Blake's 1 and Only Texans Mock

[Blake]

A week out, here is how I see it going down.

Round 1(27): Margus Hunt, DL, S.M.U.
Very similar measurements and combine results as Watt. Another tool on the D-line which will vastly improve our depth on the line. Texans like mature, dedicated players who love the game of football. Hunt fits all of this, and has a great deal of upside and untapped talent.

Round 2(57): Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor
Basically torched everyone with over 130 yards or two touchdowns in all games but 3. An outside guy who will be able to stretch the field for us. Lastly a great red zone target to help our RZ offense finish drives.

Round 2(62): Vance McDonald, TE, Rice
Never a popular concept with this crowd, but the Texans trade this years 3rd round pick #89, 5th round pick #160, and next years 3rd round pick to Baltimore, to move up to the last pick in the 2nd round, pick #62. Apparently I am in love with these Texas school prospects. But we all know that TE is an area of need, with Daniels getting older, and Graham having potential concussion issues. I believe he had 2 or 3 last season. Vance is a bigger TE at 6'4" 267 pounds, but super athletic. A better hybrid than we have ever had.

Round 3(95): Jon Bostic, ILB, Florida
Just a guess at who they would take at ILB. But Bostic is defiantely one of the prospects im sure they have their eye on. Kiko Alonso is another possibility. Bottom line we need help at ILB and one of these two guys can do it.

Round 4(124): Luke Marquardt, RT, Azusa Pacific
Large tackle with a basketball background. Very quick and agile at his size. Only other NFL player drafted from this school is Christian Okoye.

Round 6(195): Denard Robinson, KR,WR,RB,QB Michigan
I think anyone who knows me saw this one coming. Dude is a play-maker, big play waiting to happen. Thats what I am after with my late picks on offense. I could see him going earlier, but this is where I would feel comfortable selecting him for the Texans.

Round 6(201): Ray Ray Armstrong, S, ex-Miami (FL)
Safety depth, special teams player. Lets see what he can do in camp.

Round 7(233): Bruce Taylor, ILB, Virgina Tech
More linebacker help. Cushing, Sharpton, Dobbins, Bostic and Taylor.

Hope you enjoyed.

 

[Rey]

I don't think you can trade the supplemental pick.

That said, I don't like trading back into the second for McDonald. If we're going to trade back up into the second round I'd rather it be for a good WR prospect that has fallen a bit...

I'm fine with the rest of it, and I know a lot of people won't like Hunt in the first, but I'd be completely on board with that. He and JJ Watt in the future would give this defense an identity.

 

[76Texan]

Yeah, you can't trade compensatory picks .

Comp picks are different from supplemental picks.

"Since 1977, the NFL has also held a Supplemental Draft to accommodate players who did not enter the regular draft. Players generally enter the Supplementary Draft because they missed the filing deadline for the NFL Draft or because issues developed which affected their eligibility (such as academic or disciplinary matters). The draft is scheduled to occur at some point after the regular draft and before the start of the next season." (source: wiki)

 

[Blake]

Good catch. I will update. Done.

 

[Insideop]

Like the first 4 picks but don't like having to trade up to get McDonald. The last 4 picks I'm not really enamored with.

 

[SteveSlaton20]

I like it, but I don't think we should trade up for Vance. If he's there, he's there, if not, there are other TEs in this draft that can play in this offense. Don't like Denard Robinson or Ray Ray. Also, switch Jon with Kiko and I love it.

 

[beerlover]

strong bite in front of mouth then fizzles towards the end.

miss the old mario

 

[Blake]

strong bite in front of mouth then fizzles towards the end.

miss the old mario

Aparently I'm not smart enough to understand what you are saying. I'm guessing you dont like the back end of the draft.

 

[beerlover]

Aparently I'm not smart enough to understand what you are saying. I'm guessing you dont like the back end of the draft.

something like that.

Margus Hunt is a very raw talent to grade out by Texans as worth a first rd. pick. flashes big play potential but not a fast twitch athlete, production based off raw strength & over matching lesser competition. Maybe end of 2nd early 3rd?

love Terrance Williams here, my pick as well. Need & value both come together to form a perfect match.

A little higher than I have him but heck, like his game & future potential. Already runs a good route tree now needs to develop his blocking tools, seems willing based off tape, could be Owen Daniels replacement in time.

Bostic is a solid warrior type mentality, aggressive through the whistle sometimes to far after the whistle. Main concern is would he come off the field on 3rd downs, majority of time I feel he would but still insurance ILB has to be addressed.

very high for Luke, coming off season he didn't even play because of injury, even had medical exclusion @ the combine. Good RT candidate to develop but not athletic as Newton, I don't know. trying to catch lightening in a bottle again I guess.

same thing with Denard Robinson, jack of all trades but master of none. I actually prefer him to stay @ QB see what Chip Kelly thinks?

