Great One- McKinnie hasnt allowed a sack in all of his high school and college seasons. Doubt Williams can claim that. I really dont want them to draft a QB this year. Especially when these next few years look so strong at that position.
I will also get on board with the anti-QB delegation. If you look at all of the playoff teams in the NFL this season, how many would you imagine drafted their current quarterback in the first round? Well by my count only 1 of those teams has a quarterback that they drafted in the first round. I'd just assume build the team and then nab a quarterback in a later round or in FA. If you can get guys the quality of Warner and Garcia as undrafted free agents then I'd rather not use a high #1 on someone who isn't the realest of the real deals. New England - Tom Brady - 6th round pick Miami - Jay Fiedler - FA NY Jets - Vinny Testaverde - FA Pittsburgh - Kordell Stewart - 2nd round pick Baltimore - Elvis Grbac - FA Oakland - Rich Gannon - FA Philadelphia - Donovan McNabb - 1st round pick Chicago - Jim Miller - FA Green Bay - Brett Favre - Trade Tamba Bay - Brad Johnson - FA St. Louis - Kurt Warner - FA San Francisco - Jeff Garcia - FA
I wouldn't be against us getting Harrington (or even Karr), but my feeling is that we shouldn't go for QB first. We can build a good team around a mediocre QB, then draft a good one (Eli Manning) in a few years . . . I'm on the Bryant McKinnie bandwagon . . . although if we could trade to 4 or 5 and get Roy Williams, that'd be good too . . .
You gotta start off with an OL, look at the Jags... they took Boselli and became a playoff team the next year with a couple of trades, some awsome drafting and some free agent pickups, and you know why? Cuz the OL was great
Of course, the Panthers started with a QB and also became a playoff team the next year. It works both ways, although I'd still prefer a potential franchise quarterback over a good OL.
they actually lucked out getting brunell on draft-eve, freeing them to draft boselli. i'm not sure he's their first pick if they don't have brunell in place. easier said than done. unheralded, unemployed franchise QB's aren't exactly growing on trees. i mean, there's a tremendous amount of luck involved. to wit, if trent green doesn't hurt his knee, no one would know who kurt warner is.
Well you're right on that but for every Manning there seems to be about 10 Akili Smiths or Cade McNowns. Drafting QB's high in the draft doesn't seem to be a wise move considering the failure rate and the inability of scouting to properly judge these players. Also, perhaps the "franchise QB" dynamic isn't feasible any longer with how much this type of QB demands in terms of salary and the repercussions on the salary cap which kill depth.
What is Carolina going to do to sweetrn the deal for the Texans to do business with them rather than someone else? That's their problem; they don't want someone else moving up to nab Peppers. I hear Carolina wants to move Sean Gilbert. Could we fatten him up and have our own Tony Siragusa?! I think his salary is too large and his drive too small at this point. How about Mike Minter. He's a great safety. Or Rashard Anderson, a young cornerback. I love Harrington, but I can't justify taking him over McKinnie. <b>Ric</b>, who would the Jags have taken had they not signed Brunell? After all, he was an unproven fourth round draft choice. I know he was sought after, but he was no certain starter. Seems like OL are more certain picks. Fewer of them seem to disappoint.
If Harrington or Carr do well in their combines either is the best place to start IMO. Trading down and getting them plus extra (you can use the extra 2nd rounder or a future #1 on the OL if you want) is even better. I would agree with taking an OL if one phenomenal LT makes a great line, but it doesn't. You are better off with lots of good OL ones than 1 great one and not much else. Denver has had probably the most consistent offensive lines since the mid 90's Cowboys without having a single individual dominator in the class of Boseli or Ogden. Also, Jacksonville added an ex-Pro bowl tackle via FA, it is easier and cheaper to add such a guy on the line than it is at QB. Of these guys only Leftwich to me is as promising as either Carr or Harrington, and he is the less refined of these 3. The Mannings, McNabbs, McNairs (he is pretty good when healthy), and Couchs do not grow on trees. Likewise, just as you can find your QBs in rounds after the 1st or via FA, so can you find your Larry Allen's. Oh, 1 final thing. I'll bet the quality QBs on average play many more games than the quality OL do when you consider injuries and age of retirement. If you build a great OL now but wait 4 years to get those skill players, by the time the skill players are ready you have an old line. It works both ways, except perhaps skill players last longer giving you a better window of success.
Well, that's super. Let's give him a year to hone his skills, then grab him. We need veteran leadership if we want to win at least a few games this year, and a rookie QB cannot provide that immediately. For those of you who don't think offensive linemen are valuable, Leonard Davis (drafted #2 last year), everyone's old pal from UT, came in fourth place for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, behind A-Train, Tomlinson, and Chris Chambers... As much as I want McKinnie to be drafted by the Texans, I fear McNair is willing to take Harrington or Carr over McKinnie due to name recognition and "wanting to make a splash," as others have suggested. He may be forced to take a (slightly) lower quality player in Harrington in order to sell the city of Houston on NFL football. I just want the Texans to draft the best player on the board with their pick, and I believe that's McKinnie (or even Peppers).
