Duane Brown Is The Newest Texan?

by Tim on Apr 26, 2008 5:14 PM CDT in News Comment 25 comments

Hmmmmm. I get that the guy is allegedly a good fit for the zone blocking system, but in the first round? With Brandon Flowers, Phillip Merling, and/or Kenny Phillips available? Unless you're hooked up to a Smithiak Kool-Aid IV drip, this raises eyebrows.

That said, remember Shake's sig line:

We can be critical of the draft picks, but in the end we always support the new Texan.

I need a(nother) drink. Discuss in the Comments below if you like.

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Not drinking the Kool-Aid, but...

I think Smithiak knows what they are doing, and maybe he had a good interview so he's a "good kid."

1- DE 3- CB 4- OT 5- CB

by texanphil on Apr 26, 2008 5:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

re: Sig

Sucks that I'm gonna have to change that in SBN v2.0, as it won't make much sense at Crawfish Boxes or BON.

We can be critical of the draft picks, but in the end we always support the new Texan.

by Shake on Apr 26, 2008 5:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Really good feet

My first thoughts were this was a horrible pick but what do I know. If that is who they wanted then you get him even if it is too early (Indy does it all the time). We did get an extra good pick so we should be able to get a decent rb or cb. The 3rd we got is toward the bottom of the round though.

Do you know what "winner" VY's career record is? 17-11 Do you know what "loser" Rex Grossman's career record is? 19-11

by danger man on Apr 26, 2008 5:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

good pick

smithiak knows what the hell they are doing. we picked up an extra starter (3rd round pick) and our LT of the future. He will erase all o-line problems within the next couple of seasons and a former weakness will be a strength. good, smart pick. for anyone who says it was a reach he wasn't going to last past the first 10 picks in the second. we liked him. we took him. kiper is a douche but he had him graded higher than cherlious and baker. he liked him and saw him as a first round talent. good job.

by cbass on Apr 26, 2008 5:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Duane Brown

I am upset that we traded down to get him as we had a bunch of other options at the time but if Gibbs believes that he is our LT of the future I have to put my trust in him. He certainly got a lot of flack when he drafted guys like Foster and Nalen and those guys but they worked out for the broncos and I think it will work out for us too. He can learn from Salaam and Pitts and be ready for full time duty next year. I think we may try to trade back inot round 2 but if not I trust we will do all right tommorow.

by Dragon on Apr 26, 2008 6:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Brown

I don't have a problem with Brown becoming a Texan. My only concern is the fact that, by all accounts, we reached for him in Round One. We didn't have a pick in Round Two, so I can see how that would limit the flexibility. But it's still a reach, isn't it?

Still...I agree that Gibbs, Kubes, and Smith know more about what they're doing than any of us do. So if they thought he was really a better option than adding one of the other available talents there, we don't have any choice but to believe them. It's not like we had a voice in the draft room.

Now it's time to go CB in Round Three.

Looking forward to a day when being a Texans fan doesn't mean that April is the highlight of my season...

by Tim on Apr 26, 2008 6:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Who Can Say It Is A Reach?

The best mock drafts are 30-50% accurate for R1, and their accuracy drops as the draft moves along. Mock drafts are 0% accurate after R1. So it isn't like they are qualified to make a judgment on this.

Keep in mind that Dwight Freeney was a tremendous reach. Mario was a reach. My guess is that they had Brown targeted, and went as far back as they felt they could safely go. Plus, if you have one of the best OL coaches ever on staff, don't you think the guy is qualified to determine the best candidate for the OL?

by kozanack on Apr 26, 2008 6:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Drinking The Kool-Aid

Yeah, at this point I feel confident enough to allow myself a few sips of the Smithiak Kool-Aid.

by kozanack on Apr 26, 2008 6:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mario was not a reach

In practically every player ranking, he was 2nd or 3rd and he played a position that has much greater value than a rb. Oops, I'm still sensitive about the Mario drafting, I guess.

Do you know what "winner" VY's career record is? 17-11 Do you know what "loser" Rex Grossman's career record is? 19-11

by danger man on Apr 26, 2008 6:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

There are untold numbers of articles lambasting the Texans for bypassing the greatest talents of our generation. Certainly, the implication is that Mario was a reach, otherwise the articles make no sense.

Just more evidence R1 of the draft has become a combination beauty pageant and popularity contest.

by kozanack on Apr 26, 2008 11:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They stuck to their plan

This didn't look like a panic move. It looked like they wanted him, they realized they could still get him later in the round, and they got us an extra pick in the process.

If he turns into our franchise left tackle, I think all will be forgiven. Especially if we end up getting a solid player in the third-round too.

