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2023 TEXANS DRAFT DISCUSSION

I'm not out on Stroud, but this S2, the Mulagetta thing, etc. has me wavering. Demeco has a full tank with me, so if he passes, I'll trust him. If he takes Stroud, I'll be excited and trust him with that one too. Personally, I'd take him. He showed me enough to be a top 5 pick. Whether he did with the Texans remains to be seen.

It's interesting to me that there has been zero smoke tying the Texans to Richardson. I've seen that many times in the past and then the player ends up being drafted. That would be the biggest shocker. I am not ruling out Richardson at 1.2.

But I'm really starting to add puzzle pieces together and the more smoke I see...the more I'm liking Hooker as far as whom they draft at QB. Don't be shocked if Hooker is taken with the #12 (or whatever becomes of it). I'm leaning toward making Hooker the 12 pick in my mock 3.0. That might be somewhat over-drafted but I think more teams are going to be looking at him in the back half of the first round. If he's your guy, don't chance it. Take the guy at 12 and call it a day.
 
He has a Super Bowl ring and was the starting QB of that Super Bowl-winning team before getting hurt at the end of the year. He was 11 - 2 before getting hurt.

So he is a more accomplished QB than Watson because he stood on the sidelines in street clothes and watch another QB win every playoff game that season? I would expect no less mental gymnastics from you.
 
I just can't wrap my head around the Texans passing on Stroud at 2.

They are going to improve next year with Demeco, the FA signings to sure up the run defense, and back end.

They have signaled the turn around. That puts Maye/Williams out of contention.

Stroud is probably the best prospect you will be able to get your hands on in this regime.

I would also argue that you have a much better chance of trading up for an edge next year as opposed to a QB.

Are the McNair's going to let Caseiro and Ryan's potentially steer themselves in to QB purgatory that we experienced post Schaub? Doubtful.
 
I just can't wrap my head around the Texans passing on Stroud at 2.

They are going to improve next year with Demeco, the FA signings to sure up the run defense, and back end.

They have signaled the turn around. That puts Maye/Williams out of contention.

Stroud is probably the best prospect you will be able to get your hands on in this regime.

I would also argue that you have a much better chance of trading up for an edge next year as opposed to a QB.

Are the McNair's going to let Caseiro and Ryan's potentially steer themselves in to QB purgatory that we experienced post Schaub? Doubtful.
None of these are actual reasons to take Stroud.
 
They aren't getting Young. I'm convinced that he is going to be a Panther.

But I think the Texans realize that they have to come away with one of the other 4 QB's considered to have franchise QB potential OR there has to be a trade for someone that can be the guy. I think the directive from Cal relates to getting a guy the fanbase can buy into, but not necessarily CJ. They can't sell some low-round draftee to the fanbase. That would take all of the air out of the balloon after the Demeco hire. This fanbase is dying for someone they can get behind at QB, even if it is risky, such as Richardson or Levis.

At some point, you've got to take the bat off the shoulder and take a big swing. Fans will forgive a big swing and miss. But they will not forigve this team if they keep their bat on shoulder hoping for a 4 pitch walk. At some point, Nick's got to grow some freaking balls and go big. Go big, or go home.
 
They aren't getting Young. I'm convinced that he is going to be a Panther.

But I think the Texans realize that they have to come away with one of the other 4 QB's considered to have franchise QB potential OR there has to be a trade for someone that can be the guy. I think the directive from Cal relates to getting a guy the fanbase can buy into, but not necessarily CJ. They can't sell some low-round draftee to the fanbase. That would take all of the air out of the balloon after the Demeco hire. This fanbase is dying for someone they can get behind at QB, even if it is risky, such as Richardson or Levis.

