3 Amigo Texan "BYE WEEK" Mock 2013 Draft

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

Im curious what your other round one options were , both player and position.

Im not sold on a WR in the first .... Just dont see that player making enough of an impact out of the gate to justify a first round pick behind AJ and Walter.
Thats not even taking into account the two they drafted in this last offseason.


I know a lot of people are down on Posey since he hasnt gotten much opportunity .... but the kid has all world "Football" speed as he showed you that in the Jets game chasing down Joe McKnight on the KO return. Also , remember his first catch in the preseason , breaking a tackle and taking it the distance ??
He's going to get more opportunities as he learns the playbook and sharpens his route running.
The Texans offense is just too complex to expect a rookie to jump in with both feet and make an impact.

Then again , maybe you guy's are thinking that this could be the eventual replacement to AJ and are Ok with him having a year or more to learn the offense and hone his skills before being thrust into the lineup.

Originally Posted by Corrosion

Sorry, missed your post.

Well, we initially discussed it by positions- WR, OT, and NT getting the most conversation, although CB was briefly considered. In the end, it really came down to Woods and Sheldon Richardson (NT, Missouri), and we went with Woods for 2 main reasons- 1) Richardson is climbing, climbing up the boards, and at the moment it is unlikely he will be available when the Texans pick at 32. 2) NT has such a high bust rate. A franchise HAS to hit on it's first rounder. Missing is just so costly. Woods is a safe pick with a high ceiling and a high floor. He is dropping due to the play of others, not because of his own play.

As for the "need" for Woods, we are projecting him to be a potential future number 1. Right now we have Martin, Posey and Jean who are battling it out for the mantle of the future of the Texans' receiving corps. All have warts, and none are likely (in my opinion, at least) to become a true number 1. Martin looks like a dynamite slot receiver, Jean looks to be a number 2 big target, and Posey, while I know you are high on him, has never impressed me. Granted, it is very early in his career, but I just dont think he becomes anything special. That said, I do this as a hobby, not because I think I have any particular talent for player evaluation. We will just have to see what the future holds.

EDIT- just realized I got carried away, and did not really answer the question of other 1st round targets outside of Woods (and Richardson). I am a fan of Matthews from TAMU and Fisher from Central Michigan (both OTs), as well as Short (NT, Purdue) and a couple of sleeper OLBs (though I doubt the need for one this high, but I think they have huge potential) in James Gayle (VT) and Ezekiel Ansah (BYU). I know BB liked the Alabama and North Carolina NTs, as well as Baylor WR Williams.

There may be some other guys in there that I forgot about, but that is a pretty good list.

[beerlover]

Sorry guys been busy @ work. Thought badboy addressed this to some degree but here were my rankings per need off top of my head.

1. Manti T'eo ILB, #1 target in my mind
2. Jonathan Banks, CB, just love his game
3. Jake Matthews, OT, would be a great RT for Texans
4. Robert Woods, WR, great fit for this offense

Looked long & hard @ NT position but honestly not one has 1st rd. Grade. Let me tell you this Nix kid could be special. Also looked @ other WR's like Cordarrelle Patterson, great return skills he could be another option if the top four already taken.

Thanks for asking & your valued feedback

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

Gladly, we should do an offseason get together for an NFL mock draft at Bubba's this year. I know a lot of the guys around here would be willing to do it and take a couple teams each to complete 5 rounds. Once comp picks are announced and the order is made, we could have a Saturday meetup to get it done.

I'm in,

Come up with a date.

Sounds like a great idea to me. I always have a great time hanging out with you guys at Bubbas.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by beerlover

Sorry guys been busy @ work. Thought badboy addressed this to some degree but here were my rankings per need off top of my head.

1. Manti T'eo ILB, #1 target in my mind
2. Jonathan Banks, CB, just love his game
3. Jake Matthews, OT, would be a great RT for Texans
4. Robert Woods, WR, great fit for this offense

Looked long & hard @ NT position but honestly not one has 1st rd. Grade. Let me tell you this Nix kid could be special. Also looked @ other WR's like Cordarrelle Patterson, great return skills he could be another option if the top four already taken.

Thanks for asking & your valued feedback

Patterson is #1 on my board because of the reasons you state.

Nice mock, filled needs

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Corrosion

Uh, see post #15

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

Patterson is #1 on my board because of the reasons you state.

Nice mock, filled needs

What worries me about Patterson is that this is is first (and likely, only) year in the SEC. One year wonders always are gutsy picks.

Furthermore, Tenn's offense is pretty stacked. Hunter certainly draws coverage away from Patterson, and despite his troubles this year, Bray is a heck of a QB.