I don't mind giving Ray Ray a chance in camp but only as an undrafted rookie.

Bruce is another likely undrafted free agent, though I certainly like position addressed late in the draft.

Have to give you a hard time but mostly because those of us who've followed you have missed your contributions, you are a valued & respected member held in high esteem around here :mariopalm:

 

[Rey]

Disagree on Margus hunt. He's definitely a fast twitch athlete. Despite being as tall as he is, you don't block all those kicks with out being a quick twitch athlete.

 

[Blake]

Margus Hunt is a very raw talent to grade out by Texans as worth a first rd. pick. flashes big play potential but not a fast twitch athlete, production based off raw strength & over matching lesser competition. Maybe end of 2nd early 3rd?

To be honest the fast twitch thing is something I have never really noticed in players. Maybe you are right. I just feel that he fits the mold for a 3-4 lineman and I want to get Watt as much help as I can at a vital position to overall team success. I think most of us are fans of building the trenches up. Another reason I took him is that without projecting a trade down there is no way to assure that he is there at 57. If you like a player I think most agree that you just take him when you know he is going to be there.

very high for Luke, coming off season he didn't even play because of injury, even had medical exclusion @ the combine. Good RT candidate to develop but not athletic as Newton, I don't know. trying to catch lightening in a bottle again I guess.

That is exactly right. I am trying to catch a stud who was overshadowed by his unfortunate injury situation. I am OK with grabbing a different OT, but I thought that if this guy can come back healthy, he would be smooth enough to excel in a ZBS scheme. And at the 124th overall pick it would be lightning in a bottle.

same thing with Denard Robinson, jack of all trades but master of none. I actually prefer him to stay @ QB see what Chip Kelly thinks?

Ever since his nerve injuries he has had trouble throwing. I think he is recovering, but I prefer him at slot or RB where he can get in space and use his amazing athletic ability to grab some YAC. I mean, the guy runs without his shoes tied! Of course in the NFL you get fined for that...

Have to give you a hard time but mostly because those of us who've followed you have missed your contributions, you are a valued & respected member held in high esteem around here :mariopalm:

Wow, I didnt realize that people actually gave a damn about what I thought or said. Its been a super busy year with working and going back to school full time and I just didnt have the same amount of time to put into draft research which I love talking with alot of people on this board. But thanks for the kind words.

 

[Blake]

not a fast twitch athlete

Disagree on Margus hunt. He's definitely a fast twitch athlete.

Yall are gonna have to explain to me what yall are looking for when deciding if a player is a fast twitch guy. Ive never noticed it.

 

[beerlover]

Yall are gonna have to explain to me what yall are looking for when deciding if a player is a fast twitch guy. Ive never noticed it.

fast twitch to me is natural athletic ability to be explosive despite size with fluid movements, loose hips, ability to drop & explode. Marqus uses a long first step & relies on his strength, plays too high, not sure about his core flexibility? will probably be overdrafted based on potential but doubt Texans fall into this category.

Jason Pierre-Paul & Aldon Smith are examples of fast twitch players. Kawaan Short flashes more explosive fast twitch ability as does a player seldom mentioned around here who would actually be a perfect fit in Wade Phillips d as OLB Alex Okafor, Texas. I have him graded much higher than Hunt & he reminds me a lot of Aldon. Don't know why nobody brings his name up, feel like I should have mocked him in the first. He can dip & turn the corner. Has rangy frame that is both fluid, explosive & has both power/speed to spare like 2nd gear. Health problems affected his career @ Texas but make no mistake he is a great example of a fast twitch athlete who can rush the passer.

 

[Rey]

Yall are gonna have to explain to me what yall are looking for when deciding if a player is a fast twitch guy. Ive never noticed it.

This is what I look at...can't speak for others....

I'd compare Mario and JJ Watt.

Watt is quick Twitch. Mario was not.

To me it's about your reaction. That's why combine results don't tell the whole story and it's why I don't think Brooks Reed will make a good full time ILB.

It's about how fast you see something, the signal reaches your brain and the brain sends the message to your body to do something about it.

When you're at the combine, there is very little reacting in the tests. You know what you have to do before you even go to the event. The shuttles and cone drills show that you have the ability to make cuts and have good agility....

But it doesn't mean that when you're on the field that your body will react in a quick twitch manner.

Just my opinion...

 

[Mr teX]

The best way to gauge whether a guy is fast twitch or not is to look at their explosiveness coming off the snap and how fast they accelerate to targets once they've been identified; thier quickness in short space is also a good indicator.

 

[Wolf6151]

something like that.

Margus Hunt is a very raw talent to grade out by Texans as worth a first rd. pick. flashes big play potential but not a fast twitch athlete, production based off raw strength & over matching lesser competition. Maybe end of 2nd early 3rd?