At some point, you've got to take the bat off the shoulder and take a big swing. Fans will forgive a big swing and miss. But they will not forigve this team if they keep their bat on shoulder hoping for a 4 pitch walk. At some point, Nick's got to grow some freaking balls and go big. Go big, or go home.
In that case, let the big swing be on A.Richardson. He is a high ceiling / low floor gamble who can sit for a year behind Keenum to acclimate and learn the offense. He is an athletic beast who Slowick can attempt to build a game plan around and can possibly be had at 12 or slightly higher.
 
I just can't wrap my head around the Texans passing on Stroud at 2.

They are going to improve next year with Demeco, the FA signings to sure up the run defense, and back end.

They have signaled the turn around. That puts Maye/Williams out of contention.

Stroud is probably the best prospect you will be able to get your hands on in this regime.

I would also argue that you have a much better chance of trading up for an edge next year as opposed to a QB.

Are the McNair's going to let Caseiro and Ryan's potentially steer themselves in to QB purgatory that we experienced post Schaub? Doubtful.
Car stereo says that he will deal with Stroud's agent. However I cannot believe that janice mcnair has forgotten DW. Doesn’t matter who instigated trade, the agent or the player. She had to eat the bonus and suffered the humiliation. Doesn’t matter Stroud's accuracy, pressure issues, S2 , etc.

She sent Hopkins packing and didn’t care what Texans got in return or how it made team look.
 
They aren't getting Young. I'm convinced that he is going to be a Panther.

But I think the Texans realize that they have to come away with one of the other 4 QB's considered to have franchise QB potential OR there has to be a trade for someone that can be the guy. I think the directive from Cal relates to getting a guy the fanbase can buy into, but not necessarily CJ. They can't sell some low-round draftee to the fanbase. That would take all of the air out of the balloon after the Demeco hire. This fanbase is dying for someone they can get behind at QB, even if it is risky, such as Richardson or Levis.

At some point, you've got to take the bat off the shoulder and take a big swing. Fans will forgive a big swing and miss. But they will not forigve this team if they keep their bat on shoulder hoping for a 4 pitch walk. At some point, Nick's got to grow some freaking balls and go big. Go big, or go home.
If they swing and miss but the pitch is way out of strike zone it will harm them even more. Often it does not take a home run to excite the fans. A bunt that drives the runner home gets a cheer.
 
Btw, I think Stroud’s people would have been better off not responding, or directing folks to respond to the Manning camp story.
 
In that case, let the big swing be on A.Richardson. He is a high ceiling / low floor gamble who can sit for a year behind Keenum to acclimate and learn the offense. He is an athletic beast who Slowick can attempt to build a game plan around and can possibly be had at 12 or slightly higher.
If they don’t take Stroud at 2nd, I wouldn’t mind Richardson at 12. Really, anyone but Levis.
 
Watch the Texans draft Anderson, JSN, and trade in to the first for Stroud.

Would be the craziest draft....Bad look for Hooker as well who I actually think is good at reading defenses Pre Snap.

All he reads pre-snap in that offense is what one side of the field he's going to and which receivers will dictate the throw for him.
 
I'm not out on Stroud, but this S2, the Mulagetta thing, etc. has me wavering. Demeco has a full tank with me, so if he passes, I'll trust him. If he takes Stroud, I'll be excited and trust him with that one too. Personally, I'd take him. He showed me enough to be a top 5 pick. Whether he did with the Texans remains to be seen.

It's interesting to me that there has been zero smoke tying the Texans to Richardson. I've seen that many times in the past and then the player ends up being drafted. That would be the biggest shocker. I am not ruling out Richardson at 1.2.

But I'm really starting to add puzzle pieces together and the more smoke I see...the more I'm liking Hooker as far as whom they draft at QB. Don't be shocked if Hooker is taken with the #12 (or whatever becomes of it). I'm leaning toward making Hooker the 12 pick in my mock 3.0. That might be somewhat over-drafted but I think more teams are going to be looking at him in the back half of the first round. If he's your guy, don't chance it. Take the guy at 12 and call it a day.

I think all they did with Richardson was a zoom meeting but I might be wrong; doesn't seem like they would draft him without working him out.

