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Texans draft grades.
- Thread starter Texansphan
- Start date
banned1976
sleeper mode
Upon further revisiting and reviewing this thread and the comments- I give the Texans an F. You’ve all convinced me.
banned1976
sleeper mode
And what of them?
powda
The bridge between stupid and useless is short.
Lol
banned1976
sleeper mode
They are all just OK. Cunningham is the only one among them I see consistent improvement.
The Texans organization, under O’Brien, isn’t a place where NFL players make “the leap”. Their potential is capped here.
I would say Reader/Reid are better than just OK. You agreed about Cunningham.
So you're really you're just talking about McKinney (Who has made a pro bowl) and Mercilus who was a Wade guy.
Mr.Scarface
Rookie
LOL. Every year: Texans fall behind division rivals. Jags wins offseason EVER YEAR....it seems.
Winning in April doesn't mean winning during the season.
H_Town_Gaucho
Waterboy
D from me.
dream_team
Hall of Fame
Front 7 MUCH better? We lost Reader, but gained Jernigan, Blacklock & Greenard. We got deeper, but I don't know about better.
As always I haven’t seen a single college football game so everything I know about these players is what I read from analysts...
That being said, this was a good draft. Our biggest needs going in was our front seven followed by CB, OL and WR. We have addressed them all without reaching... we added high risk high reward players in the later rounds which is the way to go if you ask me. And our second rounder was by many projected to go in the first.
And I like our trades. We got a second 4th rounder and only had to give up 7th rounders for that - I take that every day - and we got a 6th rounder for a late 7th.
Overall I would say A-...
That being said, this was a good draft. Our biggest needs going in was our front seven followed by CB, OL and WR. We have addressed them all without reaching... we added high risk high reward players in the later rounds which is the way to go if you ask me. And our second rounder was by many projected to go in the first.
And I like our trades. We got a second 4th rounder and only had to give up 7th rounders for that - I take that every day - and we got a 6th rounder for a late 7th.
Overall I would say A-...
The pass ruah should be much better.
I give it a B too
If Bkacklocj can stay healthy and plays to his potential U would give this draft an A.
Grams
Veteran
No grade. TBD (to be determined)
Seems every year the rookies end up on IR with some mysterious injury and don't play much if any. Until they actually contribute, play in games there is no way to grade anyone. They may look good on the highlight vids, but that is college, the NFL is a whole new ball game, a much higher level of play.
Seems every year the rookies end up on IR with some mysterious injury and don't play much if any. Until they actually contribute, play in games there is no way to grade anyone. They may look good on the highlight vids, but that is college, the NFL is a whole new ball game, a much higher level of play.
RGV82
Random guy
Grades always change after you can judge them playing in the NFL. The point of the post-draft grade is to judge how you think we did "on the face of things" or addressing needs. Which is sorta the point of the grades. I am sure there will be a "mid-season grades" thread as well.
theCATALYST
Football Messiah
I tend to agree, which is why I don't have as much of a problem with OB's offseason trades/signings as most do. We spent some money, but have acquired known talent vs depending on unproven draft commodities. This isn't how to build a lasting winner, but this season with COVID, maybe it was the right call.
However to the topic, we addressed positions of need without reaching. The one player (Heck) who could be considered a reach, was also considered the best OT of what was left and we needed to nab him. I give OB a B+ for now.
OptimisticTexan
2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
On paper....a solid B+. On the field will require a new grade.
RGV82
Random guy
Absolutely. Just like every season, there are post-draft grades, and mid-season grades.
F
Houston Texans: Hard to recall a draft so extensively leveraged to obtain veterans. Newly anointed (but long-acting) GM Bill O'Brien shipped out most of his best picks for players like newly extended Tunsil – he'll cost another first-rounder plus a second in 2021, too – WR Brandin Cooks, CB Gareon Conley and RB Duke Johnson. Tunsil is a nice player, but his price was way too high. The others are eminently replaceable. And to also deal Jadeveon Clowney, basically for a third-rounder, while settling for a second-rounder and RB David Johnson in exchange for a transcendent talent like Hopkins? Brutal. O'Brien's first official selection as GM was TCU DT Ross Blacklock at No. 40, which actually seems like pretty solid value. But in sum, this feels like a staggering net loss.
***
https://www.usatoday.com/
***
Ouch! In a dubious note of distinction the USA guys handed out to O'Brien their only F grade of the 2020 Draft.