I have to agree with BL here. I don't see Hunt as a 1st round pick, maybe a 3rd based on size and build with hope for future development.

 

[Mr teX]

I have to agree with BL here. I don't see Hunt as a 1st round pick, maybe a 3rd based on size and build with hope for future development.

I agree with BL on everything except him not being a fast twitch athlete. I think he is a fast twitch guy, it's just a little hard to tell b/c he's playing against lesser competition and he's still learning the game. This at times causes him to hesitates a little after the snap.

He's not 1st round ready right now but i could easily see a team with an aging expensive pass rusher (Indy, ATL) take him in the 2nd as the eventual, cheaper replacement imo. I see Aaron Kampman, Jared Allen type heights with him ...but it's gonna take a few years on OJT for him to get there.

 

[Rey]

I disagree with all of you. Hunt is well worth a 1st round pick. Easily. He's not going to be ready to be a full time starter from day one (neither was Aldon Smith), but if you put him on the edge in passing situations he's going to be very effective just going to get the QB.

He'd be a huge help to this team because he'd provide an edge rush that we sorely need in passing situations.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

Yall are gonna have to explain to me what yall are looking for when deciding if a player is a fast twitch guy. Ive never noticed it.

There are several types of muscle fiber. For regular muscle (as opposed to cardiac), you've basically got 4 types of fibers:

Type I -- Red fibers. These consume lactic acid. They're for endurance types of activities and can keep going for hours. But they're very slow. These are considered aerobic. Slow twitch.

Type IIa -- Red fibers. These use Creatine and Glycogen. They are in the moderate range. They don't have as much endurance as the Type I fibers but they produce more raw strength. Aerobic.

Type IIx -- White fibers. These use ATP, Creatine, and a little glycogen. These are stronger than type IIas but they don't have the endurance.

Type IIb -- White Fibers. These use ATP and Creatine. They produce the most pure strength but they tire out very quickly. Fast twitch.

Every skeletal muscle in your body is some mixture of these different types of muscle fibers. There was a study that showed that different types of training can actually cause the distribution of fiber types to change. So if you train for endurance, you'll probably lose some of your white fibers and gain red fibers; if you train for explosive power, you'll gain white and lose red.

A guy with more fast twitch fiber is going to have more power and be more explosive. How high you can jump and how far you can jump are both good indicators of if you have predominately fast twitch muscles in your lower body.

 

[76Texan]

I disagree with all of you. Hunt is well worth a 1st round pick. Easily. He's not going to be ready to be a full time starter from day one (neither was Aldon Smith), but if you put him on the edge in passing situations he's going to be very effective just going to get the QB.

He'd be a huge help to this team because he'd provide an edge rush that we sorely need in passing situations.

I agree with Rey; sometimes you just have to reach in hope that the guy can become a real play maker at the next level.
Hunt certainly has the requirements.

 

[infantrycak]

A guy with more fast twitch fiber is going to have more power and be more explosive. How high you can jump and how far you can jump are both good indicators of if you have predominately fast twitch muscles in your lower body.

I am not arguing with your general description. However I think this is still a somewhat undeveloped field of medicine and even the terminology of power gets hinky. As a simple example Tour de France cyclists. Both considering very short term max efforts (say the same half a kilometer) the sprinters will blow the doors off the climbers on a flat but put them on a mountain and in that same half K the climbers will blow the doors off the sprinters. Both are power situations.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

I am not arguing with your general description. However I think this is still a somewhat undeveloped field of medicine and even the terminology of power gets hinky. As a simple example Tour de France cyclists. Both considering very short term max efforts (say the same half a kilometer) the sprinters will blow the doors off the climbers on a flat but put them on a mountain and in that same half K the climbers will blow the doors off the sprinters. Both are power situations.

Back when I was involved more with the science of lifting, they'd only identified the type I, IIa, and IIb. The IIx is, afaik, a relatively new discovery. So, you're absolutely right about this still being worked out. AND I might not understand it correctly because I was just an amateur at the science part of this.

Very few people's muscles all have the same composition. So while I might have fast twitch in my pecs, my triceps might be more toward the slow twitch. So when I bench, my triceps will be my limiting muscle group and I'll need to train them to be more fast twitch. But I can only go so far because there will be a genetic limitation to just how fast twitch I can make them.

Some muscle groups are normally more slow twitch than others. Calves have a tendency to be slow twitch.

But to your example, I think it depends on the composition of the muscles being used and how they're trained. I would imagine, and I could be wrong, that going up vs. sprinting flat, you actually use a somewhat different set of muscles. So the rider with muscles better adapted to a particular type of ride would do better at that type of ride. The more you train for mountain riding, the fibers will begin to shift over to the white in those muscles while they start to shift back to the red in the others that are more for sprinting.