Who would you want the Texans to DRAFT?

move Francis to the 2.

 

Plan B.

 

Not really, McNair wants to make a decision on this soon. He's checking this poll regularly and will go with whatever option is leading at midnight this Friday.

 

You and I both know that every tackle worth taking will be gone in the 1st round. By the time we pick again, we will be dealing with the same talent we've been dealing with the last 3 drafts. We keep on relying on the late rounds to find offensive lineman and we end up with the same results.

Why are you so set on the idea that Bush is a better player than Ferguson? He's definitely a better RB, but you CAN'T say he's a whole lot better than Ferguson because they aren't the same type of player. Offensive linemen can't go and score touchdowns, can't receive passes, but they do help the Reggie Bush's do so.

Analysts and scouts don't talk about linemen that much because that's not what we want to hear. We want to hear about Reggie Bush going for 100+ yards or Marcus Vick throwing for 300, we aren't interested in hearing about offensive linemen blocking. Once again, people want the "sexy" pick, but that doesn't mean it's the right pick.

And I never said once we should take Ferguson with the #1, unfortunately the poll doesn't have the option, but the best option for the Texans is to trade down to a top5 pick + a Future 1st or a 2nd Round pick, you pick up Ferguson with the top pick and do whatever you like with the latter.

Maybe you'd like to point out where you found this information. Where are you reading all these scouting reports, are you sure they aren't just analysts? Because there is a difference, Bush and USC are on SC at least 3 times a week, why? Because people want to see them.

I'm not going to change your mind, and you won't change my mind. But this really reminds of the 2002 NBA draft and I'll leave it at that.

You had Jay Williams who was the BEST player in the country hands down, there was not question about it. But we didn't take him because 1. We already had a PG and 2. There was a player we NEEDED to fill our biggest hole and a player in that position (C) with those kind of skills don't come around very often.

 

when it comes to the draft, yes they do.

btw, i'm not in gunn's camp. i'm not arguing that bush is the best player in the country; only that if he's the best player in the country, the texans need to stay where they are, not get cute, not take chances (trade downs always carry an inherent risk) and get the best guy available. it's short-sighted and to assume this team needs to focus on the OL only and doing so can get you into a world of trouble. out of 540 minutes of football this year, the texans have held the lead for exactly 17:46. a LT doesn;t solve but maybe an nth of the problems. it is an AWFUL football team; it's needs help EVERYWHERE.

 

But if that's true, why wouldn't you trade down so you can get additional picks to help fill all those holes?

 

Unfortunately, it isn't draft time, so we aren't hearing anything about Ferguson and Winston, only about Bush/Leinart/Young/Vick/etc...

 

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sub/mockdraft.html

 

agreed.

 

If the Texans have the #1 pick and trade down, it should be for nothing less than a top five pick this year, a second and third rounder this year and a first next year, at least thats what I start with and see who makes the first offer.

There is a lot of talent in the upcoming draft on both sides of the ball. They could get Ferguson (LT) with a top five pick, grab Leonard Pope (TE) or Max Jean-Gilles (OL) with the first pick of the second round, if either one falls and maybe take Bobby Carpenter (LB) in the second with the pick acquired in the trade. With two third rounders you could pick up a WR, DB or S. Thats arguably a lot of talent coming into help this team that apparently is lacking in that department.

 

To me, it's obvious, you draft Bush, he's the best talent in the draft (assuming he declares). I am admittedly biased in that I went to 'SC (Fight On, Three-Pete) but even if he went to Notre Dame I'd be in favor of drafting him. O.K., well, not Notre Dame or UCLA, but anywhere else. He's the most versatile, game-altering talent I've seen in a long time. About the only player I can compare him to that I've seen was Deion Sanders when he was at Florida State, just someone so much more physically gifted than everyone else on the field it was just sort of silly. He has returned kick-offs, punts, lined up as a wide receiver, slot receiver, half back, and has thrown the ball for TD's (Bush-to-Leinart in the 2004 Rose Bowl was just weird). He can out-quick anyone on the field & does not shy away from contact, lowering his helmet & initiating contact. A potential six points everytime he touches the ball.

I agree that running back is not as desperate a need as the O-Line is, but I am a firm believer that a team can build a line through technique & scheme more effectively than any other unit on the field. It's a cliché, but you can't teach raw speed.

Atlanta has what is considered one of the stronger O-Lines in the league, they don't have any first round picks there. Denver has had one of the best for years, and their only former first rounder is their right tackle. San Diego, no first rounders. Pittsburgh has two, but they are both guards, not the coveted left tackle position. Dallas, 0. Almost all of them do have exceptional skill players &/or coaching, however.