Houston Texans: Hard to recall a draft so extensively leveraged to obtain veterans. Newly anointed (but long-acting) GM Bill O'Brien shipped out most of his best picks for players like newly extended Tunsil – he'll cost another first-rounder plus a second in 2021, too – WR Brandin Cooks, CB Gareon Conley and RB Duke Johnson. Tunsil is a nice player, but his price was way too high. The others are eminently replaceable. And to also deal Jadeveon Clowney, basically for a third-rounder, while settling for a second-rounder and RB David Johnson in exchange for a transcendent talent like Hopkins? Brutal. O'Brien's first official selection as GM was TCU DT Ross Blacklock at No. 40, which actually seems like pretty solid value. But in sum, this feels like a staggering net loss.
***
https://www.usatoday.com/
***
Ouch! In a dubious note of distinction the USA guys handed out to O'Brien their only F grade of the 2020 Draft.
RGV82
Random guy
LOL. This was definitely not our best draft, but in no way was it an "F".
texan279
Hall of Fame
Everyone saying BOB did better than expected "considering what he had to work with" does realize BOB is the reason for the lack of picks, right? BOB made this team worse by trading Nuk, letting Reader walk, etc. But has no problem paying Cobb $27 mil over 3 years, Eric Murray $18 mil over 3 years, or giving up a 2nd and 4th round pick for Cooks, who we have to pay $8 mil this year. BOB is a bum, a hotheaded clown, and I'd bet GM's across the NFL are lining up to "negotiate" with this asshat...
maverick512000
Hall of Fame
He’s not grading the draft he’s giving his grade on OB as a GM. By the standards he is judging it by, Tunsil being to high and Clowney being to low, Texans were graded an F before the draft even started.
FireBOB
Waterboy
Yes, that's right. The graded the off-season rather than just the draft. The Hopkins trade should be firmly on everyone's mind as an epic disaster, but it's not technically part of the draft.
I'd give the draft a B in terms of the return they got for the picks they had available.
The cynic in me says that while they did an okay job of addressing some needs such as DL, OLB, CB, OT depth and WR, they failed spectacularly in filling the true areas of need: HC, GM, OC, Owner.
RGV82
Random guy
Hopefully you will need to figure out how to change your user name soon as it will no longer be applicable.
HuttoKarl
Veteran
Right...not an exciting draft by any means. I like Blaclock where he landed. Other than that it was kind of meh.
Bouye
Number19
Hall of Fame
Yes.
I also like, and grade, the Heck selection a bit higher than I'm seeing. At least a B(-). He's not intended to be a starter, but fills a.definate need as a swing tackle in addition to, and to compete with, Roderick Johnson. A good selection at this point in the draft. The Heck selection is why I grade this draft as a B(+) and not a B or B(-).
beerlover
Hall of Fame
In the 2020 NFL Draft, your Houston Texans acquired;
Pass rushing interior DT Ross Blacklock which is a commodity, but worry about his health and endurance. Weaver must be careful not to overuse him and add too much stress on his body.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-tcu-dt-ross-blacklock-no-40-overall-pick
Edge rusher, Jonathan Greenard, which is something Texans have lacked, especially in containing Mobil QB’s like Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-florida-olb-jonathan-greenard-no-90-overall-pick
Swing Tackle Charlie Heck. Devlin must really like him, large frame, good feet but will struggle against speed so just be prepared for that, otherwise lunch pale depth @ important position.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-unc-ot-charlie-heck-no-126-overall-pick
Nickel cornerback, John Reid, another dire need addressed, solid pick-up here who should see a lot of playing time as rookie.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-psu-cb-john-reid-no-141-overall-pick
Added depth @ WR with Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island, filling need and creating more competition @ receiver position. All will need to step up now that DHop is gone.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-rhode-island-wr-isaiah-coulter-no-171-overall-pick
Pass rushing interior DT Ross Blacklock which is a commodity, but worry about his health and endurance. Weaver must be careful not to overuse him and add too much stress on his body.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-tcu-dt-ross-blacklock-no-40-overall-pick
Edge rusher, Jonathan Greenard, which is something Texans have lacked, especially in containing Mobil QB’s like Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-florida-olb-jonathan-greenard-no-90-overall-pick
Swing Tackle Charlie Heck. Devlin must really like him, large frame, good feet but will struggle against speed so just be prepared for that, otherwise lunch pale depth @ important position.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-unc-ot-charlie-heck-no-126-overall-pick
Nickel cornerback, John Reid, another dire need addressed, solid pick-up here who should see a lot of playing time as rookie.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-psu-cb-john-reid-no-141-overall-pick
Added depth @ WR with Isaiah Coulter, Rhode Island, filling need and creating more competition @ receiver position. All will need to step up now that DHop is gone.
https://www.houstontexans.com/video/nfl-draft-rhode-island-wr-isaiah-coulter-no-171-overall-pick
zshawn10
All Pro
How in the world did the eagles nor the packers get one? Their drafts were terrible lol
Uncle Rico
Ur apology should be as loud as Ur disrespect was
I give it a B+
at least they understood defense was the main area of focus. Blacklocks Achilles worries me. Heck was a wasted pick IMO.