[Scooter]

great mock guys. i dont watch much college ball and try to stay out of the way when discussing the draft, especially because i can only relate to the positions and not the players specifically, but i have a few questions. how likely are these guys to be available when we draft? you mention possibly needing to trade up for woods which is something i supported in the "needs" thread, but trading up is not something we've traditionally done. as for woods, how's the rest of his game (blocking, locker room, etc)? he's a bit lighter than ideal, but then again you cant teach speed.

it took me a little while to piece it together, but i've come to agree with the early tightend and late fullback. graham is ok, but appears to have the 2nd tightend spot only by default, and could use to be upgraded since we're such a TE heavy team. having another fullback benefits our special teams as well as giving casey more freedom to spread out.

inside linebacker - yall wait until the third round. this is a position that by appearances is traditionally weighted towards late first round or early second. was there not a player here for our first couple of picks? dobbins is surprising a lot of people, but is best as a sub. james, alexander, and the perpetually injured sharpton are very expendable - leaving this one of few real positions of need. we may either need to double up, or look for an earlier pick.

nose tackle, how would yall rate this guy's motor? i'm skeptical of taking a "fat guy" early because of how difficult they are to evaluate, and how little time our current nose is on the field anyways. i would avoid a "project" on the defensive line if at all possible, instead trying to find support behind smith and watt. through 7 games we've yet to allow a rushing touchdown, we're not as bad as some presume up the middle.

[beerlover]

All excellent questions.

Woods is complete. If texans feel same way don't be surprised if Rick trades up (see bolded comments under Woods).

Nix is not typical plug in the middle, he is plus 6'3" strong
& quick. In other words a Wade Phillips type.

Not a deep, talented crop of ILB's after T'eo.

TE is under-exposed utilized for Iowa. Powerhouse blocker with plus size & hands.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by Scooter

great mock guys. i dont watch much college ball and try to stay out of the way when discussing the draft, especially because i can only relate to the positions and not the players specifically, but i have a few questions. how likely are these guys to be available when we draft? you mention possibly needing to trade up for woods which is something i supported in the "needs" thread, but trading up is not something we've traditionally done. as for woods, how's the rest of his game (blocking, locker room, etc)? he's a bit lighter than ideal, but then again you cant teach speed.

it took me a little while to piece it together, but i've come to agree with the early tightend and late fullback. graham is ok, but appears to have the 2nd tightend spot only by default, and could use to be upgraded since we're such a TE heavy team. having another fullback benefits our special teams as well as giving casey more freedom to spread out.

inside linebacker - yall wait until the third round. this is a position that by appearances is traditionally weighted towards late first round or early second. was there not a player here for our first couple of picks? dobbins is surprising a lot of people, but is best as a sub. james, alexander, and the perpetually injured sharpton are very expendable - leaving this one of few real positions of need. we may either need to double up, or look for an earlier pick.

nose tackle, how would yall rate this guy's motor? i'm skeptical of taking a "fat guy" early because of how difficult they are to evaluate, and how little time our current nose is on the field anyways. i would avoid a "project" on the defensive line if at all possible, instead trying to find support behind smith and watt. through 7 games we've yet to allow a rushing touchdown, we're not as bad as some presume up the middle.

First, thanks for reading and taking the time to respond. And I mean that to all of you who have done so thus far. It really is what keeps us motivated.

Now, on to your questions.

Historically, on the group effort mock we dont predict trades. There are simply to many variables to deal with, so we just dont do it. In fact, this was the first year we put in some comp. picks before knowing 100% if/what picks we have. This brings me to the main point- on our mocks, we only take players we think have a good chance of being available. Upon evaluating the potential 2013 draft class, we decided that Woods has a good chance of being available, due to the play of other players. However, even if Woods' stock were to rise, Woods is a player to consider trading up for.

Woods is a very average blocker, as one could assume from his frame. He is no Kevin Walter, but he will stick his nose in there. And to the best of my knowledge, Woods is a quality locker room guy.

I am glad to read that you agree with drafting both a TE and a FB. They will give the offense more potential wrinkles to confuse defenses.

ILB is a huge need, but really the only prospect head and shoulders above Jackson is Te'o, who will be selected well before the Texans pick (he is a potential trade up target). There are other players in the mix, but Jackson will be a starter early on, and will be HUGE in shorring up the run defense. Like we have mentioned, he wont be effective against the pass, but Cushing fills that role well. We only need a 2-down ILB at this point.

