Louisville DT Amobi Okoye

[GoHornsGo]

I am a new poster to the forums but have been a frequent guest for over a year. Now that I got that out - here is my thought:

Amobi Okoye. The Texans need a run-stopping, defensive line push up the middle. After watching game film, this guy is very impressive and I believe strongly deserves consideration at the 8 spot as he would fill this void. I think he has the potential to be better than Branch. He is an absolute monster on defense. This would solidify our front 4 on D for many years to come. Amobi is 19 yrs old to boot.

AP would be a great pick and I wouldn't complain but I think shoring up the defense should continue to be the top priority. Watching the Bears manhandle the saints running offense and thus whip the Saints only added to my conviction. In fact, Grossman was horrendous for half of his games this year (kind of like Carr) and look where da bears are as of today - Super bowl bound. Incidently, they have a top five pick RB and a mid-round RB sharing carries - and the top five pick RB is still not even the starter.

Anyway, I have not seen much discussion on Amobi thus far and think he merits strong consideration for our first round pick.

Picking up Corey Redding to upgrade the other DT spot would just add fuel to this fire - and may even change my opinion to draft a RB first.

[Texans Horror]

Originally Posted by GoHornsGo

I am a new poster to the forums but have been a frequent guest for over a year. Now that I got that out - here is my thought:

Amobi Okoye. The Texans need a run-stopping, defensive line push up the middle. After watching game film, this guy is very impressive and I believe strongly deserves consideration at the 8 spot as he would fill this void. I think he has the potential to be better than Branch. He is an absolute monster on defense. This would solidify our front 4 on D for many years to come. Amobi is 19 yrs old to boot.

AP would be a great pick and I wouldn't complain but I think shoring up the defense should continue to be the top priority. Watching the Bears manhandle the saints running offense and thus whip the Saints only added to my conviction. In fact, Grossman was horrendous for half of his games this year (kind of like Carr) and look where da bears are as of today - Super bowl bound. Incidently, they have a top five pick RB and a mid-round RB sharing carries - and the top five pick RB is still not even the starter.

Anyway, I have not seen much discussion on Amobi thus far and think he merits strong consideration for our first round pick.

Picking up Corey Redding to upgrade the other DT spot would just add fuel to this fire - and may even change my opinion to draft a RB first.

Stopping the run will be an integral need if the Texans hope to move out of the AFC Cellar next year.

Getting a DT through free agency would really help. IMO, the DT spot is not very deep, so I don't like taking one unless it's the first or second round. Getting a DT late in the draft will not help the Texans.

[Ole Miss Texan]

I don't know much about this kid but from everything I've read could be great. I wouldn't mind us picking AP at all but am kind of hoping he isn't there for us so there isn't all this talk if we pass on him. At the same time though...If he is there at 8 it would probably be easier to trade down with someone that would want him. maybe Green Bay if they'd much rather have him than lynch. At this point I can ...we can only speculate but I've seen Amobi lasting to their pick in many mocks. All this can change after the combine and all though. I think if AP is there it'd be easier to trade down and there would be a few guys that we were targeting at 8 that would be there. maybe like a safety -landry/nelson, a cb, de, dt, lb, ol...could go levi brown or okoye if he's there.

[GoHornsGo]

we could be onto something - building the best defense may be our best offense. The ravens and bears are winning teams without good QBs (no offense to aging McNair or the Raven QB Superbowl winner).

I know we have lots of money tied up in our front 4. You can't run a business by worrying about this thought IMO. That's like asking a couple of dummies to stay on and run the great GE - shareholders wouldn't put up with this - or like keeping a terrible college coach just cuz he has a contract. The fact is we made a FO mistake by hiring them, now we must pay for that mistake and replace them with real talent.

Just think where we could be if we had a different front office...... I believe Shawn Merriman instead of TJ for instance.

[Texian]

He is a mid to late 1st. Some say overrated. He would not be that much of an upgrade to the players already on the roster. Probable bust.

[YoungTexanFan]

Originally Posted by Texian

He is a mid to late 1st. Some say overrated. He would not be that much of an upgrade to the players already on the roster. Probable bust.

If you are talking about Okoye, you are wrong IMO. He is a beast. He is a mid first round talent at 19 y/o. That isn't adding in projections. The kid is that good now. He has proven to be more of a pennatrator than I originally gave him credit for. Super strong and quick. He is an upgrade to every single DT on our roster, even Weaver.

