3rd round linebacker

[TexansSeminole]

How would you guys feel if the Texans took a 3rd round linebacker? Happy? Mad? I know your probably asking, well what did we take in the first round.

What if we took a OT in the first?

What about a S?

How about a CB?

I think most people would say that our two biggest needs are along the offensive line and in the secondary. Taking a linebacker in the first would force you to wait on one of these positions until the fourth round.

I think we need a strongside linebacker pretty badly.

I am thinking that some of these underrated LBs could get picked up a bit early. Guys like Jeremy Leman from Illinois, Ben Moffit from USF, and Vince Hall from VTech. These guys are all MLBs projected in the 5-7 round area on this site I am looking at but I would say that they are in the 2-4 range. Vince Hall plays outside linebacker now for VTech because they moved Xavier Adibi to the middle. Leman is everywhere, he could transistion to a outside linebacker position IMO. Moffett could probably as well as he is pretty good in coverage at times. Nick Watkins from Clemson is more of an WLB and he is projected low as well but he would add to this team alot.

There are alot of linebackers that are going to go early. Some could fall. Some could go early. I think it is a good idea to grab a linebacker early in this draft. We are having a real problem up front stopping teams from running. Some young outside linebackers would be nice to put into the bank at this point.

Do you support this idea? Why or why not?

Personally, I think we have much greater needs. My ideal draft would probably be 1st OL, 3rd HB, 4th CB or speed rushing DE or S, and the rest of course really depends on what we pick up in the 4th and are usually crap shoots to begin with. Am I missing any draft picks? I certainly hope we can trade for a 2nd. We desperately need one. Or at least another 3rd.

[BigBull17]

OLB is a big need. We have no play makers outside of Ryans at any LB position. we are so over matched at LB its pathetic. Greenwood is a wasted position, and who ever they had out there yesterday was also a space filler. OLB, LT, and CB are all huge needs. At RB all we need is a guy with speed to split carries with the Great Dayne. He is a servicable starter as long as you get a guy in with some explosion.

[beerlover]

with Mario converted to LDE a bigger need is RDE edge rusher. some good ones available in 3rd/4th

[ATX]

With all the needs of this team, I don't think they would go after a LB until atleast the 4th round.

[TexansSeminole]

Originally Posted by beerlover

with Mario converted to LDE a bigger need is RDE edge rusher. some good ones available in 3rd/4th

We haven't drafted a strongside linebacker that has done anything for us. I think it is about time. We've got to get a guy in here that's either a) a great tackler, b) a good blitzer, c) a smart linebacker or d) all of the above. We've never drafted an outside linebacker that was any of those things. We need another guy up front to help us. DeMeco can't make every tackle up front, alot of times he is in coverage. He is actually pretty good in coverage, but it's hard to get him out there when your other linebackers don't play the run well. I would put that above going for a sack artist at this point.

Originally Posted by atxcoolguy

With all the needs of this team, I don't think they would go after a LB until atleast the 4th round.

We do have alot of needs, but the BPA strategy is something you have to account for. Maybe they have all these needs listed by priority and pick BPA according to those needs. Maybe they just pick BPA. I don't think they can afford to do that but who would have thought DT was our biggest need last year?

[Rex King]

Ideally, we'd trade down for a 2nd rounder. I'd go LT 1st round. Even if Spencer comes back, he may not be 100%. If he is, great. The pick could battle him out and the loser moves to guard. I'd resign Will Demps. Previous players and short playing time notwithstanding, I'd argue he's the best FS this franchise has ever had, and the FS pool looks weak this year. The rest will depend on FA - either get a corner or RB. Then go best available CB or RB 2nd round. OLB or rush DE 3rd and 4th round.

So yeah, I wouldn't mind a guy like J. Leman in the 3rd round and moving him to OLB. My only concern with that cat specifically, is that he's really ideal as a MLB. While physical, he's undersized for SLB - and we've been getting manhandled by teams more physical than us, Jags and Tacks in particular.

[STEEL BLUE TEXANS]

Maybe Boulware should move back to linebacker?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by STEEL BLUE TEXANS

Maybe Boulware should move back to linebacker?

I have asked that question also, why not move Boulware to the WILL? He ran a 4.4 coming out of college, so he could certainly add some speed to the position. Just a thought.