FanPost

Reviewing Texans Draft Possibilities

Look, I've reviewed the mock drafts and followed the draftniks like everyone else, and I can't help but feel they're all missing the boat on Texans draft logic. WR is a position of need, but certainly not THE position of need. I don't claim to be able to get into Rick Smith or BOB's head, but I'm going to try to reason out this year's draft below.

Let's start where every national mock drafter starts, the roster needs for the Texans. I think a logical argument could be made for just about every single position on the roster (which screams Best Grade Available drafting next week).

QB - I'd like to think we're set here for the time being. It wouldn't surprise me completely to see a QB drafted in the mid-late rounds, but I think it's most likely we bring in an UDFA for a look. Weeden and Savage will compete for the backup job, so the only option here would be to carry them on the practice squad unless we're talking Hackenburg who knows the offense...

RB - You could argue we're set here, but I would still be interested to see if a complete or at least high level receiving back falls in the 2-4 range, if we'll pull the trigger. Guys like K. Dixon and Booker would be great to lessen the load of Miller. I don't love Blue and Hunt is interesting, but strictly a role player.

WR - I don't personally feel this is as big of a need as nationally written. I think the roster starts with Hopkins and Strong on the outside and Shorts in the slot. Strong can also play well in the slot I think. Back end of the position group could be upgraded and Shorts is a soft-tissue injury waiting to happen though, so I could see a round 2-4 pick here, though I think a role player is most likely.

TE - There's an obvious need for a pass catching TE here. I think the best route to take is to look for a receiving TE option, like Stephen Anderson, or even converting Cajuste to TE. Griffin has potential, but competition will be good here. Better play from this position will lessen the need for WR.

OL - We have plenty of depth options across the board here, but I think G and C positions could be upgraded through the draft. I also think if a starting caliber T were to fall to us, we should consider it with Brown's health and longevity in question. Newton also hasn't been consistent year to year...

DL - This is an undersold need. Crick is gone, Wilfork is nearly done. We have some promising young players in Brandon Dunn and Covington, but they both strike me more as penetrating 3 techniques, which make them better sub-package rushers. 5 tech DE is the most obvious need, and ideally one with pash-rushing chops, and potentially even flexibility to play nose. (Billings??) You can argue Devon Still and Pagan can contribute there, but I think you look for an upgrade. A planetoid run stuffer is a mid-late round option, but that's a role player type position unless you can get a transcendent talent early on.

LB - You could make a case that we still need a cover LB and Cushing's replacement. Let's hope Cliett can fill the cover role, but there's a place here for another ILB if one is available. The top 3 OLB positions are set, but we're 1 injury away from being dangerously thin. A depth signing or draftee is possible here.

DB - CB position is also set, but you can always upgrade the depth if an option presents itself. (I don't love our CB4-5) Safety is a place where there's flexibility to upgrade, but depth is in place on the roster already.

K/P - No desire to upgrade these spots in the draft, but as an Aggie, Drew Kaser should be a priority UDFA if he makes it out of the draft, and K is becoming a more critical position, so an Aguayo pick wouldn't hurt my feelings.

With all that in mind, as I mentioned before, Best Grade Available is the most logical way to approach this draft. I say grade available assuming that in some way factors in the team needs, and not just the player grade/value. There aren't any positions that we couldn't get by with, but there are spots up and down the roster which could be upgraded on day 1 & 2. Based on position value, and depth in the draft, I think DL or OT are the most likely options in round 1. (only caveat is if they are just hell-bent on drafting speed at WR, in which case Coleman or Fuller would be options) In round 2, I could see them going S, WR (Shephard?), DL, or OL, with a similar pick in round 3. I think this shapes up as another meat and potatoes draft, build in the trenches again, and sprinkle in the quality skill guys where they land.

I actually liked the rotoworld team need summary and mock and would endorse a similar strategy if not necessarily the same players.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/61623/71/nfl-draft-needs-texans