Draft Grader - Houston Texans (2009-2011)

[WolverineFan]

PFF grades the contributions of each player the Texans drafted from 2009 to 2011. Grades range from +2.0 to -2.0.

The grades are based as much on production as they are on where a guy was drafted and, therefore, what was expected of him. For that reason, a guy like Brice McCain has a much higher grade than any of us would likely give him. The reason for this is because he was a 6th round pick who played a ton of snaps, which ups his grade over a guy like Brandon Harris, a 2nd round pick who could never get on the field.

Link

 

[WolverineFan]

Here's the grades for those who don't want to go through the article (although the article has a short explanation for each grade).

+2.0
J.J. Watt, DE (11th overall in 2011)

+1.5
---

+1.0
Brian Cushing, LB (15th overall in 2009)

+0.5
Glover Quin, S (112th overall in 2009)
James Casey, TE (152nd overall in 2009)
Troy Nolan, S (223rd overall in 2009)
Daryl Sharpton, LB (103rd overall in 2010)
Garrett Graham, TE (119th overall in 2010)
T.J. Yates, QB (152nd overall in 2011)

0.0
Antoine Caldwell, OL (77th overall in 2009)
Brice McCain, CB (188th overall in 2009)
Ben Tate, RB (58th overall in 2010)
Earl Mitchell, DT (82nd overall in 2010)
Shelley Smith, OL (188th overall in 2010)
Dorin Dickerson, TE (228th overall in 2010)
Shiloh Keo, S (144th overall in 2011)
Derek Newton, OL (215th overall in 2011)
Cheta Ozougwu, DE (256th overall in 2011)

-0.5
Connor Barwin, DE (46th overall in 2009)
Anthony Hill, TE (122nd overall in 2009)
Kareem Jackson, CB (20th overall in 2010)
Sherrick McManis, CB (145th overall in 2010)
Trindon Holliday, WR (198th overall in 2010)
Brooks Reed, DE (42nd overall in 2011)
Roc Carmichael, CB (127th overall in 2011)

-1.0
Brandon Harris, CB (60th overall in 2011)

-1.5
---

-2.0
---

 

[noxiousdog]

I love articles like that. I wish they did the easy math for me though

Overall: 2.5. Will be nice to compare it with other teams.

 

[WolverineFan]

I love articles like that. I wish they did the easy math for me though

Overall: 2.5. Will be nice to compare it with other teams.

We absolutely nailed 2 picks in those three drafts (Watt & Cushing). For comparison sake, the Cowboys nailed 4 (Dez Bryant, Sean Lee, DeMarco Murray, & Tyron Smith). However, add up their overall and it comes out to zero so I guess our drafts were better overall.

Meanwhile, the Jags nailed 0 picks and totaled out at -4.5

 

[WolverineFan]

Will be nice to compare it with other teams.

Here you go...

Houston = +1.5
Minnesota = +1.0
Tennessee = +1.0
Washington = +1.0
Atlanta = 0.0
Dallas = 0.0
Detroit = -1.5
Buffalo = -2.0
Pittsburgh = -2.0
Chicago = -3.0
Cleveland = -3.0
NY Giants = -4.0
Oakland = -4.0
Tampa Bay = -4.0
Jacksonville = -4.5
St. Louis = -6.5

So far they have completed 16 teams and they are going in draft order. I would suspect that some of the better drafting teams (NE, SEA, NO, etc.) will knock us out of the top spot.

 

[HJam72]

I would have expected better from Pittsburgh.

 

[The Pencil Neck]

I would have expected better from Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh has been faltering the past couple of years and that could be a result of their not drafting so well in this span.

 

[WolverineFan]

I would have expected better from Pittsburgh.

So would I, but their drafting at the top hasn't been all that great recently. Outside of Maurkice Pouncey, you have to go all the way back to 2005 (Heath Miller) to find a 1st rounder they selected that made a Pro-Bowl.

They've also struggled to find contributors in the mid-rounds (3rd-5th). They found a couple of late gems in the 6th round in Antonio Brown and Vince Williams, but they've burned pretty much all of their 3rd-5th picks in the last few years.

 

[infantrycak]

Someone explain a system that comes up with an equal grade on Barwin, KJ and Anthony Hill.

 

[JB]

Someone explain a system that comes up with an equal grade on Barwin, KJ and Anthony Hill.

All it takes is drugs... lots of drugs

 

[dalemurphy]

Someone explain a system that comes up with an equal grade on Barwin, KJ and Anthony Hill.

That would be the Casserly system- you know, the one that asserted a 4th round pick should be worthless 90% of the time... I knew our organization was in trouble when Casserly explained his metrics in the draft. Having a GM expect failure after the 2nd round is not a winning formula.

 

[dalemurphy]

Here's the grades for those who don't want to go through the article (although the article has a short explanation for each grade).

+2.0
J.J. Watt, DE (11th overall in 2011)

+1.5
---

+1.0
Brian Cushing, LB (15th overall in 2009)

+0.5
Glover Quin, S (112th overall in 2009)
James Casey, TE (152nd overall in 2009)
Troy Nolan, S (223rd overall in 2009)
Daryl Sharpton, LB (103rd overall in 2010)
Garrett Graham, TE (119th overall in 2010)
T.J. Yates, QB (152nd overall in 2011)

0.0
Antoine Caldwell, OL (77th overall in 2009)
Brice McCain, CB (188th overall in 2009)
Ben Tate, RB (58th overall in 2010)
Earl Mitchell, DT (82nd overall in 2010)
Shelley Smith, OL (188th overall in 2010)
Dorin Dickerson, TE (228th overall in 2010)
Shiloh Keo, S (144th overall in 2011)
Derek Newton, OL (215th overall in 2011)
Cheta Ozougwu, DE (256th overall in 2011)

-0.5
Connor Barwin, DE (46th overall in 2009)
Anthony Hill, TE (122nd overall in 2009)
Kareem Jackson, CB (20th overall in 2010)
Sherrick McManis, CB (145th overall in 2010)
Trindon Holliday, WR (198th overall in 2010)
Brooks Reed, DE (42nd overall in 2011)
Roc Carmichael, CB (127th overall in 2011)

-1.0
Brandon Harris, CB (60th overall in 2011)

-1.5
---

-2.0
---

These were very strong drafts! Look at the negative rated players... some of them are good NFL players that were mishandled by the coaching staff:

Holliday, McManis

or actually pretty good:

KJackson, C. Barwin


Simply, there weren't many misses from '09-'11. Don't even get me started on my love for Shelley Smith. I am very excited to see Rick Smith work with a head coach with a more critical eye and a more flexible coaching mind (I still love Kubes though).