Hooker was the first prospect or one of them Aaron Wilson mentioned as meeting with first of all the prospects
 
I think all they did with Richardson was a zoom meeting but I might be wrong; doesn't seem like they would draft him without working him out.

Hooker was the first prospect or one of them Aaron Wilson mentioned as meeting with first of all the prospects

I don't know if it has been the case with a top QB, but most years I have read at least one story where a team was immediately sold on a prospect and intentionally did not communicate with that guy anymore.
 
Report: Anonymous GM says 'there's a lot of bad blood' between Texans, CJ Stroud's agent

To an anonymous GM and a scout, that relationship is absolutely playing a role in their evaluation of Stroud. If not for that ‘elephant in the room’, the Ohio State quarterback would be the selection. Instead, it has become a point of contention as Houston’s owner isn’t certain he wants to do business that way again.

“There’s a lot of bad blood there,” the GM said in the article. “I don’t think (Cal) McNair could stomach having Mulugheta’s next top quarterback be the next face of his franchise. I think that’s a non-starter there.”

“If Stroud has a different agent? He is the second overall pick,” the well-connected agent added.

 
Report: Anonymous GM says 'there's a lot of bad blood' between Texans, CJ Stroud's agent

To an anonymous GM and a scout, that relationship is absolutely playing a role in their evaluation of Stroud. If not for that ‘elephant in the room’, the Ohio State quarterback would be the selection. Instead, it has become a point of contention as Houston’s owner isn’t certain he wants to do business that way again.

“There’s a lot of bad blood there,” the GM said in the article. “I don’t think (Cal) McNair could stomach having Mulugheta’s next top quarterback be the next face of his franchise. I think that’s a non-starter there.”

“If Stroud has a different agent? He is the second overall pick,” the well-connected agent added.

Stroud going to the Colts confirmed lol.
 
I just can't wrap my head around the Texans passing on Stroud at 2.

They are going to improve next year with Demeco, the FA signings to sure up the run defense, and back end.

They have signaled the turn around. That puts Maye/Williams out of contention.

Stroud is probably the best prospect you will be able to get your hands on in this regime.

I would also argue that you have a much better chance of trading up for an edge next year as opposed to a QB.

Are the McNair's going to let Caseiro and Ryan's potentially steer themselves in to QB purgatory that we experienced post Schaub? Doubtful.

Are the McNair’s going to let Lovie Smith hand over the 1.1 pick?

At this point nothing management does surprises me.
 
It’s strange how the pre draft talk has come full circle, from at the beginning it being about how much Lovie effed up by not securing Stroud and the #1 slot, to then how we can actually make do with Bryce as 2nd best and hope he overcomes his height deficiency, to now some very weird seemingly baseless character stuff being propagated about Stroud making Bryce unavailable to us AND people trying to work out what the best swing for the fences is out of the other candidates who were much less of a sure thing at the start of the process.

The thing that amazes me most about the NFL Draft process, is all of this has taken place since the last time these guys took a competitive snap. We’re less than a week away from finding out what the team really make of their interview process etc and then several years from seeing the full fruit of who’s actually the best choice. In for a wild ride with this QB class I feel.
 
The root cause of this flustercluck is once again not thinking big picture and good old-fashioned mis-management. Did y'all see what Chicago did in the 2nd half of their game? They pulled a bunch of starters. Did you see the Colts practically parting the red sea and letting General Mills look like the second coming of Dan Marino on that last drive? The Colts couldn't have cared less if the Texans scored. They pretty much rolled out the red carpet. And there's a reason Cal had a scowl on his face, despite what he said after that game.
 
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Report: Anonymous GM says 'there's a lot of bad blood' between Texans, CJ Stroud's agent

To an anonymous GM and a scout, that relationship is absolutely playing a role in their evaluation of Stroud. If not for that ‘elephant in the room’, the Ohio State quarterback would be the selection. Instead, it has become a point of contention as Houston’s owner isn’t certain he wants to do business that way again.