If you get a chance, watch the OU/ND game and judge Nix III for yourself. I will say that I have limited concerns about his motor. As with almost any big guy, there is some worry, but to me it is marginalized. He appears to play very motivated this year. And I dont see Nix as a project. Yes, he is young, but he is talented and can play from day 1. Sure his technique and conditioning could use work, but you can say that about most players coming out of college.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Scooter

great mock guys. i dont watch much college ball and try to stay out of the way when discussing the draft, especially because i can only relate to the positions and not the players specifically, but i have a few questions. how likely are these guys to be available when we draft? you mention possibly needing to trade up for woods which is something i supported in the "needs" thread, but trading up is not something we've traditionally done. as for woods, how's the rest of his game (blocking, locker room, etc)? he's a bit lighter than ideal, but then again you cant teach speed.

it took me a little while to piece it together, but i've come to agree with the early tightend and late fullback. graham is ok, but appears to have the 2nd tightend spot only by default, and could use to be upgraded since we're such a TE heavy team. having another fullback benefits our special teams as well as giving casey more freedom to spread out.

inside linebacker - yall wait until the third round. this is a position that by appearances is traditionally weighted towards late first round or early second. was there not a player here for our first couple of picks? dobbins is surprising a lot of people, but is best as a sub. james, alexander, and the perpetually injured sharpton are very expendable - leaving this one of few real positions of need. we may either need to double up, or look for an earlier pick.

nose tackle, how would yall rate this guy's motor? i'm skeptical of taking a "fat guy" early because of how difficult they are to evaluate, and how little time our current nose is on the field anyways. i would avoid a "project" on the defensive line if at all possible, instead trying to find support behind smith and watt. through 7 games we've yet to allow a rushing touchdown, we're not as bad as some presume up the middle.

Hey, Scooter, thanks for checking in. Good questions. Availability is a prime consideration & while it is of course impossible to know exactly where a candidate will come in at, our constant watch of other boards, comments by respected" analysts, game action, internet articles, etc. usually gets us close. During this mock as well as others we put together, players moved up and down. Sheldon Richardson as well as our guy Robert Woods moved with Woods dropping as BL stated thru no fault of his own. This actually benefits Texans who realistically should have no shot at this potential franchise WR.

Trade ups: Smithiak has a different mind set than Three Amigos. I think I can speak for my cohorts in that we would trade up more frequently than Gary & Ric. We understand the importance of each pick but if you have "that" player who will impact your roster from day one, we say go get him. How much you pay is the thread of contention among us as well as others. For example, I would not have done the Julio Jones trade, although I had mocked him as a very good WR.

TEs: IMO an excellent WR2 reduces somewhat the need for TEs, but like Woods, if you have the chance to bring in a playmaker like Fiedo, you pull the trigger. Fiedorowicz impacts RBs, protect QB, blocks downfield & presents a huge RZ target. In addition, he can drift and pick up yardage thru the air.

ILB: this draft is weak imo. T'eo & Kevin Minter (LSU) should both be gone, Minter in second. T'eo would trump Woods imo do to dire need; Minter would not and falls to second round but again gone before we select. If you have time to watch him Oct 27th 5pm ESPN3 against Florida International you will be in for a treat if you like hard tackling. Jackson is another Dont'a Hightower & starts day one for Texans. To get that quality in 3rd round is remarkable on this Texans team.

Nicks is running under the radar. I admit I was not watching Notre Dame's defense much as T'eo will go early first. BL gave me heads up and it took about two series to see LN3 is the real deal. Motor? This guy might make Watts look disinterested if you consider his weight comparison and position. He will take blockers away from other linemen and plug the middle allowing the LBs to cheat a bit. My only disappointment will be he could climb forcing me to use a first round. Notre Dame vs Oklahoma Oct 27th 7pm ABC. Also, watch for our other pick on D line in that game.

A guy can be big without being Hainesworth. Nicks replaces Cody and starts day 1. We do exactly as you suggest with Kapron Lewis -Moore DE. I don't know if you can scream on a PM, but that is what I did to BL about KLM "Who is that guy!!" We like Crick but KLM could do more than just challenge him.

OBTW? We are as bad up the middle as many think. Wade Phillips is using smoke & mirrors. Cody age/$ for new contract rules him out.

Appreciate you comments.

[Scooter]

thanks very much for the quick responses, a couple lines really stood out and sold me on the players. for instance "he's no kevin walter, but he'll stick his nose in there". for all his warts, jacoby jones was the same way and i can think of several big runs from arian where jacoby has his man locked up down the field. similarly not someone to motion as tightend, but if woods has that same want to downfield, i'm on board.

where i'm most surprised is at linebacker. yall conclude that there's teo and then everyone else. if this is the case (and yall's track record speaks for itsself), is there another player in the middle rounds to look at? i keep thinking of this as similar to the 2006 draft. d'brick didnt grade out for the #1, so we instead loaded up in the 3rd round with winston and spencer. since we cant afford teo, is this possibly another "load up later" scenario?

i also disagree with "we only need a 2 down linebacker", we already have a handful of those. in this day of spread and hurry up offenses, nickel has become almost the base defensive formation. we dont have that however, instead going from 3-4 to dime because we lack the personnel for a strong nickel. the missing piece is at linebacker, someone to pair with cushing who can shade tightends as well as support the run game. glover does a great job filling in, but doesnt have the size for the jobs asked of him and would be much better suited staying in the secondary as opposed to pushing over the tightend.

