Something to pass the time.

[kiwitexansfan]

I would like us to trade down but if we stay put I would have to go with Bush. Here is what I would do with these two options based pretty much on what I see as being our needs.

Stay at one option:
#1, Reggie Bush, USC, HB,
#33, Marcus McNeil, Auburn, OT
#65, Jonathon Joseph, South Carolina, CB
#66, Elvis Dummeril, Louisville, DE
#97, Tim Dobbins, Iowa St, ILB
#129, Dwayne Slay, Texas Tech, FS
#161, Tony Scheffler, Western Michigan, TE
#193 Donald Penn, Utah State, OG

Trade down option:
R1#4: Mario Williams DE North Carolina State
R2#33: Marcus McNeil, Auburn, OT
R2#36: Abdul Hodge, Iowa, ILB
R3#65: Jonathon Joseph, South Carolina, CB
R3#66: Mark Setterstrom, Minnesotta, OG
R3#68: Elvis Dummeril, Louisville, DE
R4#97: Michael Robinson, Penn State, WR/QB
R5#129: Dwayne Slay, Texas Tech, FS
R6#161: Tony Scheffler, Western Michigan, TE
R7#193: Lawrence Vickers, Colorado, FB

 

[MorKnolle]

This is after a trade with the Jets to get their 1st rounder (#4), their 2nd rounder (#36), and their 1st and 3rd round picks next season.

4 - Mario Williams, DE, NC State
33 - Alan Zemaitis, CB, Penn St.
36 - Anthony Fasano, TE, Notre Dame
65 - Jonathon Scott, T, Texas
66 - Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina
97 - Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona St.
129 - Greg Eslinger, C, Minnesota
161 - A.J. Nicholson, LB, Florida St.
193 - Eric Henderson, DE, Georgia Tech

This draft is assuming the Texans have the players on their rosters as it stands now. If they pick up someone like John Abraham or LeCharles Bentley that could change what I think they should do.

Williams and Henderson give them 2 DEs that could both play Strongside or Henderson could play weakside if they both start.

Zemaitis could play at FS with Joseph, Dunta, and either Brown or Earl filling out the rest of the defensive backfield.

Eslinger and Scott will help upgrade the line. I don't think they need 5 new linemen. Replacing a couple of rusty parts will go a long way. Hodgden or Eslinger can move to G with Pitts and Scott at T. Weigert stays at the other G spot and Wade, McKinney, and Brown are shown the door.

Fasano and Hagan give Carr some more weapons. Hagan can replace Gaffney if he bolts in FA and Fasano can add a multidimensional TE threat.

Nicholson is the biggest wildcard. I don't think he slips to the 6th round, but according to the list, that's where they have him. He has some big character flaws, but his upside is big. The team needs a playmaker in that LB group and with his skills he could be that person.

I really don't like Fasano at #36, he is 3rd round quality and there is no need to get him that high, if you're going to pick a TE that high it better be Vernon Davis, Marcedes Lewis, Leonard Pope, or maybe Dominique Byrd. I would also prefer to look OT in the 2nd, otherwise this isn't a bad combo of picks,

 

[AustinJB]

No Trade:

1. Vince Young, QB
2. Daryn Colledge, OT
3a. Ray Edwards, DE
3b. Jonathan Joseph, CB
4. Joe Klopfenstein, TE
5. Rob Sims, OG <OR> Mark Setterstrom, OG (both possess same attributes)
6. Aaron Harris, MLB
7. Jeremy Bloom, WR

 

[TexanBacker93]

I really don't like Fasano at #36, he is 3rd round quality and there is no need to get him that high, if you're going to pick a TE that high it better be Vernon Davis, Marcedes Lewis, Leonard Pope, or maybe Dominique Byrd. I would also prefer to look OT in the 2nd, otherwise this isn't a bad combo of picks,

I was going off the rules of the list where you could only draft a player that was rated lower than your current pick. Fasano is rated 50 on that list which would be mid to late 2nd round. Once the 65th pick comes around none of the top TEs are still available. I agree that it's too early, but with Pope and Lewis already gone if the Texans want a TE they might have to go a little earlier than possible. It could be possible to trade back in the 2nd round to pick him up later and maybe grab an extra 3rd round pick. I was also trying to fill their biggest needs, DE, OL, FS, CB, MLB, TE.

