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Head'em Up Houston Mock Draft

The more I think about it, I become convinced we trade back into the second. I don't really see us pulling the trigger on a WR unless maybe Keenan Allen falls to us. I'd be really happy with DeAndre Hopkins, I think he can start from day 1. But I'm convinced we trade back. An extra 3rd would be great for filling all the needs in this team.
 
The more I think about it, I become convinced we trade back into the second. I don't really see us pulling the trigger on a WR unless maybe Keenan Allen falls to us. I'd be really happy with DeAndre Hopkins, I think he can start from day 1. But I'm convinced we trade back. An extra 3rd would be great for filling all the needs in this team.

Big question is will Hopkins still be on the board?
 
Cherry picking this mock, I'd rather have Jesse Williams or Kawann Short at #27. Hopefully DeAndre Hopkins is available to us.
 
Cherry picking this mock, I'd rather have Jesse Williams or Kawann Short at #27. Hopefully DeAndre Hopkins is available to us.

I just don't see Jessie Williams being anything special in the pros. He got by on pure strength in college. That isn't going to be enough in the pros. I think he'll be a solid run stopper/ 2 down player and that is it. He adds nothing as a pass rusher.
 
I just don't see Jessie Williams being anything special in the pros. He got by on pure strength in college. That isn't going to be enough in the pros. I think he'll be a solid run stopper/ 2 down player and that is it. He adds nothing as a pass rusher.
In Wade's defensive scheme, the NT is not expected to rush the QB. Also, with all the pieces in place, Wade will stay in his base defense for most of the game, playing much less nickle and dime packages.

Williams would be a three down player, demanding a double team. With Mercilus taking the place of Barwin, Wade will overshift to the weakside, rather than the strong side as he did with Barwin, leaving Mercilus one on one against a back or completely unblocked. If defenses try to single block Williams, he'll consistently be in the backfield collapsing the pocket. If they double team him, they'll open up the middle for the ILB or safety blitz. On the strong side, Watt will demand the double team. Reed will be one on one with the TE or with a back.

Williams represents the most important of three final pieces Wade needs to have a dominate defense.
 
In Wade's defensive scheme, the NT is not expected to rush the QB.

Show me where he says that.

Also, with all the pieces in place, Wade will stay in his base defense for most of the game, playing much less nickle and dime packages.


So by adding a 2 down run stuffer Wade will stay in his base defense for most of the game, playing much less nickle and dime packages.

Williams would be a three down player, demanding a double team. With Mercilus taking the place of Barwin, Wade will overshift to the weakside, rather than the strong side as he did with Barwin, leaving Mercilus one on one against a back or completely unblocked. Smith will be one on one with the Tackle. If defenses try to single block Williams with just the Guard, he'll consistently be in the backfield collapsing the pocket. If they double team him with the Center, they'll open up the middle for the ILB or Safety blitz. On the strong side, Watt will demand the double team, leaving Reed one on one with the TE or with a back.

Williams wont be going against college guards that he can just out muscle anymore. He has very little technique. Which is why he shouldn't and probably won't even go in the first round. The only team I can see taking him is in the first is SF. On top of that he is not a 3/4 NT. He is a 3/4 end or a 4/3 DT. I guarantee you we won't draft him in the first.

Williams represents the most important of three final pieces Wade needs to have a dominate defense.

:thinking: What are the other two?
 
:thinking: What are the other two?
Weakside ILB and SS.

I've decided to go ahead and post a link to a current analysis of Wade's defense which has heavily influenced my thoughts on this year's draft. I haven't seen this posted ,yet, and I'm a little surprised at this. I'll post it in its own thread under Texans Talk. This will answer your other comments.
 
First, I never wrote " NT isn't required to penetrate".

In Wade's defensive scheme, the NT is not expected to rush the QB. Also, with all the pieces in place, Wade will stay in his base defense for most of the game, playing much less nickle and dime packages.


I just re-read the analysis, twice, and fail to see any mention of your statement.

I cut and pasted it straight from the article you supplied the link to. Here is the entire paragraph.

Wade Phillips' 5-2 also varies from a lot of other linebacker-heavy defenses in that his defensive line plays a "one gap" style rather than a "two gap" style. In a two gap style, defensive linemen will line up directly over their blockers (usually both tackles and the center) and play the gaps on both sides of their blocker, thus covering two gaps. With the line theoretically being big and strong enough to handle two gaps with single blocking, this allows them to play the run at the line of scrimmage while the linebackers fly all over the place and make plays in the backfield. In a "one gap" system, the defensive line shifts into the gaps themselves and tries to penetrate into the backfield on every single snap. Rather than being the decoys, the defensive ends and nose tackle in the Texans' defense are more often than not the main tools of destruction.
 
In Wade's defensive scheme, the NT is not expected to rush the QB. Also, with all the pieces in place, Wade will stay in his base defense for most of the game, playing much less nickle and dime packages.

If the NT is on the field when the offense passes the ball he is expected to rush the passer. He's not expected to just be out there doing nothing. If wade has a dominant NT that can pass rush he's not going to take him out in passing situations either.

Also, The offense dictates what type of defense you play. If an offense is playing with three or four we'd for most of the game, wade isn't staying in his base defense. If an offense throws extra receivers (or even athletic pass catching TE's) on the field you have to go to your sub packages...unless you want Brooks reed and Whitney merciless Or the mike trying to cover wes welker, Gronk, Hernandez, Ty Hilton and all those other slot receivers and te's...
 
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76Texan's analysis of the NT position in Wades defense (http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99519) is so in-depth and enlightening, I have nothing to add.

As far as the offense dictating the defense, this is an accurate assessment if Wade does not have all the parts to execute his full defense. We have the CB's to play man to man coverage. The SS should ideally cover big TE's in single coverage, but Manning will be a mismatch, which is why I like drafting a big SS like Cooper Taylor. Next, we have Ed Reed to cover a 3rd WR and the ILB's to cover the Backs. Only in a 5 receiver formation might a substitution be called for. So, with the right players, 3 receiver and 4 receiver formations can be covered in Wade's base defense. This works because of a dominating rush from our front 5.

I'm saying, to put the final pieces in place, Wade needs a dominant NT, an instinctive ILB to play next to Cushing and a big, strong, fast SS to match up to the big receivers.
 
Anybody know if this guys information is good re the grade on wrs? (Not having a first round grade on any wr)
 
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