again in that area, cody has almost 1/3 of the snaps as jj watt and 1/2 as many as smith. we arent in our base 3-4 very often, so when evaluating players, i'd put extra weight on their ability in 2-4-5 nickel formations.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by Scooter

where i'm most surprised is at linebacker. yall conclude that there's teo and then everyone else. if this is the case (and yall's track record speaks for itsself), is there another player in the middle rounds to look at? i keep thinking of this as similar to the 2006 draft. d'brick didnt grade out for the #1, so we instead loaded up in the 3rd round with winston and spencer. since we cant afford teo, is this possibly another "load up later" scenario?

i also disagree with "we only need a 2 down linebacker", we already have a handful of those. in this day of spread and hurry up offenses, nickel has become almost the base defensive formation. we dont have that however, instead going from 3-4 to dime because we lack the personnel for a strong nickel. the missing piece is at linebacker, someone to pair with cushing who can shade tightends as well as support the run game. glover does a great job filling in, but doesnt have the size for the jobs asked of him and would be much better suited staying in the secondary as opposed to pushing over the tightend.

again in that area, cody has almost 1/3 of the snaps as jj watt and 1/2 as many as smith. we arent in our base 3-4 very often, so when evaluating players, i'd put extra weight on their ability in 2-4-5 nickel formations.

It really is a weak class at ILB. A guy like Minter (LSU) deserves some hype, but I have not watched enough LSU this year to make a good judgement. The underclassmen Big 10 duo of Bullough (Michigan State) and Borland (Wisconsin) are also ones to watch. All three guys are in 2nd round to 3rd round consideration, but we liked Nix more than them. Then there are guys like Johnson (Alabama) and Mauti (Penn State) that are pretty highly rated, but I am not a fan. Skov in the 3rd is worth a look, but we wrote him off due to a recent DUI. After that, you are getting guys who are rated all over the place.

A guy that has really intrigued me recently is Kenneth Tate from Maryland. He has played pretty much every position during his time as a Terrapin, and while he is being projected as an OLB, I think having him as an ILB would be interesting. I think he could be that nickel LB that you may be looking for, and he could be had in the 5th, as of now.

[beerlover]

You know there is another LB in our mock?

Etienne Sabino, OLB/Sr. 6030 238 lbs. He is a three down, athletic type who can cover sideline to sideline. We didn't feel the Texans have anyone with similar skill set to Cushing, unless Sharpton returns? Ethinee does have history of injurys, but in a weak class if healthy could have possibly been a second round pick. Lots of potential if he can kick his injury bug. Fundamentally sound wrap up tackler, can read & react in passing lanes plus provide extra pass rusher in Wade Phillips scheme. So in essence we covered ILB position with two different types; a power run stuffer & covererage sack guy. It would be surprising to address this area so heavily but sure would solidify current perceived needs as they stand.

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by beerlover

You know there is another LB in our mock?

i'm glad you mentioned him. in my bias, i saw OLB and glanced over the report, assuming a late round pass rusher and special teamer. obviously i have more than a bit of tunnel vision (wide receiver, ILB), but etienne per your report does fit a lot of what i'd hope for on sunday - assuming health of course. sounds quite a bit like crick last season. what kind of injury concerns are we looking at? a quick google search doesnt return much.

as for sharpton - never liked him. i didnt see anything coming into the league, posters here like vinny who know linebackers dont see it in him, and he has yet to show it on the field.

[WolverineFan]

1 – Robert Woods – WR, USC
- Love this guy. He has a Walter-like knack for getting open on crucial downs. Seems to be a ‘student of the game’ at WR. Not very many college WR’s are so adept at sifting through zones and finding soft spots. I think, lined up across from Andre, we would be lethal on the outside. However, once Andre is gone, I’m not sure he’s the kind of guy who can carry the WR corp (much like Andre has done) by himself.

*I’m very intrigued with his teammate Marquise Lee, but kid is a Soph.


2 – Louis Nix – DT, Notre Dame
- Not sure if we he will be available at this point. He’s shooting up draft boards right now. That’s if he comes out, BTW. Very disruptive at the point of attack. Could even be considered somewhat of a playmaker, which is odd for a NT. Good pass rusher for his size. Has experience playing in the middle of a 3-man front (not many projected NT’s do). I’m a fan, but he only comes out if he’s going higher than this, IMO.

*You can attribute a lot of Teo’s success to this guy.


3 – C.J. Fiedorowicz – TE, Iowa
- Like this guy. He has suffered from poor QB play this year, but already has more receptions this year than last. Good blocker and receiver and has good hands. With the emergence of the spread, guys like this are a dying breed. I don’t know what it is about Iowa, but they know TE’s. I love complete TE’s like this who can contribute in all phases.

* Another TE I like around this part of the draft would be Zach Ertz (Stanford). Not as polished, but has a ton of potential.