[AustinJB]

Originally Posted by Texian

He is a mid to late 1st. Some say overrated. He would not be that much of an upgrade to the players already on the roster. Probable bust.

[threetoedpete]

Originally Posted by YoungTexanFan

If you are talking about Okoye, you are wrong IMO. He is a beast. He is a mid first round talent at 19 y/o. That isn't adding in projections. The kid is that good now. He has proven to be more of a pennatrator than I originally gave him credit for. Super strong and quick. He is an upgrade to every single DT on our roster, even Weaver.

Agreed. At first I was against him because of the 301. My first reaction was against the bigger maulers of the NFL at gaurd he would struggel. After watching him play he is a very strong guy. If he is an Elvin Bethea type guy, small but very powerful, he would make a very nice addition to the line. Let's see what the guy lifts at the combine. Incognito of St. Louis is still a loose cannon. But the guy is a very powerful man. If that is what Okoye brings, I think he is a legit first round guy. Probably why he isn't being disscussed here. Most of us consider him to be off the board by the time we come up in the second with the forty pick. I also like the Utah DT, Paul Solari. Very disruptive powerful man with a temper.

[AustinJB]

Originally Posted by YoungTexanFan

If you are talking about Okoye, you are wrong IMO. He is a beast. He is a mid first round talent at 19 y/o. That isn't adding in projections. The kid is that good now. He has proven to be more of a pennatrator than I originally gave him credit for. Super strong and quick. He is an upgrade to every single DT on our roster, even Weaver.

Agreed, Okoye is definitely a 1st round pick. He would be a great addition to the Dline. Although Peterson is my choice at #8, I would not be disappointed in the least if we somehow got Okoye.

As I've said before, if we pass on Peterson, as long as it's for Anderson, Okoye, or a great trade-down scenario, I will be fine with it.

[dirty steve]

Originally Posted by GoHornsGo

Just think where we could be if we had a different front office...... I believe Shawn Merriman instead of TJ for instance.

I don't think we were in contention to get him anyway. If I'm not mistaken, Merriman went #12 to the Chargers and we originally had #13 before the fateful trade down with the Saints to #15.

[threetoedpete]

Okoye weighed in at 287. He lifts 30 or above, I won't be concered over the weight. He runs in the 4.7's...that there thing is a DE.

[vtech9]

I don't know much about him, but all the reports I have heard on him have been positive.

[phan1]

He's also a very young player. He's only 20 I believe. I would love to have him, but DT is a difficult position to scout. 1st round DTs bust pretty regularly...

[kastofsna]

i'm seeing more 3-tech with okoye than pure NT.

[bah007]

Much of the hype about Okoye is because of how young he is.

I believe he is worth a 1st round pick, but only late in the 1st.

The good thing about him is that he could be on a roster for 2 years and still be as young as the incoming draft.

IMO, he is overrated because of this. He is a good player, but I definitely put him behind Branch and Pitcock and only a little bit ahead of DeMarcus Tyler (NC St).

[Texian]

Finally, the most surprising result of this morning's weigh-in process may well have been the weight loss of Louisville DT Amobi Okoye. Listed as 305 pounds from last spring's measuring for NFL scouts, Okoye showed up in Mobile weighing a slender 287 pounds. While he looks to be in good shape, Okoye may have turned some teams off that viewed him as a bigger interior presence.

[bah007]

Originally Posted by Texian

Finally, the most surprising result of this morning's weigh-in process may well have been the weight loss of Louisville DT Amobi Okoye. Listed as 305 pounds from last spring's measuring for NFL scouts, Okoye showed up in Mobile weighing a slender 287 pounds. While he looks to be in good shape, Okoye may have turned some teams off that viewed him as a bigger interior presence.

A lot of teams will probably try to have him move to DE.

[Texian]

Originally Posted by bah007

A lot of teams will probably try to have him move to DE.

I think he is to slow to play on the outside (5.11).

[bah007]

Originally Posted by Texian

I think he is to slow to play on the outside (5.11).

Well I didnt know that.

I have seen other posters on this board saying he can run as good as a 4.7

[Maddict5]

ive read that so far hes been unblockable in the senior bowl practices..i also wouldnt mind spending #8 on him if hes as good as reported