and is another smart guy, he had a 23 Wonderlic score, that is very good for a safety. Oh and he can play both FS and SS. Coleman will be hard pressed to make this team next year, which is a good thing, that only makes our team better with all the competition. I'm sure that the Texans looked at him when they went to scout Courtney Watson.

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6th 170th - Vontez Duff
Position: Cornerback/Return Specialist
College: Notre Dame
Height: 5-10
Weight: 203


Alrighty, back to back Dome guys. This one didn't make sense because here we are in the 6th round and we still haven’t drafted either an offensive or defensive lineman. We've got some depth but it aint a lot. When you look at Duffs credentials there really isn't much to get all giddy about, he's basically a good return man so maybe Moses hasn't been too impressive and is bye-bye. Another one of those "smart" guys, glad we went to ND to scout, but we didn't need to look at the whole team. There seems to be a bad pattern here with the scouting. It reminds me of the "Circuit City" commercial where the guys goes in to get one thing and comes out with 30 items. We go to scout maybe one or 2 guys and end up getting more than we should, (see Senior Bowl and Norte Dame scouting trip). Overall it may be a decent pick if he can beat out Vaughn or Moses.

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6th 175th - Jammal Lord
Position: Free Safety/Running Back/Quarterback
College: Nebraska
Height: 6-2
Weight: 215


Oh Lord what are we doing? Did I just have a flashback on the Steelers and Slash? I have no idea what to make of this pick, They are going to try him somewhere. He has average speed and no strength, was a QB and we are trying him at Safety in the NFL. Someone help me out on this one.


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6th 200th - Charlie Anderson
Position: Outside Linebacker/Defensive End
College: Mississippi
Height: 6-3
Weight: 242


This is one of those picks where you have to rely on the defensive staff for insight. There are always these late round picks that have classic tweener status that may very well end up on the team. Other than the 6 sacks he had as a senior I see nothing that points to him having a bright future in the NFL.

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7th 210th - Raheem Orr
Position: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
College: Rutgers
Height: 6-3
Weight: 258


I liked this guy as a tweener in my 3-4 thread before the draft. Thing is, we just drafted 2 "tweeners" in this draft so far and draft Peek last year. Still no DL or OL drafted yet. We are stock piling on tweeners, but if you look at how many teams are going to the 3-4 then maybe we can get some value out of this. Another strong guy that benched 225 pounds 20 times, lacks great speed but had 9 sacks last year. So for all this competition at OLB this year, we are making a huge effort to get to the QB this season. You can see that our coaches have acknowledged the lack of blitzing to the QB and are doing something about it. I just hope that our DL and OL can be healthy, if one of our LB's goes down we sure do have depth here.


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7th 212th - Sloan Thomas
Position: Wide receiver
College: Texas
Height: 6-1
Weight: 203

A hometown guy that was looked at when the Texans made their trip to scout Roy Williams. Actually might compete with Bradford as Thomas is known for making some spectacular catches. He has good leaping ability; good size & speed & can catch passes in tough situations. He has great vision & instincts & has a knack for turning a short gain into a long gain. May be inconsistent at times but has really worked in the off season to get better. Bradford watch out!

7th 248th - B.J. Symons
Position: Quarterback
College: Texas Tech
Height: 6-0
Weight: 210

Perfect pick this late in the draft. This is the 2nd injured guy we've drafted this year, but for a guy who passed as many yards as he did you'd have to give him a shot. Typically pass-happy college guys don't do to well in the NFL but with a 7th compensatory pick we can afford to take a stab at him. Who knows if he beat out Ragone (who is do not like) or not. If he does then Symons would come extra cheap.
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Well that wraps up the draft analysis I've made. It asks a lot of questions. I am a defensive guy and getting Babin was a huge boost to my liking, but we sure do put a lot at stake for a tweener. I was perplexed why we didn't draft a quality OT or DT later on, but by then maybe there were none. I think that other teams that play the 3-4 made out pretty well, NE getting Wilfork was huge. I hope that Babins pans out, if not, we've set our team back. I can't explain why this draft was touted as a deep draft and we chose to give up those picks to a division rival.

[66cobra]

I like most of the picks, especially DRobinson, Babin, Duff, Earl, and Symons. But, like you, I am somewhat confused by J Lord. He is a product of the Cornhusker system and I think the last offensive player from Nebraska to even be moderately successful was Mike Rozier. I can't even picture him as a DB because, like you said, he is average in speed, etc. Oh, well!

Is Carr really the picture boy for Madden 2005?

Ride for the Brand, Go Texans!!!

[edo783]

Actually, after I got over the shock of it and did some checking, I liked the the draft we did. I think we hit two of the most important points we had needs at, CB & OLB, with. My concern is still depth at NT, but we have since picked up a couple of guys who MAY have a little tallent to play there. I look for us to make a move on a vetern after June 1. With the turn over in the defense that we may experience next year, we don't seem to have the developmental tallent staged to take over.

[TheOgre]

Originally Posted by edo783

I look for us to make a move on a vetern after June 1.

Casserly said on 610 the other day that there are only one or two potential June 1 cuts they may pursue. He went on to say it would be unlikely that either guy would sign with us because they would not be starters here and would have to sign for less money.

[Blake]

I bet hes lookin at Kurt Warner and Kerry Collins. j/k

[El Tejano]

I think the experience that our backups got will prove to be a worthwhile event for us this year. Ioane made some decent plays last year.

One of the things that most people (including myself) is that we didn't address the DL in this draft. I'm starting to think after researching this a bit, that the reasons why we didn't is because DL are such a bigger hit or miss than other positions that we focus more on bringing in proven talent to shore up the line than to draft a rookie. I like that philosophy and the fact that Deloach, who was a starter, can come in and pick up the spot pretty easily if someone got hurt. If 2 people go down on the line like last year we will only be putting in 1 below average guy instead of 2.

[Fertguy]

Originally Posted by 66cobra

He is a product of the Cornhusker system and I think the last offensive player from Nebraska to even be moderately successful was Mike Rozier.

I think Ahman Green has done okay for himself.

[66cobra]

hey i-cak

I did forget about Ahman Green. I am so stupid because he is one of the players I do like in the NFL.

[rittenhouserobz]

Great analysis. I know you were wondering why pick a certain player in the 6th round. Well its the 6th round. The QB looks like another Henson project. What if Ragone and B.J. Symons become solid NFL prospects this year? We may be able to trade one of them for a higher pick.