There are, of course, exceptions, such as Seattle, Cincinnati and Indy, but once again, they have significantly above average skill players & coaching.

Minnesota, St. Louis, & Baltimore all have outstanding talent at the left tackle position that was drafted in high in the first round (and in the Vikings & Rams cases they have excellent skill players) but suffer from some of the most infuriatingly inconsistent coaching imaginable.

I honestly believe that the Texans can accumulate some excellent line prospects in the second, third, & fourth rounds. Especially in this draft which appears to be relatively deep in those spots, even more so if the Texans end up with the first pick in each of those rounds. Heck, D'Brickshaw Ferguson, Eric Winston, Jonathan Scott, Marcus McNeill, Andrew Whitworth and Adam Stenanavich are all outstanding prospects. Then you throw in guys like Max Jean-Gilles or Winston Justice, some O-line talent is going to drop to the top of the second round.

 

If it was as simple as scheme the line would provide better pass protection. In fact the scheme was changed to zone-blocking which hasn't done jack to providing better protection. IMO, its not a matter of scheme and technique as it is a lack of talent. There is a plethora of OL prospects in the upcoming draft and the Texans should take the best prospect available as it is their need. For the past few offseasons the Texans have not drafted for this particular need and should make sure that they not only address it but make it their top priority.

The Texans should trade the pick and drop down a few spots and should still be able to pick up Ferguson. With the trade they can pick up extra picks in the second and third rounds where there will be alot of talent and try to pick up players that can shore up this team like Bobby Carpenter, Leonard Pope, Greg Lee, Thomas Howard, Justin London, Cedric Griffin, Greg Blue, Martin Nance, all of the preceding names are LB's, WR's, TE's and safeties that could help shore up the rest of the team. Reggie Bush isn't going to fare as well here as he does at USC behind a brick wall of an OL, with an All-American QB and NFL potential-talent on the rest of that team.

The OL is the "backbone" of the offense, the Texans have been lacking in that department for a few years now, solidify it and things will start to click on offense. With extra picks you can shore up the rest of the team. I just do not believe that getting one dynamic player can change this team, it will take drafting several good players to make it better. With the #1 pick you can maximize your potential for getting more talent on this team and making it better.

 

Don't bring her into this.

 

Obviously the Texans suffer from a luck of Talent (OL and DL) and the skill positions. Every talk show I saw, we have some much talent at receiver, Andre and who? What I would do is, if they get the number 1 pick, trade down preferrably with the Cardinals who have talent at receiver and a NEED for a quarterback. Hopefully you can get a San Diego deal. Taking their top five pick and drafting the best offensive lineman possible. Next hopefully you can recoup some of the picks you lost with the Jason Babin and Philip Buchanon deals. Hopefully the new coach and gm have an eye for talent and more imagination with their offensive and defensive schemes.

 

Just because something is simple, it does not mean that it is easy. The zone-blocking scheme has been demonstrated by other teams to be an effective strategy for run blocking. It has also been shown to be adequate, at times, for Dom Davis (a good back who does some nice things, IMO) in the past.

I agree that the line talent for the Texans is lacking, don't get me wrong. An upgrade in talent in that area would certainly benefit the team and should be one of the priorities in the offseason. My point is that a team does not have to spend first round draft picks on those positions. With good coaching, lower round guys can do not only an adequate, but an excellent job. My feeling has always been that with your first two picks, you should try to acquire high impact type of players. QB's, RB's, WR's, CB's, OLB's, etc.

The problem that the Texans have had with their drafting of offensive line, is that they have been drafting projects instead of prospects. Chester Pitts seems to be a good guy & is a good story, but I can't see why you would take a guy who did not even start to play football until he got to college in the second round. Seth Wand in the third for pete's sake? These are guys that should not even be thought about being selected until the fifth or sixth round. If you are going to be drafting o-line men in the second and third, I'd be much more happy to take seniors from the big confrences who have consistently played against upper-echelon d-lines.

 

If you think we're going to be high enough to pick Bush, you're nuts.

That damn Capers will win enough games so we won't get a top 3. No Bush, No Brick. Basically, there are other decent tackles, so I'm not too worried about it.

Just wait and see.

 

How can you pass on Reggie Bush?!?

That's like passing on Tim Duncan and taking Keith Van Horn because you already have a center.

 

Wow, what a spot-on analogy! Absolutely nothing wrong at all with it!