After the last two drafts, I'm trusting they know more about this than I do. But I really would like to get a RB in the third. Chris Brown and Ahman Green might fill in fine, but we need somebody young who can grow with our offense.

by Nashmeister on Apr 26, 2008 6:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

More Brown

Other than being athletic, I am not reading a lot of good stuff about him and this really concerns me.

From NFL.com

After lining up on the right side as a sophomore and junior, Brown was shifted to left tackle as a senior. The offense struggled throughout the 2007 season, as the front wall allowed 54 quarterback sacks after giving up only 29 in 2006.

Do you know what "winner" VY's career record is? 17-11 Do you know what "loser" Rex Grossman's career record is? 19-11

by danger man on Apr 26, 2008 6:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

sacks slightly misleading

VaTech's QB (for most of the year) Glennon has cinder blocks for feet. He was absolutely inept at getting away from any pass rush. But I did see that Brown himself allowed 12 sacks during the last 2 seasons, so that may be cause for worry.

by BigTexBD on Apr 26, 2008 6:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Value: no, Player: yes

This was a great pick! A very athletic, mobile, converted TE at LT. This is the pick that Alex Gibbs wanted to fit into his pure ZBS that will impress next year. True, it was a slight reach, but only because we couldn't trade out of it and get that mid-high round 2 that we wanted. I believe Brown will improve drastically throughout the year as Gibbs and Salaam mentor him on how to play at the pro level. I think he'll even make Chris Brown and Ahman Green look good!

by NWTexan on Apr 26, 2008 6:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

This draft has gone crazy

Unless I'm blind - I think the Jags just traded up again. To get another DE. And Limas Sweed is still on the board. At the bottom of round 2.

Tell me again why I follow sports?

by DisplacedTexan on Apr 26, 2008 7:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

It was a bit early to take him, but I think we would have missed out on him and any other quality left tackles had we waited until the third round. As far as the players you said were still there...

Merling is a Weaver clone who's better suited to the 3-4. He doesn't rush the passer well at all. Flowers would have been a reach also, but I would have been okay with it. Phillips is a good player, but again that would have been a reach too. Also, he's not quite an elite talent and would probably only be a marginal upgrade.

I'm surprised we didn't take Mendenhall at 18.

by Leein3D on Apr 26, 2008 7:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Too early

BUT I don't hate the player... it's the pick I don't care for.

I hope he can start immediately... but man, twice a year against Derrick Harvey at JAX, KVB at TEN, and Freeney at IND. Yikes.

by HoustonDiehards on Apr 26, 2008 7:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Look at it this way:

He probably won't be worse than Salaam, and he has the potential to be pretty good. Was it a reach? Sure, but we took a guy who should be a pretty good player and he happens to fill a need.

by Nashmeister on Apr 26, 2008 7:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, we LOVE this guy

So we did have an offer to trade down AGAIN...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D909SSLG0.html

You gotta wonder if we answer the phone, is he available at the sure-fire second round pick that the phone call is offering. Then you gotta wonder what player is available with the OTHER pick offered in the phone call not answered.

I am drunk on the Kool-aid, but at least ANSWER the phone and counter offer before declining...

1- DE 3- CB 4- OT 5- CB

by texanphil on Apr 26, 2008 9:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think...

...we love him so much because Albert and Williams were gone. Brown himself said he was surprised to be picked by Houston because he'd hardly had any contact with us. That doesn't sound like a guy that "we were in love with" as the F.O. keeps saying.

But whatever. I've already started to sip the Kool-Aid.

by HoustonDiehards on Apr 26, 2008 10:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I Don't Know

According to McClaine, based upon their knowledge of the Broncos and Gibbs, other teams identified Albert & Williams as the prime candidates, with Brown as the sleeper. McClaine also says that Gibbs raved about Brown, and that Brown is the fastest OT in the draft. It may very well be that the Texans did target Brown, and that he has the most upside.

Can I have another cup of the grape flavored please?

by kozanack on Apr 26, 2008 11:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think it's great we got an LT

Coaching staff wouldn't have selected him if they didn't have the confidence he could pull it off based on his abilities & their coaching. Kudos.

Catching the trade winds.. just perfect.

The only thing I could say was that we could have had a higher rated prospect.. but it was obvious they rated this guy high enough to wait on.

I can't wait til football season now damn it!!

-Clamslayer

by clamslayer on Apr 26, 2008 11:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Pass the Vodka Spiked Kool-Aid Please

I just keep thinking, has Smithiak let us down yet?..NO! So until they completely screw up, I'll keep on drinking...and uh even when they do screw up I'll keep drinking.

by bullpen116 on Apr 27, 2008 9:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs