You basically said the exact same thing that I did, except it appears as though you think Rick Smith is doing a good job overall. That’s where we disagree, I think. Teams aren’t built during the first and second rounds. Nor or they built by signing undrafted free agents. Depth, special teams, average level position players, etc... All of which the Texans lack at the moment lack. That is found in rounds 3-6. I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water when it comes to Rick Smith. But at this point, arguing that this organization doesn’t need better talent evaluation during the mid rounds of the draft is asinine. Every GM has hits and misses, but right now this team is way too top heavy. Way too many misses being leaned on.
Top 25 under 25 Spoiler Carson Wentz takes the top spot in our 2017 look at the NFL's top 25 players under age 25. The second-year Philadelphia Eagles quarterback made the jump from 25th as a rookie to the top spot and is one of four quarterbacks on the list. I pulled together rankings from four NFL talent evaluators and then spoke with a few others in making final tweaks. Odell Beckham Jr. and Le'Veon Bell were among the prominent players who aged out of consideration. Beckham, who turned 25 on Nov. 5, ranked first last year. He would have ranked lower this year if still eligible, a reflection of his injury status and an influx of young talent that includes promising young quarterbacks. In addition to the four quarterbacks, there are five defensive backs, five running backs, five wide receivers, four defensive front-seven players and just two offensive linemen. A short list of 10 other players who were near-misses follows the top 25. That list includes the quarterbacks taken 1-2 in the 2015 draft. Alas, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota have lost ground to the field. The Kansas City Chiefs led the way with three players on the list. Seven teams had two players, but there was one team conspicuously absent. "All those picks and the Browns didn't have anyone on the list, and you really could not even make a good case for anyone," the evaluator said. Myles Garrett could become a strong candidate, but with only four games played, two of them starts, he wasn't in the running this time. The rankings reflect a blend of production and potential, with availability also factoring. Positional value was a consideration, but not an overriding one. 1. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles | Age: 24 years, 10 months 2. Joey Bosa, DE, Los Angeles Chargers | Age: 22 years, 4 months 3. Marcus Peters, CB, Kansas City Chiefs | Age: 24 years, 10 months 4. Jadeveon Clowney, OLB, Houston Texans | Age: 24 years, 9 months Rams coach Sean McVay called Clowney "special" for his ability to disrupt plays, and the stats do not disagree. Clowney has six sacks while ranking second to the Cardinals' Chandler Jones in tackles for loss with 12. He has bounced back from a disappointing start to his career and has become more available than teammate J.J. Watt. A coach whose team faced the Texans but not the Chargers wondered what Bosa could do that Clowney could not do. "I just feel him when he's on the field," the coach said of Clowney. An evaluator called Bosa the better pure rusher and Clowney the better pure all-around player, noting that neither one of those things is bad. "The J.J. Watt injury helps Clowney because he is always a defensive end now," another evaluator said. "People scheme Clowney. If you want to take the No. 1 guy in the NFL for speed, power, quickness and explosion, he is at the front of the line. Plain athletic ability is off the charts." 5. Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars | Age: 23 years, 0 months 6. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys | Age: 22 years, 3 months 7. Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams | Age: 23 years, 3 months 8. Leonard Williams, DL, New York Jets | Age: 23 years, 4 months 9. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys | Age: 24 years, 3 months 10. Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints | Age: 21 years, 5 months 11. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Age: 24 years, 2 months 12. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars | Age: 22 years, 9 months 13. Landon Collins, S, New York Giants | Age: 23 years, 10 months 14. Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs | Age: 22 years, 3 months 15. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs | Age: 23 years, 8 months 16. Danielle Hunter, DE, Minnesota Vikings | Age: 23 years, 0 months 17. Kevin Byard, S, Tennessee Titans | Age: 24 years, 2 months 18. