Incompletions (2017 NFL Draft Edition): Knives Out

The BRB staff loves to feel the cold, sharp razor’s edge begin to flay the skin. You may consider this NFL Draft Season, but ‘round these parts we call it “Cuttin’ Season.”

As we all unfurl our pristine, polished blades from their leather casings for the annual bloodletting, allow us to inform you of who we want the Texans to draft in Round One of the 2017 NFL Draft, as well as who we think the Texans will pick.

Tim:

Who The Texans Will Take: They're going to trade their first round pick. If they trade up, it'll be for a quarterback. If they trade down, they're taking an offensive lineman or a defensive back.

Who I Want: There's no realistic option I'm lusting after, but there are several players I'd be pleased with. The player who would worry me the most would be Patrick Mahomes; I'm just not sold on him transitioning to the NFL despite his obvious physical gifts.

Chris:

Who I want the Texans to draft in the first round - literally any of the top four quarterbacks. In years past, I’d be saying, “This guy isn’t a good fit” or “That guy I think is going to be a bust in the NFL”, etc. But I’m sick of the spiral of free agent busts, mediocre-at-best Ryan Fitzpatrick types, former Patriots backups, and so on. Let’s not overthink it for once. Take one of the almost universally-agreed top four guys and get it done. My preference is Pat Mahomes, but I will be fine with any.

Who I think the Texans will draft in round one - one of the top four quarterbacks, likely via a trade-up. It won’t be a BIG leap up, but I do think they will trade up into the mid-late teens of the first round.

Capt. Ron:

I'd be in favor of one of the top OT prospects if he's there at pick 25. On the other hand, if one of the top safeties or corner backs slide in the first round, I'd love to see the Texans add elite talent to the secondary. There's also this "warm and fuzzy" hope that T.J. Watt is the name called for Houston on Thursday night. I think it would be a great story for the NFL to have two brothers with their infectious positive public image and high energy performance on the same team, especially if they lead that team into the record books. You can't have enough depth at linebacker and defensive back, and the Texans lost A.J. Bouye, Quintin Demps and John Simon in free agency.

That said, I think the Texans will draft an OT, perhaps Garett Bolles.

I want Houston to draft T.J. Watt. If they can't find a "sure thing" QB or OT in the first round, let's have a fun story of two brothers who lead the league's best defense.

BFmf’nD:

Who I want us to take: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame. I think either Kizer or Mitch Trubisky have the best chances of being a true franchise QB, but Trubisky comes with too many question marks for me. Plus, Trubisky seems to be the one more likely to come off the board before our pick.

Who I think we'll take: Adoree Jackson, CB, USC. Let the Jay CUTLA Error (sic) begin!

Luke Beggs:

Who I want: Forrest Lamp. I think the QB lot will still be reasonably full at the top of the second round, which is where I would want to trade up into, so until then why not build upon the offensive line?

Who I think they'll take: Patrick Mahomes. Whoever the QB ends up being that we take, I don't think we see him this year unless Tom Savage gets injured. Mahomes isn't a horrible decision if you think that this pick is purely to develop a QB.

Jeremy Brener:

I think we will take Cam Robinson. Sounds like he will be there at 25, and he's the right type of guy the Texans can plug in and start at tackle Week 1.

In terms of what I hope, I would like to see Deshaun Watson fall to us somehow, or Obi Melifonwu. Either of those two or Robinson will make me happy. There isn't really a pick that I wouldn't like to see; there is so much talent in R1.

Except for Deshone Kizer. No Kizer, please.

Titan Matt Weston, Slanderer of Blade Runner and a Huge Texas Rangers Fan:

Who They Will Take: They aren't going to take a quarterback. They are going to do their usual thing where they draft an outside linebacker, tackle, or corner, and that player will end up being very good.

Tom Savage is going to be the starting quarterback for Houston. They will draft another guy like him in the third or fourth round. Then next offseason, they are going to need a quarterback again, and we will be having the same stupid conversations and the same arguments that we have had for the last three years. Even though everything has changed, nothing has really changed at all.

What I Want: Either Trubisky, Kizer, or Watson. I like all three of these quarterbacks as potential starters. I'm down with whoever falls to Houston at #25 or who they can trade back up into the second round and get.

Battle Red Coat:

Who They Will Take: Forrest Lamp. Not exciting or flashy, but a big need and will slot straight in.

Who I Want: Any of the top four QBs. If we have to trade up, I would. I just want to gamble again. We have to be right at some point. It's the only position we really need to get right to stand a chance of winning it all.

Rivers McCown:

Who I Want: I will not complain about any of the first four quarterbacks on most boards. I think there's reasons to believe in any of them long-term. At this point I've moved beyond thinking the Texans’ front office and I will ever see eye to eye on quarterbacks. I am willing to settle for "at least they made an investment." I also have major crushes on Jabrill Peppers, Budda Baker, and Malik McDowell. I expect at least one of them to be there when the Texans would pick.

Who We Will Pick (cynical): Davis Webb. Somebody's gotta be driving this late first-round talk, right? And why wouldn't it be the people who were a-okay with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tom Savage, and Brian Hoyer?

OK, OK, Really: Garett Bolles. Tackle is a need that could become a festering wound as soon as Duane Brown starts to hit his end days. A preemptive strike makes some sense as long as the right talent is there. Bolles is older, but I think he could eventually slide to LT once Brown is ready to hang them up.

Mike Bullock:

Who I want: As I have previously written, T.J. Watt. This defense is special, but not the best ever. Honestly, not even top ten best ever. Bring in T.J. Watt, and then grab one of the highly talented safeties/corners in the later rounds, and then watch this D get into the "greatest of all time" conversation.

Who I think they'll take: Cam Robinson, Ryan Ramczyk, Garett Bolles or Forrest Lamp...whichever highly touted offensive lineman is still available. I won't be disappointed, but T.J.'s upside is much bigger than any of the offensive linemen, IMO.

Houston is the only team with every first round pick since 2008 still on the roster, so Rick Smith usually nails the first round. Whomever they pick should improve the team right away.

Uprooted Texan:

Who I want: Kizer, Watson, Trubisky, Mahomes. In that order. I don't expect any of these guys to start and if we're going to draft a QB of the future, then by deity of your choice, let's do it now. At least this way we'll have someone who would theoretically be immersed in the system of Bill O'Brien, Super Genius, for one year, assuming things don't go sideways next year and Bill O'Brien doesn't get tossed on his ear.

Who I think they'll take: None of the above mentioned players, because of course not. I do think that they'd go after an offensive tackle for pretty much the same reason Rivers mentioned. Duane Brown's not getting any younger, and since this is such a poor draft for offensive linemen, best to get one early. I differ, however, in that I think that the Texans will take Cam Robinson if they do go offensive tackle here.

Brett Kollmann:

Who I want: An impact defensive player or offensive lineman. I do not expect the one quarterback I actually really like (Kizer) to be there at 25, so improving either the depth at offensive tackle or defensive back is a huge priority to me. Jabrill Peppers, Budda Baker, Cam Robinson, or Garett Bolles are my all my best case scenario, so hopefully at least ONE of them lasts long enough for Rick Smith to grab them.

Who I think they will take: The highest quarterback on the board. I think the McNair family is sick of waiting for the perfect time to invest a high pick in a QB, and I would not be surprised to see the front office just go all out for "their guy" this year. With the core of the team still in their prime, it's now or never.

Plenty of variety in the answers there. Feel free to use the comments section to give your answers below.

Oh, and don’t be a cutter. Although it is too late for us, we can offer BRB as a place for you to scream into the void. Leave thine blade sheathed.