It's anybody's guess what Texans will do

[Wolf]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...t/5725802.html

I was pretty sure I'd catch Rick Smith lying.

I'm a trained professional. I'm supposed to notice things. Two telltale signs pointed toward Smith taking more liberties with the truth Wednesday at Reliant Stadium than some presidents do with their interns.

The NFL draft is coming.

Smith's lips were moving.

This by no means casts aspersions on the character of Smith. He isn't under oath on a witness stand, or sitting in front of Congress trying to spin a story about his wife and human growth hormone. He is merely doing what any responsible, gainfully employed general manager should.

If Smith can't keep people guessing a little about the Texans' master plans for the draft, then he's not smart enough for the job.

He's definitely smart enough for the job.

The Texans were coming off a 2-14 season when Smith became the NFL's youngest general manager less than 23 months ago. They went 8-8 last season, which, in case you missed it, is the best the Texans have done.

Smith gets another chance to fortify the Texans on Saturday and Sunday, when he runs his second draft as a GM. The Texans covet cornerbacks, left tackles and running backs. Oh, and let's not forget a pass-rushing defensive end to complement Mario Williams. And some more linebackers who can run and hit and arrive at the football in a foul mood.

wasn't sure to put this in draft part or houston part being it is 3 days away ...sorry mods if in wrong section

[Wolf]

nothing new from the comical

With the NFL draft just two days away, general manager Rick Smith has already started making phone calls.

Even though the Texans are slated to make their first pick at No. 18, they aren't overly attached to that number. They are especially interested in acquiring more picks since they have only five. They gave their second-round pick to Atlanta in the trade for Matt Schaub, and their sixth-round pick went to Denver in the trade for center Chris Myers.

"Certainly we're confident that we're going to get a good player at the 18th pick, but if there is an opportunity for us to move backwards and acquire additional picks I think you've got to entertain that," Smith said during his pre-draft news conference Wednesday. "I think what happens is as the board starts to fall and you start to evaluate the players that are on the board, if there is a player that you feel like can make a significant difference with your club I think you've got to take it. If that's not the case, I think you have to entertain moving back.

"And as it relates to those types of conversations, over the next couple of days — and we certainly have been in touch with some teams — you make general calls. And you make general calls to everybody to say, 'Hey, listen, we are definitely open for phone calls on Saturday, and if there is a player that you targeted and you want to talk to us about that pick or any other pick in the draft, as the whole process unfolds we'll be open for business at that point.' "

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5725760.html

[Wolf]

I'll try to keep everything here but


http://www.khou.com/sports/texans/st....969899fb.html

HOUSTON -- The most glaring need of the Houston Texans since the inception of the franchise has been at left tackle, yet they've never drafted an offensive lineman in the first round.

Since the disastrous move to use the first pick of the 2002 expansion draft to take Tony Boselli -- who never did play for Houston -- the team has tried to find tackles in the lower rounds of the draft with little success.


That could finally change this weekend. The Texans, who reached .500 for the first time last season, have the 18th pick in a draft ripe with talented linemen.

"I think that all the draft pundits and the people who have studied these types of things have talked about the fact that this draft is very rich at the offensive tackle position, and that's something that you don't see very often," general manager Rick Smith said. "And so we certainly hope that at some point in this process to find a guy that can come in and help us on the offensive line."

Added coach Gary Kubiak: "Those guys are hard, hard to find. I mean, they don't fall off of trees. You don't make one. They're a special breed."

[Wolf]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5732165.html

There is one important thing you should know before you show up at the Texans' draft party, or sit down and watch today's festivities in your den.

A couple of hours into the show — when the Texans finally get around to making the No. 18 pick of the first round (assuming they're not involved in a trade) prepare to be underwhelmed.

This is unlikely to be a sexy pick by your Texans.

It'll likely be a guy you have never really heard of who plays a position that doesn't get much fanfare.

Top-10 picks are sexy. Quarterbacks and receivers and running backs are sexy.

Defensive linemen — when they come at the top of the draft, a la Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye — are exciting. And sexy.

The Texans aren't likely to walk away from the first round with any of those.

That should be viewed as good news by Texans fans.

This pick should be just another brick in team building, as Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak continue in their mission to bring a winner to Houston.

[Specnatz]

Really someone we have not heard of? I mean I know I am no draft Guru or anything but with espin and nfln and local fish wrap are you freakin kidding me?

As much as some of want an OL do honestly think we would not find that sexy? Thanks for the lack of real journalism.

Never mind .. Soloman wrote it.

[threetoedpete]

The thing that threw me a couple of weeks go was Kube's " we need a young guy to groom" quote. That could come any where in the draft. Maybe we luck out on Seth Wand II this time.