(3) – Andrew Jackson – ILB, Western Kentucky
- Not all too familiar with this guy. I know Saban thinks he’s pretty good. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about him, but I haven’t seen him play so I’ll refrain from analysis.


4 – Lane Johnson – OT, Oklahoma
- Good depth candidate. Seems like he’d be a good fit as a swing tackle with developmental potential. Agree that he could immediately replace Butler. Seems to have an overall developed game. Not great at anything, but not bad at anything either.


(5) – Etienne Sabino – OLB, Ohio State
- Ehh. Not a fan of his. Very athletic and flashes playmaking ability, but makes a lot of mistakes. When Michigan played them last year, OSU was starting a true freshman LB with an injured leg at the other LB..….UM ran at Sabino anyway (very successfully). He just doesn’t seem to have the mental aspect of the game down to me.


(5) – Josh Johnson – CB, Purdue
- Great pick, love this guy. Extremely underrated prospect. Would be a guy to target as a Quin protégée. If we want CB’s who can tackle playing Safety, this is a guy to pursue. Very physical and great tackler. I salivate at the thought of drafting this kid.


6 – Zach Boren – FB, Ohio State
- I hate this kid, so I’m obviously biased. I don’t really see the need to take a FB here if you’ve already taken a TE earlier. Daniels, Graham, Casey, & Fiedorowicz all at TE is a logjam if I’ve ever seen one. Keeping Casey at FB in this situation just makes sense. I think we’re better as an offense with an H-Back type guy playing FB anyway.

*The new offense at OSU has limited his offensive snaps so he has played some LB recently. Could be a good ST guy, has the right mentality.


7 – Kapron Lewis-Moore – DE, Notre Dame
- Meh. Good kid, marginal talent. I guess he could find a niche in the NFL because of specialty, like Jamison has done. He’s been outplayed by better talents at ND already (Stephon Tuitt, So. & Sheldon Day, Fr.). If we go DE I’d rather go earlier or grab someone with more potential.

*Keep an eye on the Tuitt kid. Could come out early next year and be the next Watt.


Overall:
I think it works, but it could be better. Obviously I don’t agree with taking both a TE and FB. The first 3 picks hit and Johnson is a late gem, IMO. Would like to see another interior OL brought in, but that’s not a sticking point. Good job fellas. A lot of hard work and it is appreciated!

*I didn’t realize you guys were just drafting from the B1G/ND though. It seems kind of odd to be so B1G heavy in this draft when it’s the worst the conference has been in years.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by WolverineFan

1 – Robert Woods – WR, USC
- Love this guy. He has a Walter-like knack for getting open on crucial downs. Seems to be a ‘student of the game’ at WR. Not very many college WR’s are so adept at sifting through zones and finding soft spots. I think, lined up across from Andre, we would be lethal on the outside. However, once Andre is gone, I’m not sure he’s the kind of guy who can carry the WR corp (much like Andre has done) by himself.

*I’m very intrigued with his teammate Marquise Lee, but kid is a Soph.

fairly or unfairly this helps Texans chances of Woods sliding more than he should

2 – Louis Nix – DT, Notre Dame
- Not sure if we he will be available at this point. He’s shooting up draft boards right now. That’s if he comes out, BTW. Very disruptive at the point of attack. Could even be considered somewhat of a playmaker, which is odd for a NT. Good pass rusher for his size. Has experience playing in the middle of a 3-man front (not many projected NT’s do). I’m a fan, but he only comes out if he’s going higher than this, IMO.

*You can attribute a lot of Teo’s success to this guy.

you pay attention

3 – C.J. Fiedorowicz – TE, Iowa
- Like this guy. He has suffered from poor QB play this year, but already has more receptions this year than last. Good blocker and receiver and has good hands. With the emergence of the spread, guys like this are a dying breed. I don’t know what it is about Iowa, but they know TE’s. I love complete TE’s like this who can contribute in all phases.

* Another TE I like around this part of the draft would be Zach Ertz (Stanford). Not as polished, but has a ton of potential.

Ertz isn't as big & physical but I like him too

(3) – Andrew Jackson – ILB, Western Kentucky
- Not all too familiar with this guy. I know Saban thinks he’s pretty good. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about him, but I haven’t seen him play so I’ll refrain from analysis.

badboy deserves all the credit for uncovering him

4 – Lane Johnson – OT, Oklahoma
- Good depth candidate. Seems like he’d be a good fit as a swing tackle with developmental potential. Agree that he could immediately replace Butler. Seems to have an overall developed game. Not great at anything, but not bad at anything either.

journeyman written all over him but to Texans a valued commodity

(5) – Etienne Sabino – OLB, Ohio State
- Ehh. Not a fan of his. Very athletic and flashes playmaking ability, but makes a lot of mistakes. When Michigan played them last year, OSU was starting a true freshman LB with an injured leg at the other LB..….UM ran at Sabino anyway (very successfully). He just doesn’t seem to have the mental aspect of the game down to me.

you mean hits like this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5avxfvqq3Js

(5) – Josh Johnson – CB, Purdue
- Great pick, love this guy. Extremely underrated prospect. Would be a guy to target as a Quin protégée. If we want CB’s who can tackle playing Safety, this is a guy to pursue. Very physical and great tackler. I salivate at the thought of drafting this kid.

