Walter's Current Mock

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Dutchrudder

Well, you didn't mention Minter by name at all, so I assumed you were talking about all 4 of the picks. In any case, the guys you specifically said you wanted are 3rd/4th round picks, and that's exactly where I placed the priority of this position.

Just because I don't want Minter in the 1st doesn't mean I don't want an ILB. I do think it's a position of need, but it's certainly not our top priority. I think the value for that position, and weighing it against the need within the Texans' D, it should be a 3-5 round pick. Also have to consider the talent of the other positions that could be chosen in the 1st, such as WR. The WRs you could get at the end of the 1st are far more talented than those in the 3-5 rounds, unlike the ILBs. Personally I would prefer a WR like Patterson, Hunter, Allen or Williams and a ILB like Jackson, Alonso or Reddick in the 3rd. I don't think the drop from Minter to any of those guys is nearly as large as the drop from the WRs to the guys that will be there in the 3-5 rounds.

Eye to eye on the bolded. This is what keeps bringing me back to WR in first. Hunter has me stumped as he seems to effortlessly glide down field during games but in our offense he needs to be more "rugged" I guess is the word. Not sure NFL coaching/conditioning will correct that or his "want" to block. If Patterson & T Williams are gone in first, I'd probably look at Cobi Hamilton in second. I'd have to rethink my first.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by Hagar

Help me out here, fill in my blanks:

1- Cordarelle Patterson, WR
2- Aboushi/Long, OT
3- Marcus Lattimore, RB
3a-__________________ , DB?
4- Josh Dworaczyk - LSU, OG
5-____________________ , LB?
6-_____________________ , TE?
7-_____________________ , QB?

Full disclosure: Josh is my cousin, so I'm a little partial to us picking him.

Currently, most of the draft boards show Josh as a late round to UDFA prospect. Its my belief that Josh will start for an NFL team one day no matter where he's drafted.

Just some thoughts:

NT? Are you just gonna ignore one of the dire needs or do you think Cody will re-sign, get healthy and be better than he has for his contract?

LB: inside, outside or both? How do you evaluate needs?
Lattimore had a devastating injury, not sure I'd spend a 3rd, at least not 3 months from draft.

Nothing wrong with reaching for your cousin but 3-4 round reach is a bit. I did not see him offering much but TBH I did not focus on LSU Oline.

Finally, if you are going to include the comp for Mario in 3rd might as well speculate on the other 3 comps. Dutchrudder thinks we should have two extra fifths and a seventh. This sounds reasonable to others.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by badboy

Just some thoughts:

NT? Are you just gonna ignore one of the dire needs or do you think Cody will re-sign, get healthy and be better than he has for his contract?

LB: inside, outside or both? How do you evaluate needs?
Lattimore had a devastating injury, not sure I'd spend a 3rd, at least not 3 months from draft.

Nothing wrong with reaching for your cousin but 3-4 round reach is a bit. I did not see him offering much but TBH I did not focus on LSU Oline.

Finally, if you are going to include the comp for Mario in 3rd might as well speculate on the other 3 comps. Dutchrudder thinks we should have two extra fifths and a seventh. This sounds reasonable to others.

Agree with you on Lattimore.

Since the nickle defense is on the field 60% of the time and Mitchell seems to be growing into the position, NT is a lower level priority for me. Although depth is needed. If Brandon Williams is there in the 3rd he would be my pick.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by beerlover

Bradie James, Tim Dobbins, Barrett Rudd are football players just not great ones anymore. If Cushing was still out there ILB would be considered a luxury pick. But with that said, he is not & now we need to target one probably sooner than we like. Middle of the second seems to be a sweet spot for this position to still find a star player. Tried to fit Bobby Wagner into a mock draft last year but where he fell & Texans selected are two different things. Either slot him in way early, like first round, or cross your fingers & hope to get lucky end of 2nd round. It's always a tough call to make. Trading down or up are always discouraged practice in mock drafts.

Also interesting to note that elite ILB positional players rarely hit the open market, which is why Texans will lock up Cushing. While players available will be the James, Dobbins & Rudd of the world. Making free agency almost a non-option. So in a nutshell Texans will probably have to reach for one.

This is what I feel is fair value for top LB each round to Texans. However if Texans stand pat & don't adjust their position, other than compensatory pick coming from Mario (Kiko is a natural fit in that late 3rd range) or compensatory pick in fifth (Mauti in conjunction with Kiko) Texans will have to pay a premium price for rest (only consider thru 2nd day picks as premium). Which means the big three are Alec, probably requires trading up, Minter should be that mid second rd. grade & Jackson is the wildcard, cross your fingers & hope he is there.

First Round: Alec Ogeltree, Georgia, 6030 240

Second Round: Kevin Minter, LSU, 6010 245

Third Round: Andrew Jackson, Western Kentucky, 6010 262

Fourth Round: Kiko Alonzo, Oregon, 6030 242

Fifth Round: A.J. Klein, Iowa State, 6010 244

Sixth Round: Michael Mauti, Penn State, 6020 245 (coming off season ending surgery)

Seventh Round: Greg Blair, Cincinnati, 6020 252

Draft Partner, you are right on target with your evaluations. I think the first three are starters day one, Alonzo not so soon but I would throw him in as much as possible next to Cush and let him learn. Couldn't be any worse than what we have.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by steelbtexan

Agree with you on Lattimore.

Since the nickle defense is on the field 60% of the time and Mitchell seems to be growing into the position, NT is a lower level priority for me. Although depth is needed. If Brandon Williams is there in the 3rd he would be my pick.

Mitchell's emergence is what convinced me to go with Brandon over Sylvester. As you notice above, I take care of the defensive middle in round three A&B. Now if I could get a trade down in first that would allow me to pick Patterson or T Will + a third I'd use with our own 5th and trade into second. Three seconds and two thirds!

[Hagar]

Originally Posted by badboy

Just some thoughts:

NT? Are you just gonna ignore one of the dire needs or do you think Cody will re-sign, get healthy and be better than he has for his contract?

LB: inside, outside or both? How do you evaluate needs?
Lattimore had a devastating injury, not sure I'd spend a 3rd, at least not 3 months from draft.

Nothing wrong with reaching for your cousin but 3-4 round reach is a bit. I did not see him offering much but TBH I did not focus on LSU Oline.

Finally, if you are going to include the comp for Mario in 3rd might as well speculate on the other 3 comps. Dutchrudder thinks we should have two extra fifths and a seventh. This sounds reasonable to others.

I was just playing around and filling in the blank. I haven't even started thinking about the offseason yet.

Josh is a good young man with a bright future either as a player or as a coach. I you're interested here's and article about him.

I will say this, having watched LSU closely over the years, there's nothing average about Minter.

[mussop]

Best thread in a long time. Lots of good discussion going on. Have replies after work.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by mussop

Best thread in a long time. Lots of good discussion going on. Have replies after work.

Kinda like should I empty out the attic, sort out & throw away all my crap or just shove another box up there?