 

[MorKnolle]

I was going off the rules of the list where you could only draft a player that was rated lower than your current pick. Fasano is rated 50 on that list which would be mid to late 2nd round. Once the 65th pick comes around none of the top TEs are still available. I agree that it's too early, but with Pope and Lewis already gone if the Texans want a TE they might have to go a little earlier than possible. It could be possible to trade back in the 2nd round to pick him up later and maybe grab an extra 3rd round pick. I was also trying to fill their biggest needs, DE, OL, FS, CB, MLB, TE.

Gotcha. I guess I overlooked that part.

This seems like a really old list with a lot of questionable ratings and some omissions (although heights and weights seem updated from the Senior Bowl), but I'll go ahead and add mine in here.

If we don't trade:
1) Reggie Bush, RB, USC - If we don't trade down he's our guy.
33) Nick Mangold, C/G, Ohio St. - I wouldn't pick him quite this high in real life but he's my favorite OLineman left in this model.
65) Maurice Stovall, WR, Notre Dame - I doubt he lasts this long but he's available on this list.
66) Jonathan Scott, OT, Texas - I'd rather get a better OT but at this point in the draft he's not a bad choice.
97) Ray Edwards, DE, Purdue - I don't know a whole lot about him and want a better DE, but in this scenario he's our guy.
129) Danieal Manning, CB/FS, Abilene Christian - Very nice athlete, a little raw skill-wise, but a great pick up this late.
161) Rocky McIntosh, LB, Miami - Available later according to this list, but Williams is too.
193) T.J. Williams, TE, N.C. State - He wasn't even on the list for some reason, I really like him as a TE and he's a steal here.
I don't like getting a DE so late in this one (and I'm not real fond of Edwards being our main DE acquisition), but by #33 the good ones that are left are all under-sized and there were good offensive players available, so that steered me away from them. This draft would help our offense out a lot, and Manning, Rocky, and Williams are great picks that late IMO.

If we trade #1 to the Jets for the #4, #36, and next year's 1st and 3rd (same deal as Chargers/Giants two years ago):
4) Mario Williams, DE, N.C. State - Mammouth DE, probably my #1 guy that I like for the Texans in this draft,
33) Nick Mangold, C/G, Ohio St. - I wouldn't pick him quite this high in real life but he's my favorite OLineman left in this model.
36) Davin Joseph, G, Oklahoma - Also would not take him this high, but he's my top guy in the 36-64 bracket.
65) Maurice Stovall, WR, Notre Dame - I doubt he lasts this long but he's available on this list.
66) Jonathan Scott, OT, Texas - I'd rather get a better OT but at this point in the draft he's not a bad choice.
97) Gerrick McPhearson, CB, Maryland - I'd never take him this high, but he adds depth at CB.
129) Danieal Manning, CB/FS, Abilene Christian - Very nice athlete, a little raw skill-wise, but a great pick up this late.
161) Rocky McIntosh, LB, Miami - Available later according to this list, but Williams is too.
193) T.J. Williams, TE, N.C. State - He wasn't even on the list for some reason, I really like him as a TE and he's a steal here.

I still hope Eric Winston falls to the #33 spot, but Mangold, Joseph, and Scott should go a long ways to fixing our OLine problems, and Mario should be a beast of a DE. The last three picks are the same as my other scenario, T.J. Williams won't last until the 7th but in this simulation he's there and would be a great pickup that late. Rocky likely won't be there in the 6th in real life but he could fall that far. Manning hopefully will last until the 4th, he has great mix of size, speed, and strength and could play CB or FS, I don't think his coverage skills are that great yet, but he should be able to find a spot, and Hoke should be able to get him ready. I don't like taking McPhearson that high, but CB was our next biggest need, and he supposedly runs a 4.21 so if he really is that fast I'd take a chance on him and see what he can do.