WolverineFan
Hall of Fame
1) Josh Doctson - WR, TCU (6-2, 202)
Texans need to upgrade their receiving group and I see no reason to wait on it. Sure, Strong could develop or Shorts could stay healthy, but we just got the QB. It's time to give him some weapons. We already got the RB so it's time to hit WR. Doctson is either the best or the 2nd best WR in this draft (depending on how you view Laquon Treadwell). He is a physical, explosive receiver who dominates against 1-on-1 coverage. He is very Hopkins-like in his ability to overpower DB's at the catch point and consistently win on contested balls. He doesn't have elite speed, but he's fast enough and his ability to overpower coverage and catch everything in his vicinity neutralizes a lack of game breaking speed.
I think he's a fantastic option across from Hopkins because of the matchup problems the combo poses to defenses. Both are guys who can stretch the field by dominating 1-on-1 coverage vertically. You have to send a Safety their way to neutralize that 1-on-1 advantage. Problem here is, if you are sending an extra DB to cover down the field, then you are leaving Ryan Griffin and Lamar Miller 1-on-1 with LB's underneath. If you don't send your Safeties to cover deep then you are leaving your CB's on an island against guys who absolutely dominate in those kind of situations. I'll take those odds. It would be very reminiscent of the Bears 'Twin Towers' offense from a few years ago with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery both going over 1,000 yards and drawing coverage away from Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte (who led all RB's in receptions).
2) Austin Johnson - DT, Penn State (6-4, 314)
It's a great D-Line class so let's dive into it. In any other year, Johnson would be a 1st rounder. This year he will fall because of the sheer number of 1st round caliber DL in this draft. I'll start by saying that I don't think Johnson is a true NT. Not yet. He doesn't anchor well against double teams and is better at finding the ball and attacking than anchoring and holding his ground. He's very reminiscent of Dontari Poe in this regard. Poe came into the league with a DE skill set in a NT's body. He had to be groomed to be a NT, but once that grooming was done he had become one of the top NT's in the league.
I would deploy Johnson early much like Baltimore deployed Haloti Ngata early in his career. Use him as a DE on base downs and roll him inside in passing situations and use him as a situational NT. He's a guy who isn't a great pass rusher, but he gets the job done because of his power and relentless motor. I definitely see him as an upgrade over Jared Crick at DE because of his ability to make plays in the run game while also not being a black hole as a pass rusher. He can shore up the immediate need at DE across from Watt while grooming to take over for Wilfork at NT.
3) Willie Beavers - OT, Western Michigan (6-4, 321)
I know we all want the O-Line to be addressed earlier than this, but I think the Texans should play the long game here. OL is a position predicated on development and it is notoriously hard to find instant contribution. I would prefer to grab instant impact players at other positions early and then grab a few OL guys to develop. Beavers is a very athletic, but raw OT prospect who has great feet and can move in space. He actually reminds me of a raw version of Duane Brown. He has that same compact build but the long arms and agile feet to protect the edge. While he has all the tools to be a future LT, he is not without flaws. He plays with inconsistent technique and lacks power in the run game and tends to rely on his athleticism to compensate. That will be a much more difficult task at the next level against far more athletic defenders.
He's a guy who needs to be reworked a bit in the weight room to get him up to his potential. I would take him as a guy to groom to replace Brown in the next few years. With Brown being injured, I believe we will rely on Chris Clark to hold down LT early in the season with Newton at RT. Beavers can contribute as the 'swing tackle' and maybe push for one of those jobs. He's not the immediate upgrade that we all want at OT, but he could develop into the next Duane Brown and seamlessly replace Brown as he continues to decline as he gets older.
4) Isaac Seumalo - OG/C, Oregon State (6-4, 303)
Seumalo is a very talented interior prospect who was thrust into the starting lineup as a true freshman and started the next 2 years at Center before a foot injury forced him to miss his entire junior season. He came back for his fourth year and played mostly OG under new coach Gary Andersen. In his career, he started 23 games at Center, 9 games at OG, and 5 games at OT. He was a two-time All-Academic selection and a three-time All-Conference selection. He's very reminiscent of Xavier Su'a-Filo in that he has the versatility to play all over the line but his best fit is in the interior. Because of his intelligence, I think his best fit long-term is at Center but he fits O'Brien's desire of being a guy who can play multiple spots along the line.
He's got a stout frame and plays with great technique. He has quick feet and is a very good pass protector for an interior guy but also has the power to get movement off the line of scrimmage. Personally, I feel like he's gone very under the radar in a very talented Center class and people seem to have forgotten about him after he sat out 2014 with an injury. I see him as a guy who probably backs up Su'a-Filo and Bergstrom as a rookie, but who pushes Bergstrom for the starting Center job in year two.
5) Kevin Byard - FS, Middle Tennessee (5-11, 216)
Safety has been a gaping hole in this defense for years now. Last year's free agent splurge didn't work and now the team has been relegated to relying on vets like Quintin Demps to find viable starters. Andre Hal had a solid year and could be a guy to build with going foward, but there are really no other viable options. Byard was a four-year starter and three-time All-Conference selection. He has almost as many INT's in the last 2 seasons (10) as the entire Texans Safety group does over that time (12). He had 19 INT's over his career to go along with 318 tackles. He showed out well at the Senior Bowl but was a notable Combine snub.