65 ran with this guy all the way to the bank

6 – Zach Boren – FB, Ohio State
- I hate this kid, so I’m obviously biased. I don’t really see the need to take a FB here if you’ve already taken a TE earlier. Daniels, Graham, Casey, & Fiedorowicz all at TE is a logjam if I’ve ever seen one. Keeping Casey at FB in this situation just makes sense. I think we’re better as an offense with an H-Back type guy playing FB anyway.

*The new offense at OSU has limited his offensive snaps so he has played some LB recently. Could be a good ST guy, has the right mentality.

hard nosed, active, high motor sounds like he fits Texans

7 – Kapron Lewis-Moore – DE, Notre Dame
- Meh. Good kid, marginal talent. I guess he could find a niche in the NFL because of specialty, like Jamison has done. He’s been outplayed by better talents at ND already (Stephon Tuitt, So. & Sheldon Day, Fr.). If we go DE I’d rather go earlier or grab someone with more potential.

*Keep an eye on the Tuitt kid. Could come out early next year and be the next Watt.

if that's the case I would go after Oregon State sophomore Scott Crichton, 8 sacks already, he will be the next Watt

Overall:
I think it works, but it could be better. Obviously I don’t agree with taking both a TE and FB. The first 3 picks hit and Johnson is a late gem, IMO. Would like to see another interior OL brought in, but that’s not a sticking point. Good job fellas. A lot of hard work and it is appreciated!

*I didn’t realize you guys were just drafting from the B1G/ND though. It seems kind of odd to be so B1G heavy in this draft when it’s the worst the conference has been in years.

Texans track record speaks for itself last draft, Illinois, Ohio State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue all Big 10 schools. Just coincidence I'm sure

Not even a big Irish fan either, but they get some top kids who want to play for Notre Dame regardless. They hired the wrong Kelly to coach the team, I mean the guy just does nothing for me, very bland I also didn't like the way he left Cincinnati. But anyway moving to specifics.

Texans have yet to replace Vonta Leach in our opinion. Is it just coincidence that Baltimore likes to pilfer free agent Texans? Anyway investing a 6th rd. pick to upgrade the FB position doesn't seem that bad of deal as opposed to 8 million a year. I understand your bitter rivals vs the Ohio State, sorry about that nothing personal. Blocking @ the line of scrimmage is probably my biggest concern or need to address with this team (nitpicking). A blocking FB & blocking TE will solve that, fact is they could also bring some offensive skills to the table a plus. We looked at interior linemen too but good ones go early, have enough projects in development so went high end on defensive side & receiving.

thanks for feedback WolverineFan.

Just out of curiosity what are your thoughts of Denard Robinson?

[Wolf6151]

I should have gotten to this earlier but have been sick for the last few days so I apologize for this critique being a little late.

1. Woods, great player, instant starter, position of need, what's not to like here. Excellent pick.
2. Nix, good player, love the size and agility for such a big man, keeps his feet moving and pursues the play, good hustle, and doesn't quit on the play. The only thing I see in his technique is that he sometimes needs to bend his knees more and less at the waist but that's nit picking and very coachable. Very good pick. There seem to be alot of DT/NT's in 2013 that fit our system and needs, and this is a good thing.
3. Fiedo, I'm not sure there's a real need at TE in 2013 but I can see this as a BPA kind of pick with future payout in a year or so. Nice pick, no arguments.
3b. Jackson, fills a definite team need and in the proper round. Good player and good productivity. Good pick.
4. Johnson, good future depth at OT/OG, I think he can play both. I had him in a recent, unpublished, mock as well. Added quality depth on the O-line is always a good thing. He's a little bit of a project, needs to add some weight, but looks to have a future in the NFL. Good pick.
5. Sabino, I don't see OLB as a need so I haven't been paying any attention to the position or players and know nothing about him.
5. Johnson, I know very little about him but the little I've read is good and we'll need added CB depth because we'll most likely lose McCain to FA and then move Harris to nickle. Good pick.
6. Boren, I like the player, position, and proper round chosen. A real FB would be nice to have in short yardage/goal line situations. I've got him in my newest mock as well, I'll publish in a couple days. Good pick.
7. Moore, I know nothing about him but I like the position chosen with the injury to Jamison it's a need.