If Greenard can start opposite Mercilus it would be a win for me with the rest of the drafted skill guys learning while contributing on special teams.
Good vision but the execution left a little to be desired.
at least they understood defense was the main area of focus. Blacklocks Achilles worries me. Heck was a wasted pick IMO.
If Greenard can start opposite Mercilus it would be a win for me with the rest of the drafted skill guys learning while contributing on special teams.
Good vision but the execution left a little to be desired.
Toro Bravo
Rookie
I give the draft grade a B-, to be continued. I'm not as upset with the way we spent our draft capital this year as I was last year (which actually looks good in hindsight).
To the USA today writer; We have to consider Tunsil and Stills as our 1st and 2nd round picks. Nobody cares how much a team is paying somebody as long as they are winning. And please tell me again all of the teams that are throwing a lot of money at Clowney - not even the Seahawks thought he was worth elite $.
This guy is on Hopkins nuts.
Fact is they really only missed their 1st rd pick (Tunsil is their 1st rd pick and Tunsil is better than anybody they could've picked at 26.) They had after trading two 4ths and used a 7th to get a next yrs 6th that could be used in a trade to move up from the 3rd to the 2nd.
Very good and smart draft, also thinking of the future. Certainly not the kind of draft you would expect from a rookie GM and certainly not from a mouth breather that some around here think BOB is.
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I give the draft a B+
2.40 - Blacklock was where value and need merged. I didn't spend much time considering Blacklock at this pick. because I felt he would be off the board in the 1st. Blacklock was considered the #3 DT in the draft (and he was the 3rd DT selected). Over the past 10 drafts, the #3 DT went on average at pick 1.25. The Texans have needed an interior pass rusher for some time. Hopefully, this is the guy. Grade A.
3.90 - Greenard was another pick where value and need met. Not the speed rusher I was hoping for. But, a 3 down OLB that can find his way to the QB. There were a couple of pass rush specialists that could be found later. Not a guy that could play 50%+ of the snaps, like Greenard. Grade B+.
4.126 - First, A++ for turning 4.111 into two 4th round picks. I like the Heck pick as much as any the Texans have taken. Heck is not a stud starting OT. He would have been off the board 100 picks earlier if he were. He is a 3 year starter at a power conference with experience on both sides. Not every OT can play on both sides. Heck has gone against pass rushers like Chubb, Ferrell, Burns, and Ejiofor and held his own. Maybe even more than QB, backup tackle is the most important reserve on a NFL team. This was a need pick, and the Texans again found value. A+.
4.141 - While undersized for a CB playing on the outside, Reid has excellent measurables for a nickel corner playing the slot. Started 40 games in the Big 10, and had good games against 1st rounders DJ Moore and Parris Campbell. As ready to step in and play as any other Texans draft pick. A-.
5.176 - The Texans did take a small school project in underclassman WR Isiah Coulter. Coulter had a very good junior year, along with a nice showing at the combine. Has the looks of a outside receiver at 6'2 190lbs. No special teams experience means that barring injury, Coulter will see little playing time. But with the injury history of the Texans WR corps, Coulter could see more snaps than the Texans hope. With the uncertainty regarding the futures of Fuller, Stills, and even Cooks, Coulter should get his chance in 2021. B-.
What could have been, 2.57 - Had O'Brien not dealt this pick, the Texans could have selected Baylor WR Denzel Mims. While I have questioned Mims' functionality has an all around receiver, no one has questioned his ability as a threat downfield. Mims has Fuller type speed matched with the size that is absent on the Texans roster. Would Mims have equaled the production of Cooks in 2020? Maybe. Maybe not. However, he's very likely to out produce Cooks over the next 4 seasons. At a cost savings of over $30 million.
Overall grade - (B-) for trading 2.57. Could have been A-.
3.90 - Greenard was another pick where value and need met. Not the speed rusher I was hoping for. But, a 3 down OLB that can find his way to the QB. There were a couple of pass rush specialists that could be found later. Not a guy that could play 50%+ of the snaps, like Greenard. Grade B+.