He's not a guy who can line up in single high and cover the entire field, but play him hash to sideline and he will make plays on the ball. He fits the mold of the new age 'combo Safety' who is a jack of all trades and can play in coverage or run support. He's not great in run support but he's not horrific either. He held his own against Derrick Henry and Alabama this year, but he's definitely more comfortable dropping into zone and making plays on the ball. He's an average athlete, but has great instincts and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Not a guy that I would expect to start immediately. Would probably need to re-sign Demps and try to work one more year of competent Safety play out of him, but Byard is a guy who could work his way into sub-packages and eventually work into the starting lineup over the next few years.
5) Morgan Burns - CB/KR, Kansas State (5-11, 195)
Two-year starter at CB who is phenomenal athlete (ran a 4.3 at his Pro Day) but is very raw when it comes to defensive back play. He's very hot or cold and relies on his athleticism to make up for inconsistent technique. His speed allows him to make up for mistakes and make plays on the ball but he is definitely a project as a DB. However, that is not where his real value lies. His real value is in his return ability, as evidenced by his 5 KR TD's over the last two seasons and his 30.8 yard average per return. Put another way, he was such a good return man that he split return duties with Tyler Lockett.
He's definitely a project as a DB but has the size and athleticism to build around. He's a guy you try and develop as a DB and hope he can eventually become an A.J. Bouye type sub-package contributor, but his immediate and long-term contribution will be in the return game. He absolutely makes a bottom of the roster DB like Darryl Morris expendable.
6) Darion Griswold - TE, Arkansas State (6-3, 253)
This is not a strong TE class so I'd rather take impact players at other positions early and take a flier on a high upside TE later. Griswold is a former basketball player who played both sports early on in college. He doesn't have a lot of production because he played in a run heavy offense but he was still a two-time All-Conference selection. He has an ideal build with a thick frame and long arms. He has very good hands and works really well in the seams.
He played mostly in the slot or off the line so he lacks experience as an in-line player but is still a pretty solid blocker. He impressed so much at the East-West Shrine Game that he got called up to the Senior Bowl a week later. He's clearly a project but one with the athletic attributes to work with. He could be developed as the flex TE that Garrett Graham was supposed to be. Obviously that won't happen overnight, but a year or two of development and he could add to the cache of weapons we should be stockpiling for Osweiler.
Texans need to upgrade their receiving group and I see no reason to wait on it. Sure, Strong could develop or Shorts could stay healthy, but we just got the QB. It's time to give him some weapons. We already got the RB so it's time to hit WR. Doctson is either the best or the 2nd best WR in this draft (depending on how you view Laquon Treadwell). He is a physical, explosive receiver who dominates against 1-on-1 coverage. He is very Hopkins-like in his ability to overpower DB's at the catch point and consistently win on contested balls. He doesn't have elite speed, but he's fast enough and his ability to overpower coverage and catch everything in his vicinity neutralizes a lack of game breaking speed.
I think he's a fantastic option across from Hopkins because of the matchup problems the combo poses to defenses. Both are guys who can stretch the field by dominating 1-on-1 coverage vertically. You have to send a Safety their way to neutralize that 1-on-1 advantage. Problem here is, if you are sending an extra DB to cover down the field, then you are leaving Ryan Griffin and Lamar Miller 1-on-1 with LB's underneath. If you don't send your Safeties to cover deep then you are leaving your CB's on an island against guys who absolutely dominate in those kind of situations. I'll take those odds. It would be very reminiscent of the Bears 'Twin Towers' offense from a few years ago with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery both going over 1,000 yards and drawing coverage away from Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte (who led all RB's in receptions).
2) Austin Johnson - DT, Penn State (6-4, 314)
It's a great D-Line class so let's dive into it. In any other year, Johnson would be a 1st rounder. This year he will fall because of the sheer number of 1st round caliber DL in this draft. I'll start by saying that I don't think Johnson is a true NT. Not yet. He doesn't anchor well against double teams and is better at finding the ball and attacking than anchoring and holding his ground. He's very reminiscent of Dontari Poe in this regard. Poe came into the league with a DE skill set in a NT's body. He had to be groomed to be a NT, but once that grooming was done he had become one of the top NT's in the league.
I would deploy Johnson early much like Baltimore deployed Haloti Ngata early in his career. Use him as a DE on base downs and roll him inside in passing situations and use him as a situational NT. He's a guy who isn't a great pass rusher, but he gets the job done because of his power and relentless motor. I definitely see him as an upgrade over Jared Crick at DE because of his ability to make plays in the run game while also not being a black hole as a pass rusher. He can shore up the immediate need at DE across from Watt while grooming to take over for Wilfork at NT.