My only surprise is that you guys didn't pick an OG or OT earlier now that we've re-signed Schaub and would like some high quality O-line depth. Overall very good mock.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by WolverineFan

1 – Robert Woods – WR, USC
- Love this guy. He has a Walter-like knack for getting open on crucial downs. Seems to be a ‘student of the game’ at WR. Not very many college WR’s are so adept at sifting through zones and finding soft spots. I think, lined up across from Andre, we would be lethal on the outside. However, once Andre is gone, I’m not sure he’s the kind of guy who can carry the WR corp (much like Andre has done) by himself.

*I’m very intrigued with his teammate Marquise Lee, but kid is a Soph.

It is hard not to like Woods, but even so, I think you are underselling him a bit. Sure, he wont be dominant like AJ, but who really is? Those guys usually go in the top half of the round. However, I think that Woods can be a serviceable number 1. He has the sublime route running ability to allow him to get open consistently, and has the hands to catch what comes to him. Furthermore, he is a dangerous runner in the open field.

2 – Louis Nix – DT, Notre Dame
- Not sure if we he will be available at this point. He’s shooting up draft boards right now. That’s if he comes out, BTW. Very disruptive at the point of attack. Could even be considered somewhat of a playmaker, which is odd for a NT. Good pass rusher for his size. Has experience playing in the middle of a 3-man front (not many projected NT’s do). I’m a fan, but he only comes out if he’s going higher than this, IMO.

*You can attribute a lot of Teo’s success to this guy.

What you are saying could very well be true. However, as of now, I have him ranked in this range (low 2nd- ranked behind Lotulelei, Hankins and Short in terms of NTs), and I think he could very well leave ND this year. He considered transferring to UF, so he is not 100% satisfied there.

3 – C.J. Fiedorowicz – TE, Iowa
- Like this guy. He has suffered from poor QB play this year, but already has more receptions this year than last. Good blocker and receiver and has good hands. With the emergence of the spread, guys like this are a dying breed. I don’t know what it is about Iowa, but they know TE’s. I love complete TE’s like this who can contribute in all phases.

* Another TE I like around this part of the draft would be Zach Ertz (Stanford). Not as polished, but has a ton of potential.

Excellent.

(3) – Andrew Jackson – ILB, Western Kentucky
- Not all too familiar with this guy. I know Saban thinks he’s pretty good. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about him, but I haven’t seen him play so I’ll refrain from analysis.

He is a good player. Try to get some film on him if you can. WKU sucks, but Jackson always stands out.

4 – Lane Johnson – OT, Oklahoma
- Good depth candidate. Seems like he’d be a good fit as a swing tackle with developmental potential. Agree that he could immediately replace Butler. Seems to have an overall developed game. Not great at anything, but not bad at anything either.

Yeah, we have the same eval.

(5) – Etienne Sabino – OLB, Ohio State
- Ehh. Not a fan of his. Very athletic and flashes playmaking ability, but makes a lot of mistakes. When Michigan played them last year, OSU was starting a true freshman LB with an injured leg at the other LB..….UM ran at Sabino anyway (very successfully). He just doesn’t seem to have the mental aspect of the game down to me.

You would not be biased, would you now Michigan? This late in the draft, we were looking for some talent to develop. Sabino has great athletic talent, but you are right, he still needs some work in becoming a football player. He should play special teams right away while he develops.

(5) – Josh Johnson – CB, Purdue
- Great pick, love this guy. Extremely underrated prospect. Would be a guy to target as a Quin protégée. If we want CB’s who can tackle playing Safety, this is a guy to pursue. Very physical and great tackler. I salivate at the thought of drafting this kid.

Solid

6 – Zach Boren – FB, Ohio State
- I hate this kid, so I’m obviously biased. I don’t really see the need to take a FB here if you’ve already taken a TE earlier. Daniels, Graham, Casey, & Fiedorowicz all at TE is a logjam if I’ve ever seen one. Keeping Casey at FB in this situation just makes sense. I think we’re better as an offense with an H-Back type guy playing FB anyway.

*The new offense at OSU has limited his offensive snaps so he has played some LB recently. Could be a good ST guy, has the right mentality.

We would keep Casey as an HB, Boren just takes Clutts' spot on the roster. It is all about adding wrinkles to the offense. Imagine a skill position formation with Casey, Boren, Foster, Fiedo, AJ, and Woods on a second and 2. Do pass? D we run? We could dominate either way.

7 – Kapron Lewis-Moore – DE, Notre Dame
- Meh. Good kid, marginal talent. I guess he could find a niche in the NFL because of specialty, like Jamison has done. He’s been outplayed by better talents at ND already (Stephon Tuitt, So. & Sheldon Day, Fr.). If we go DE I’d rather go earlier or grab someone with more potential.

*Keep an eye on the Tuitt kid. Could come out early next year and be the next Watt.

KLM is a depth/ST player. Hard-worker type with the right frame to play 3-4 DE. Tuitt has potential though, thanks for mentioning that. ND is stacked on D this year, especially on the line.