“There’s a lot of bad blood there,” the GM said in the article. “I don’t think (Cal) McNair could stomach having Mulugheta’s next top quarterback be the next face of his franchise. I think that’s a non-starter there.”

“If Stroud has a different agent? He is the second overall pick,” the well-connected agent added.

Hannah said NFW! After she turned her back on DW4 and refused to shake his hand you knew this was coming. Hell, hath no fury as a woman scorned.
 
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What are the NFL rules concerning approaching a player before the draft. If you have the number 1 pick, is it "legal" (in NFL terms and rules) to "pick" ahead of the draft? Has that ever happened?
1.1 can be signed but not sure if next in line can be signed when prior inks his deal. Also I would think that most teams would want to wait until they receive all trade offers.
 
I just can't wrap my head around the Texans passing on Stroud at 2.

They are going to improve next year with Demeco, the FA signings to sure up the run defense, and back end.

They have signaled the turn around. That puts Maye/Williams out of contention.

Stroud is probably the best prospect you will be able to get your hands on in this regime.

I would also argue that you have a much better chance of trading up for an edge next year as opposed to a QB.

Are the McNair's going to let Caseiro and Ryan's potentially steer themselves in to QB purgatory that we experienced post Schaub? Doubtful.
Please step away from the Kool Aid, you've been over-served.
 
Report: Anonymous GM says 'there's a lot of bad blood' between Texans, CJ Stroud's agent

To an anonymous GM and a scout, that relationship is absolutely playing a role in their evaluation of Stroud. If not for that ‘elephant in the room’, the Ohio State quarterback would be the selection. Instead, it has become a point of contention as Houston’s owner isn’t certain he wants to do business that way again.

“There’s a lot of bad blood there,” the GM said in the article. “I don’t think (Cal) McNair could stomach having Mulugheta’s next top quarterback be the next face of his franchise. I think that’s a non-starter there.”

“If Stroud has a different agent? He is the second overall pick,” the well-connected agent added.

If he's all that, Carolina should take him.
 
A few quotes from the article linked above:

According to S2, the 30-to-45 minute exercise is conducted on what The Athletic’s Matt Barrows in February described as a “specially designed gaming laptop and response pad that can record reactions in two milliseconds.” It measures how players process and make split-second decisions. “Anticipating, reading, reacting and adapting to the game are measurable skills,” the website offers.

The test measures how people, not "players" process and make split-second decisions. The test is not on a football field. It's taken sitting in a chair, in front of a TV screen, with a keypad. There are no chairs, TVs, and keypads on the field. Just as there is no one about to about to knock the snot out of you while you watch the screen and hit the keypad. Anyone on this forum could ace the S2. Doesn't mean you can play QB in the NFL.

“Stroud scored 18,” an executive said. “That is like red alert, red alert, you can’t take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust. That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback that’s ever done it in the league.”

So forget watching a guy play. Just tell me what his S2 is and where he went to school. All I need to know to evaluate a player.

I knew there were mega morons in NFL front offices. This just confirms it.
 
A few quotes from the article linked above:



The test measures how people, not "players" process and make split-second decisions. The test is not on a football field. It's taken sitting in a chair, in front of a TV screen, with a keypad. There are no chairs, TVs, and keypads on the field. Just as there is no one about to about to knock the snot out of you while you watch the screen and hit the keypad. Anyone on this forum could ace the S2. Doesn't mean you can play QB in the NFL.



So forget watching a guy play. Just tell me what his S2 is and where he went to school. All I need to know to evaluate a player.

I knew there were mega morons in NFL front offices. This just confirms it.

It should be one assessment among many. Not THE assessment. As an analyst by nature and profession, I am always amazed at how supposedly big-brained people always try to distill people analytics to a single metric. But I guess they've been doing that with the Wunderlic for the most part for decades.
 
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