3) Willie Beavers - OT, Western Michigan (6-4, 321)
I know we all want the O-Line to be addressed earlier than this, but I think the Texans should play the long game here. OL is a position predicated on development and it is notoriously hard to find instant contribution. I would prefer to grab instant impact players at other positions early and then grab a few OL guys to develop. Beavers is a very athletic, but raw OT prospect who has great feet and can move in space. He actually reminds me of a raw version of Duane Brown. He has that same compact build but the long arms and agile feet to protect the edge. While he has all the tools to be a future LT, he is not without flaws. He plays with inconsistent technique and lacks power in the run game and tends to rely on his athleticism to compensate. That will be a much more difficult task at the next level against far more athletic defenders.
He's a guy who needs to be reworked a bit in the weight room to get him up to his potential. I would take him as a guy to groom to replace Brown in the next few years. With Brown being injured, I believe we will rely on Chris Clark to hold down LT early in the season with Newton at RT. Beavers can contribute as the 'swing tackle' and maybe push for one of those jobs. He's not the immediate upgrade that we all want at OT, but he could develop into the next Duane Brown and seamlessly replace Brown as he continues to decline as he gets older.
4) Isaac Seumalo - OG/C, Oregon State (6-4, 303)
Seumalo is a very talented interior prospect who was thrust into the starting lineup as a true freshman and started the next 2 years at Center before a foot injury forced him to miss his entire junior season. He came back for his fourth year and played mostly OG under new coach Gary Andersen. In his career, he started 23 games at Center, 9 games at OG, and 5 games at OT. He was a two-time All-Academic selection and a three-time All-Conference selection. He's very reminiscent of Xavier Su'a-Filo in that he has the versatility to play all over the line but his best fit is in the interior. Because of his intelligence, I think his best fit long-term is at Center but he fits O'Brien's desire of being a guy who can play multiple spots along the line.
He's got a stout frame and plays with great technique. He has quick feet and is a very good pass protector for an interior guy but also has the power to get movement off the line of scrimmage. Personally, I feel like he's gone very under the radar in a very talented Center class and people seem to have forgotten about him after he sat out 2014 with an injury. I see him as a guy who probably backs up Su'a-Filo and Bergstrom as a rookie, but who pushes Bergstrom for the starting Center job in year two.
5) Kevin Byard - FS, Middle Tennessee (5-11, 216)
Safety has been a gaping hole in this defense for years now. Last year's free agent splurge didn't work and now the team has been relegated to relying on vets like Quintin Demps to find viable starters. Andre Hal had a solid year and could be a guy to build with going foward, but there are really no other viable options. Byard was a four-year starter and three-time All-Conference selection. He has almost as many INT's in the last 2 seasons (10) as the entire Texans Safety group does over that time (12). He had 19 INT's over his career to go along with 318 tackles. He showed out well at the Senior Bowl but was a notable Combine snub.
He's not a guy who can line up in single high and cover the entire field, but play him hash to sideline and he will make plays on the ball. He fits the mold of the new age 'combo Safety' who is a jack of all trades and can play in coverage or run support. He's not great in run support but he's not horrific either. He held his own against Derrick Henry and Alabama this year, but he's definitely more comfortable dropping into zone and making plays on the ball. He's an average athlete, but has great instincts and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Not a guy that I would expect to start immediately. Would probably need to re-sign Demps and try to work one more year of competent Safety play out of him, but Byard is a guy who could work his way into sub-packages and eventually work into the starting lineup over the next few years.
5) Morgan Burns - CB/KR, Kansas State (5-11, 195)
Two-year starter at CB who is phenomenal athlete (ran a 4.3 at his Pro Day) but is very raw when it comes to defensive back play. He's very hot or cold and relies on his athleticism to make up for inconsistent technique. His speed allows him to make up for mistakes and make plays on the ball but he is definitely a project as a DB. However, that is not where his real value lies. His real value is in his return ability, as evidenced by his 5 KR TD's over the last two seasons and his 30.8 yard average per return. Put another way, he was such a good return man that he split return duties with Tyler Lockett.
He's definitely a project as a DB but has the size and athleticism to build around. He's a guy you try and develop as a DB and hope he can eventually become an A.J. Bouye type sub-package contributor, but his immediate and long-term contribution will be in the return game. He absolutely makes a bottom of the roster DB like Darryl Morris expendable.
6) Darion Griswold - TE, Arkansas State (6-3, 253)
This is not a strong TE class so I'd rather take impact players at other positions early and take a flier on a high upside TE later. Griswold is a former basketball player who played both sports early on in college. He doesn't have a lot of production because he played in a run heavy offense but he was still a two-time All-Conference selection. He has an ideal build with a thick frame and long arms. He has very good hands and works really well in the seams.
He played mostly in the slot or off the line so he lacks experience as an in-line player but is still a pretty solid blocker. He impressed so much at the East-West Shrine Game that he got called up to the Senior Bowl a week later. He's clearly a project but one with the athletic attributes to work with. He could be developed as the flex TE that Garrett Graham was supposed to be. Obviously that won't happen overnight, but a year or two of development and he could add to the cache of weapons we should be stockpiling for Osweiler.
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