awtysst
Draft Guru
Ok, so here is the deal. Life is getting busy and I will likely be unable to do another mock until late February or so. So, here it is.
Here are my goals for this draft: I want to improve the areas on the team that are weaker such as D-line, Oline, DBs, runnig game, and special teams. Tough task with only 7 picks, but Ill do the best I can.
I expect people to become upset with a couple of my moves, but I think they would dramatically help the team.
1.Trade down out of the first round.
I am sure some of yall are already yelling at me, but read my rationale. This is a deep draft. There is more value to multiple 2nds than a mid first. Another problem that I forsee is that the players we would have wanted will be taken. Thomas, Spiller, Warren are all off the board. An interesting name could be Big Dan Wilkerson, but I think wed be better off trading out of the first and picking up 2 seconds from Tampa. The Bucs go jump up and grab a solid offensive TE like Grisham to help out young Freeman. Perhaps instead they want to draft Wilkerson to help out their D? Whatever the case its a good move for both teams. There is a slight price for Tampa to pay, but a lot of teams will pay that price to get the player they want. So basically its 19/20 for 35 +42.
2(35): Brandon Ghee, CB Wake Forest
A big physical corner who would be a starter if/when Dunta heads out. He can also tackle very well, which is a must in our defense.
2(42): Mike Johnson, OG Alabama
A prototypical ZBS guard. He can do enough pass protection to let Schaub throw the ball down the field. He can also open up some holes to let our backs get through. Draft him and your LG is set for the next decade.
2(51/52): Lamarr Houston, DT Texas
This may be a bit high, but he will not be there when we pick in the third. Sometimes you have to pull the trigger a little earlier than you may like. What we get is an great overall DT. He can play well against the run and he is strong and quick enough to penetrate into the backfield. He is the right size to play in the fast paced Frank Bush Defensive system and can tackle well enough. If we draft him, do not be surprised to see him starting from Day 1. He is that much of an upgrade over who we have now.
3. J.D. Walton, C Baylor
Myers, Myer, Myers. What we need is a stronger, tougher Center. Myers pretty much led NTs towards Schaub. Anyone that can slow them down for a few seconds will be an instant upgrade. I think Walton is that guy. He is strong enough to handle the task. In classic Kubiak style he will not start from week one, but should be challenging for playing time by week 8.I think he could start right away, but as you know, I am not Kubiak.
4. Robert Johnson, FS, Utah
RJ is a ball hawking FS that we have needed. He has great hands and would compliment Pollard very well. One downside is that he is not the greatest of tacklers. That is a technique issue and can be corrected. He is a HUGE upgrade over Busing and Barber and would push Wilson. In the future, RJ will start next to Pollard.
5. Myron Rolle- SS
You know what, Beerlover convinced me about this one. I see the value of having another Pollard type of player on Defense. Maybe if it is 3rd or 4th and short and you want a super tackling group you put him in next to Pollard. Maybe if it is 3rd and 11 and he sees Chris Johnson uncovered, he would use his Oxford Rhodes Scholarship to deduce that CJ should be covered and line up opposite him.
5. Crezdon Butler, CB Clemson additional CB/returner
Our bonus pick for TJ. You can never have enough CBs or Dlineman so in this spot I take BPA and am happy with my choice. He has the tools to be a physical man corner and has great tackling ability. He will probably be a special teamer but adds excellent depth to our CB position which will likely not have Dunta or Molden next year.
6. Kicker
From what we have seen in the regular season and playoffs, kickers can make or break your game. Kicking in the NFL is like putting in golf. Nobody likes to work on or practice it. Everyone wants to go to the driving range and knock out a 300 yard drive. But if you cant kick clutch fgs, you will make things ALOT tougher. So, Hunter Lawrence or Leigh Tiffin would be great here. Take your pick.
7. John Conner FB Kentucky
Ok, before some of you start shouting at me and screaming about why I am wasting a pick here, hear me out. What has been the Texans Achilles heal all year in the running game? In my opinion its been O-line and an inability to get the tough yards or hang onto the football. THIS is where John Connor comes in. At 240lbs he is a big man that can pound out those short yardage gains we need. He averaged 3.1 ypc average, but guess what, we would only want him to pick up a yard or two at a time anyway. Plus, he has never fumbled in his career at Kentucky. Let me repeat that. He has NEVER fumbled when carrying the rock. He can be a GREAT lead run blocker and if Kubes wants to mix it up, he can even catch the ball a bit. Oh, and when he is not busy, he fights off the T-800s and prevents the launch of Skynet.