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings | Age: 23 years, 11 months 19. Deshaun Watson, QB Houston Texans | Age: 22 years, 2 months An evaluator said he'd take Wentz, then Prescott, then Watson if allowed to pick one of the three quarterbacks on this list. The fact that Watson was able to factor into the discussion after only six starts speaks very well of him. He had 19 scoring passes in less than seven full games before suffering a torn ACL in practice. "You like the stats of Watson, but when you watch the tape, there are picks and errant balls," the evaluator said. "Watson is, 'The team rallies around you, we feel good, I'm going to make some mistakes, but if we are around in the end, we are going to fight and come back,' whereas with Wentz, 'We can beat you any way we want to beat you -- running the ball, throwing the ball, if we are ahead, if we are behind.' Dak is, 'I make good decisions, I'm sturdy, I'm not flashy, you are just going to get consistent production.'" 20. Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams | Age: 23 years, 1 month 21. Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears | Age: 23 years, 0 months 22. Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders | Age: 23 years, 4 months 23. Jack Conklin, RT, Tennessee Titans | Age: 23 years, 2 months 24. Ronnie Stanley, LT, Baltimore Ravens | Age: 23 years, 7 months 25. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints | Age: 24 years, 8 months Just missed Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints: Kamara leads the NFL in yards per carry (6.8) and fills the Reggie Bush/Darren Sproles void for New Orleans. Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans: Mariota has the talent to rank high on this list. Injuries have kept him off the field in multiple seasons, and his production has been sporadic. Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Winston still throws too many interceptions, and how he is injured. The Bucs' breakout season on offense never materialized. Jamal Adams, S, New York Jets: The sixth overall choice in the 2017 draft has two sacks, two fumble recoveries and four passes defensed playing mostly as a box safety. Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars: He's a natural pass-rusher who seems to have a knack for getting sacks at the right time. Tre'Davious White, CB, Buffalo Bills: White probably should be in the top 25. At age 22, odds are that he will be on this list in the future. Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins: Landry averages four catches per game on passes traveling less than 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, most in the league for a wide receiver. He ranks 33rd on passes traveling longer than that. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers: He lines up all over the place and is making an immediate impact. Increased production should follow. Hunter Henry, TE, Los Angeles Chargers: He has 10 scoring passes in his first 24 games and should be a productive starter for years to come.
Technically. The browns didn't trade out of 1st round. They traded down in the 1st round and got the next years draft pick in return
You want to know how many teams passed on Watson? Seven (Browns, Bears, 49ers, Jags, Jets, Chiefs, and Bengals). These teams already had a QB: (Titans, Chargers, Panthers, and Saints)
Which is worse: a. Telegraphing your trade up for Tyler Lockett allowing SEA to jump ahead of you forcing you to make a last minute second choice pick that nobody here really wanted, b. Cutting Jaelen Strong so your division rivals can claim him, c. Seeing your 2015 3rd round pick isn't even good enough for the Jaguars? (or d. Finding your roster in such bad shape you have to reclaim him?)
Jacoby, Foreman, CJF, Brandon Brooks, Earl Mitchell. He's had some decent picks in the 3rd but he's going to have to find a way to hit on 2 out 3 this next draft to replenish the talent on this team.
I like how the organization drafts. Both Kubiak and BoB had their own reasons to stay with the qbs they had. A true GM would have not cared and gone after his own Quarterback but then that causes tension and eventual disaster with the coaching staff. Our said coaching staffs get to voice for the players that fit their schemes, and those schemes whether rock star wade's or romeos or kubiaks have provided us with an abundance of talented players. So I like the drafting. People focus on the missed busts but don't take into account the bouyes, the brooks, cockroach eater jones, covington now reader that help stuff the running game. Even jungleboy swag doin' has thang. Hal can be very good if you have a discipline vet next to him...ooops cut the vet. Drafting hasn't been an issue for me. For me it's allowing those gems to walk away that is the problem. The patriots can do that because because they have uggs under center. I'm not letting that go. Brooks and bouye should be probowlers here. Retain the talent you developed. about the line, A content Brown/ Ben Jones/ Martin/ Brooks/ Davenport would be a hell of a line with the zone schemes being used with Watson. Without Watson, we go back to the power scheme and it's just cringe worthy.
8 posts ago you called the guy a bust, you can’t have it both ways. I agree with your original assessment in that Posey didn’t pan out. I’m sure the Achilles injury had something to do with it
Um....CFL. He didnt work for the Jets. Sometimes, it takes a player a few years to figure it out. Teams cannot wait for them.
Tongue in cheek post about the Argos. Posey became obviously a guy Maccagnan pounded the table for when he was thrown in on that trade.