4.126 - First, A++ for turning 4.111 into two 4th round picks. I like the Heck pick as much as any the Texans have taken. Heck is not a stud starting OT. He would have been off the board 100 picks earlier if he were. He is a 3 year starter at a power conference with experience on both sides. Not every OT can play on both sides. Heck has gone against pass rushers like Chubb, Ferrell, Burns, and Ejiofor and held his own. Maybe even more than QB, backup tackle is the most important reserve on a NFL team. This was a need pick, and the Texans again found value. A+.
4.141 - While undersized for a CB playing on the outside, Reid has excellent measurables for a nickel corner playing the slot. Started 40 games in the Big 10, and had good games against 1st rounders DJ Moore and Parris Campbell. As ready to step in and play as any other Texans draft pick. A-.
5.176 - The Texans did take a small school project in underclassman WR Isiah Coulter. Coulter had a very good junior year, along with a nice showing at the combine. Has the looks of a outside receiver at 6'2 190lbs. No special teams experience means that barring injury, Coulter will see little playing time. But with the injury history of the Texans WR corps, Coulter could see more snaps than the Texans hope. With the uncertainty regarding the futures of Fuller, Stills, and even Cooks, Coulter should get his chance in 2021. B-.
What could have been, 2.57 - Had O'Brien not dealt this pick, the Texans could have selected Baylor WR Denzel Mims. While I have questioned Mims' functionality has an all around receiver, no one has questioned his ability as a threat downfield. Mims has Fuller type speed matched with the size that is absent on the Texans roster. Would Mims have equaled the production of Cooks in 2020? Maybe. Maybe not. However, he's very likely to out produce Cooks over the next 4 seasons. At a cost savings of over $30 million.
Overall grade - (B-) for trading 2.57. Could have been A-.
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theCATALYST
Football Messiah
Perfect write up.
You are higher on this draft than I am.
Did you drop the grade to B- because of the Cooks trade? If so the future is very bright, Cooks is going to be able to play at a high level quickly since he's already played in the New England offense. There's no assurances Mims will be able to do this, especially in the Covid-19 times we live. Paying 8 mil this season to Cooks and then renegotiating his contract (His guaranteed $$$ runs out) is what should be done in the 2021 offseason to cut down on the cost of Cooks contract and hopefully it will be done.
We're on the same page with this draft. Reid is an upgrade over Hargreaves. What they really need is for L. Jo to makes great strides next season. after watching him get eaten alive by Kelce I've got my doubts, even though he was playing out of position. Plus he doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed. Hopefully his work ethic can overcome this deficiency.
TexanNBigD
Practice Squad
Is Heck a bad pick because of your in-depth analysis or the fact you read it on the internet?
TexanNBigD
Practice Squad
We notice everytime you post
TexanNBigD
Practice Squad
Why do you have Heck with a C grade?
Yes. It's difficult to get a higher grade with 5 selections. I consider Blacklock a mid to late 1st rounder, so that makes the Hopkins deal look better. Had they kept the 4th they gave the Cards and not taken Johnson and his bloated salary, as well, the Texans could also have a had an interior lineman like Dotson, Biadasz, or Lemieux. Lots of woulda, couldas could have turned this into an A draft.
RGV82
Random guy
Heck is an amazing prospect. He has football in his blood. He is good in all run-blocking schemes. His dad is a former player and current NFL OL coach. His grade of C+ is inaccurate.
I suppose the Texans are keeping Gipson, after all. As far as Lonnie on Kelce, no one would have had a chance with Travis making triple moves. Mahomes could read a book while waiting for his All Pro TE to get open. At least the Texans are trying to do something about that. A for effort.
TexanNBigD
Practice Squad
Blacklock and Greenard will be part of the starting rotation. Heck and Reid will make the team as depth. I am not certain about the the WR making the roster with all of the WR's we have. Time will tell a better story than us or the fake pundits.
No one will give O'Brien the benefit of the doubt, because he hasn't earned it. I'm just grading this on how it came out, versus how it could have come out. No way is this a F draft, or even less than average. Not even Gruden and Mayock would get a F from me, but they tried real hard. Although I like the players the Patriots got with their first 2 picks, New England really squandered some opportunities. Nick Caserio? No thanks. Also think the Dolphins came away with less than they should have.
I get what you're saying.
But I'm glad the got a 2021 Cards 4th more than a 2020 4th. They might need that 2021 4th and the 2021 6th they got in this draft to package with their 3rd to move up into the high 2nd and get another Blacklock type player in next yrs draft. If a good safety or RB is available in the 2021 and DJ plays like you think he will RB is going to be a big need.