Here are my goals for this draft: I want to improve the areas on the team that are weaker such as D-line, Oline, DBs, runnig game, and special teams. Tough task with only 7 picks, but Ill do the best I can.
I expect people to become upset with a couple of my moves, but I think they would dramatically help the team.
1.Trade down out of the first round.
I am sure some of yall are already yelling at me, but read my rationale. This is a deep draft. There is more value to multiple 2nds than a mid first. Another problem that I forsee is that the players we would have wanted will be taken. Thomas, Spiller, Warren are all off the board. An interesting name could be Big Dan Wilkerson, but I think wed be better off trading out of the first and picking up 2 seconds from Tampa. The Bucs go jump up and grab a solid offensive TE like Grisham to help out young Freeman. Perhaps instead they want to draft Wilkerson to help out their D? Whatever the case its a good move for both teams. There is a slight price for Tampa to pay, but a lot of teams will pay that price to get the player they want. So basically its 19/20 for 35 +42.
2(35): Brandon Ghee, CB Wake Forest
A big physical corner who would be a starter if/when Dunta heads out. He can also tackle very well, which is a must in our defense.
2(42): Mike Johnson, OG Alabama
A prototypical ZBS guard. He can do enough pass protection to let Schaub throw the ball down the field. He can also open up some holes to let our backs get through. Draft him and your LG is set for the next decade.
2(51/52): Lamarr Houston, DT Texas
This may be a bit high, but he will not be there when we pick in the third. Sometimes you have to pull the trigger a little earlier than you may like. What we get is an great overall DT. He can play well against the run and he is strong and quick enough to penetrate into the backfield. He is the right size to play in the fast paced Frank Bush Defensive system and can tackle well enough. If we draft him, do not be surprised to see him starting from Day 1. He is that much of an upgrade over who we have now.
3. J.D. Walton, C Baylor
Myers, Myer, Myers. What we need is a stronger, tougher Center. Myers pretty much led NTs towards Schaub. Anyone that can slow them down for a few seconds will be an instant upgrade. I think Walton is that guy. He is strong enough to handle the task. In classic Kubiak style he will not start from week one, but should be challenging for playing time by week 8.I think he could start right away, but as you know, I am not Kubiak.
4. Robert Johnson, FS, Utah
RJ is a ball hawking FS that we have needed. He has great hands and would compliment Pollard very well. One downside is that he is not the greatest of tacklers. That is a technique issue and can be corrected. He is a HUGE upgrade over Busing and Barber and would push Wilson. In the future, RJ will start next to Pollard.
5. Myron Rolle- SS
You know what, Beerlover convinced me about this one. I see the value of having another Pollard type of player on Defense. Maybe if it is 3rd or 4th and short and you want a super tackling group you put him in next to Pollard. Maybe if it is 3rd and 11 and he sees Chris Johnson uncovered, he would use his Oxford Rhodes Scholarship to deduce that CJ should be covered and line up opposite him.
5. Crezdon Butler, CB Clemson additional CB/returner
Our bonus pick for TJ. You can never have enough CBs or Dlineman so in this spot I take BPA and am happy with my choice. He has the tools to be a physical man corner and has great tackling ability. He will probably be a special teamer but adds excellent depth to our CB position which will likely not have Dunta or Molden next year.
6. Kicker
From what we have seen in the regular season and playoffs, kickers can make or break your game. Kicking in the NFL is like putting in golf. Nobody likes to work on or practice it. Everyone wants to go to the driving range and knock out a 300 yard drive. But if you cant kick clutch fgs, you will make things ALOT tougher. So, Hunter Lawrence or Leigh Tiffin would be great here. Take your pick.
7. John Conner FB Kentucky
Ok, before some of you start shouting at me and screaming about why I am wasting a pick here, hear me out. What has been the Texans Achilles heal all year in the running game? In my opinion its been O-line and an inability to get the tough yards or hang onto the football. THIS is where John Connor comes in. At 240lbs he is a big man that can pound out those short yardage gains we need. He averaged 3.1 ypc average, but guess what, we would only want him to pick up a yard or two at a time anyway. Plus, he has never fumbled in his career at Kentucky. Let me repeat that. He has NEVER fumbled when carrying the rock. He can be a GREAT lead run blocker and if Kubes wants to mix it up, he can even catch the ball a bit. Oh, and when he is not busy, he fights off the T-800s and prevents the launch of Skynet.