If McKinnie really is the standout player in the draft (substantially better at his position than Peppers, Carr, or Harrington), then the Texans should not take Harrington, at least not with the #1 pick. I certainly am not advocating igoring the OL, I am just questioning the wisdom of using the #1 pick in the whole draft on a LT if there is a dominant DE or QB on the board. It is easier to find outstanding offensive linemen than the former. I personally would favor them parlaying a Peppers or McKinnie pick into multiple picks (say another future #1) while still nabbing our choice (not the 2nd one unless we truly have no preference) of Harrington or Carr. As much as I like Leftwich as a prospect, I would not advocate skipping on Harrington or Carr because of him unless they bite at the combines this spring.
Really? I think that Clausen, Grossman, Eli Manning and Leftwich are all better prospects than Carr or Harrington. Even Simms has better physical tools if he ever gets his head straight.
After see all of them play I have seen nothing to make me think any of these players sans Leftwich has the complete tools of either Carr or Harrington. Now if the latter do mediocre in the combines (e.g., like Cade McNown’s (sp?) performance) my opinion would change, but nothing on the field (size, feet, throws physically made, defenses read, teams lead, improvisational abilities, etc.,) leaves me to think otherwise.
I really like Eli Manning. I hate Peyton Manning, but I think Eli can be a player when he does go to the NFL. Very good poise and great pocket awareness.
i'm with desert scar...it's far easier to build a nice offensive line than it is to find a franchise QB. if the texans (who've probably done a bit more scouting than most of us here) feel harrington or carr is that kind of player, they'd be nuts not to take him. somebody said again, "the texans need veteran leadership." i still do not understand and/or agree with this idea. why?? expectations are nil...no one expects this team to win more than 2 games next year....why do they need "veteran leadership?" they're building for a few years down the road...while the rest of out talent is beginning to peak, i'd rather not be, just at that same time, inserting a young QB who is supposed to be learning the ropes at that point...i'd rather that young QB already have some experience. will he get knocked around?? absolutely....but i can think of a few QB's who got knocked around while young and ended up having great careers.
Offense is what the majority of fans want to see and what I think Mcnair will try and get in order to get the fans pumped about the new team. It`s much easier to market a glamorous QB than a Lineman. Not that I agree with this it`s just what I think will happen............I say the Texans pick Harrington with there first pick
Harrington and Carr will be nothing, NOTHING. Every year QB prospects are hyped because of their position. Carr sucks. Harrington sucks. I remember when a couple of years ago people were talking Pennington and Redman. It happens every year. Why would you take a ****ty QB this year when next year looks to be one of the best QB classes of all time. Please dont tell me that Carr looks better than Simms, Leftwich, Grossman, Manning, Dorsey, and Clausen. Thats just not right. BTW: Leftwich looks good, but out of this bunch I see Dorsey being the best.
Pennington's not done yet. The Jets have been very hesitant to put him in, but he's loved within the organization for his dedication and skills, by both management and teammates. Don't be surprised to see him starting next year, especially since Testaverde will probably be cut before June 1st.
i think, at the very least, they can thrive with either a good team or a sound system. but i'm not sure they're first building block good. pennington was taken by the jets with one of their three or four first round picks that year, otherwise, i'm not sure he goes in the first round. redman was a third rounder. neither guy was hyped, and neither are as good as carr or harrington. i think there'sa bigger risk in waiting than reaching. what if simms doesn't make the leap? what if manning, grossman and clausen all decide to stay in school? i don't want a team that plays for next year. doesn't have the size, speed or arm strength to be an impact QB in the nfl.
Couldn't agree more. Dorsey is not in Harrington, Carr or Leftwich's class. Dorsey is a good college QB with an unbelievable supporting cast the last 2 years. The best OL in college the last 2 years, the best receivers last year, good receivers this year, excellent backs the last 2 years and excellent defense. Dorsey isn't even as good as Danny Weurful under similar conditions, he will be a back-up at best. Anyone who say what happened to Dorsey with even modest pass pressure (Vtech game) saw all they need to now about his playmaking abilities outside his normal offense and pro potential. Also, to say Simms is better than Harrington or Carr is a complete, total joke. Maybe if you put the brain of Major in Simms body, but unfortunately, UT's bioengineering folks didn't start working on that soon enough. As if enough wasn't ridiculous, oh yeah, Eli IS better than Peyton and Archie too. Right, OK. Carr and Harrington have the intangibles of Jake the Snake but with better size and arms. I am not saying which one is better until combine information is out, but I assure you 1 of them will be a successful pro quarterback. Again. Leftwich is the only guy with comparable tools from what I have seen (Grossman is shorter than either and less of an athlete, Clausin isn't very accurate or consistent--not sure if he is really much different than Simms), and Leftwich is even more raw. Further, you don’t not pick a good solid 10 year plus QB just because their is one more talented fellow somewhere in the college ranks who might stay uninjured and might become further refined and who might be available to you depending on your draft position.