Overall:
I think it works, but it could be better. Obviously I don’t agree with taking both a TE and FB. The first 3 picks hit and Johnson is a late gem, IMO. Would like to see another interior OL brought in, but that’s not a sticking point. Good job fellas. A lot of hard work and it is appreciated!

*I didn’t realize you guys were just drafting from the B1G/ND though. It seems kind of odd to be so B1G heavy in this draft when it’s the worst the conference has been in years.

I cant speak for the others, but I am not worried about interior OL. Players like Jones and Brooks should be ready to step up next year, and I would expect a FA type to come in like Smith did a few years ago.

As for the Big 10 part- it was unintentional. Still, it makes some sense- look at last year's draft.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by Wolf6151

I should have gotten to this earlier but have been sick for the last few days so I apologize for this critique being a little late.

1. Woods, great player, instant starter, position of need, what's not to like here. Excellent pick.
2. Nix, good player, love the size and agility for such a big man, keeps his feet moving and pursues the play, good hustle, and doesn't quit on the play. The only thing I see in his technique is that he sometimes needs to bend his knees more and less at the waist but that's nit picking and very coachable. Very good pick. There seem to be alot of DT/NT's in 2013 that fit our system and needs, and this is a good thing.
3. Fiedo, I'm not sure there's a real need at TE in 2013 but I can see this as a BPA kind of pick with future payout in a year or so. Nice pick, no arguments.
3b. Jackson, fills a definite team need and in the proper round. Good player and good productivity. Good pick.
4. Johnson, good future depth at OT/OG, I think he can play both. I had him in a recent, unpublished, mock as well. Added quality depth on the O-line is always a good thing. He's a little bit of a project, needs to add some weight, but looks to have a future in the NFL. Good pick.
5. Sabino, I don't see OLB as a need so I haven't been paying any attention to the position or players and know nothing about him.
5. Johnson, I know very little about him but the little I've read is good and we'll need added CB depth because we'll most likely lose McCain to FA and then move Harris to nickle. Good pick.
6. Boren, I like the player, position, and proper round chosen. A real FB would be nice to have in short yardage/goal line situations. I've got him in my newest mock as well, I'll publish in a couple days. Good pick.
7. Moore, I know nothing about him but I like the position chosen with the injury to Jamison it's a need.

My only surprise is that you guys didn't pick an OG or OT earlier now that we've re-signed Schaub and would like some high quality O-line depth. Overall very good mock.

Hey, no worries. Hope you feel better.

1) Thanks!
2) Yep, we agree
3) We usually carry 3 TEs, so we would go into next year with OD/Graham/Fiedo. Fiedo is the only TE there that can overpower people in the run game.
3) Agreed
4) Would be interested in seeing that mock
5) Sabino was selected because of his athleticism. I agree to an extent with the OLB, but mainly I dont think we need another pass rusher. Sabino is a rounded OLB, who can play in the nickel. Plus, STer.
5) Cool
6) Cool, cant wait for your mock.
7) Cool.

As for your question about OG, look to my above post. We are confident that Jones and Brooks will step up.

[Corrosion]

Originally Posted by rmartin65

Sorry, missed your post.

Well, we initially discussed it by positions- WR, OT, and NT getting the most conversation, although CB was briefly considered.

NT and OL , both guard and RT come to mind for me as potential uses for this years #1 pick.

OL specifically because the pick will more than likely be in the tail end of the round and that is the prime area to get value at RT and the cream of the crop interior guy's.

Add that to the loss of Butler and the right side being "just good enough" I'd really like to see improvement there .... Wade Smith is also aging and will need replacing. (when's his contract up?)
So much of what this offense does is dictated by how well the OL performs .... the running game has suffered significantly with the loss of Briesel and Winston.

NT - Cody's contract expires at the end of the year , I have to wonder if they can afford to keep him. He's also had back issues .... You guy's have filled that spot in round 2 , works for me , solid player who probably contributes early and often.

As for the "need" for Woods, we are projecting him to be a potential future number 1. .

Thats what I was asking ... Is this your eventual replacement for AJ. I can get on board with that decision as it has to be addressed doing it sooner prepares for later.

I just have to wonder .... If one of Jean , Posey or Martin improves greatly over the final half of the season , will they spend that premium pick at the position.

Also in making that pick , someone has to go from this years group .... unless you think they keep six which reduces roster flexability.

Lastly , I have to wonder if Woods is still on the board when the Texans make their choice or if they might make a move up into the top 12 or so for Keenan Allen. (not likely considering the cost)

They havent spent a premium pick at the position in a decade ..... with only Jacoby Jones and Posey drafted in the 3rd or higher since AJ. Probably time they do ....


ILB is another spot I would consider spending a #1 on ..... Bradie James has been "Ok" and Cushing should return .... but behind them you have Dobbins who has filled in admirably and Sharpton .... who's done nothing , ever.
Just dont see an ILB who would be available when they pick that would be good value.