Drafting Collins would give you an immediate starting RT that in a couple years will kick over to LT when Duane drops off or is cut. It's fixing a position of need now, as well as planning for the future. He'll be a legit LT in the NFL.
Similar to how DeAndre played WR2 for a couple of years but moves over to WR1 when the situation dictated letting go of AJ. Newton has made big strides and has become a good RT, but he's never going to be an LT. It wouldn't be a bad thing to have an RT that's also a LT in waiting.
A lot of people think Collins is an NFL G, he might be able to play RT, but he's not going to take LT when Brown is gone.
Is Landon Collins the SS worth the pick? With the uncertainty surrounding DJ, and many mocks having Collins fall in the 19-20s range, I don't think he would be a bad pick. He fills a need for us, and may end up being a potential steal, seeing as he was mocked in the top 10 before the combine.
Jayson Braddock @JaysonBraddock 7h7 hours ago Finally finished the write-up for the second half of my Pre-FA Mock. Tired. Be sure to check out picks 1-16 here--> http://www.sportsgrid.com/nfl/inside-the-front-office-mock-draft-pre-free-agency/#0 … INSIDE ‘THE FRONT OFFICE’ PRE-FREE AGENCY 2015 NFL MOCK DRAFT http://www.sportsgrid.com/nfl/inside-the-front-office-mock-draft-pre-free-agency/#0 16) Houston (FRONT OFFICE DISCUSSION) WR – Amari Cooper (Alabama), OT – Cedric Ogbuehi (Texas A&M), ILB – Stephone Anthony (Clemson), SS – Landon Collins (Alabama) and CB – Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest) were upgrades at positions of need. We could easily re-sign RT Derek Newton but having a prospect like Ogbuehi available, even with the recent injury, it’s tempting. Cedric could come in and be an upgrade at the right tackle position. In a year or three when we’re ready to move on from Duane Brown, Ogbuehi can transition over to the left tackle position. Johnathan Joseph is owed tons of money and we could walk away from that money to free up cap money but his veteran leadership is needed in a youthful defensive back group. Kareem Jackson could possibly test the free agency waters and if a team gets desperate they may offer something that we don’t feel comfortable matching. Johnson is a shutdown corner in coverage and gives us a building block for the future with other corners on the team like AJ Bouye, Daryl Morris and Jumal Rolle. Our concern with replacing Kareem with Kevin is in the manner they attack the running game. Kareem is a force that goes in full force, while Johnson may be the best cover corner in the draft, he attacks backs like someone with arachnophobia going in the attic. We selected DJ Swearinger two years ago to be our strong safety of the future. At the time we knew he was limited in coverage but thought he would at least be a better box safety in coverage than what’s been displayed. Landon Collins could take over DJ’s tasks that he does well and accomplish them at a higher level. Landon would also add a new dynamic that’s lacking in Swearinger’s game, coverage ability. We decided to give Brian Cushing a lot of money despite the fact that he’s never been able to stay healthy, in college or in the pros. We set up the contract so we wouldn’t be able to release him until the year of our lord two thousand forty nine. Stephone Anthony is an inside linebacker that would allow us the flexibility to play him next to Cushing, similar to Bowman and Willis in San Francisco. If Cushing was injured or one day in a world far far away where his contract doesn’t exist, Anthony could step in to replace him. Our hopes were that Kevin White or DeVante Parker would still be on the board when we came on the clock. Amari Cooper was only slightly rated lower on our board behind Parker. Cooper will be a welcomed addition to our offense that needs players that can win early and often in their routes. Cooper will join DeAndre Hopkins as our pass catchers in the L.A.D. (life after Dre) generation. Amari beats press with a deadly shimmy, has great routes and like DeAndre he’s deadly after the catch. His speed and acceleration is the compliment that we need opposite of Hopkins. Texans select WR, Alabama, Amari Cooper
How did Coop's stock drop so quickly? Ran a great 40 and he from a top 5 prospect to a mid 1st rd pick. He would be the perfect play maker next to Hopkins
It's mostly because he isn't flashy. He's a sure catcher, good route runner, and is overall seen as the safest WR pick. A few other guys have physical abilities that eclipse Coopers, in which gives them a possible "higher ceiling".
Kevin White really boosted his position at the combine. He was being projected behind Cooper before that.
why the hell are we getting, even consideting getting Brian Hoyer? I like BOB I really do but why Hoyer!?!!?!?!?!?!
Just from that description, it looks an awful lot like Andre. I looked up what his NFL Comparison is and found a variety of responses. Marvin Harrison, Roddy White, Santonio Holmes, Jordy Nelson, Odell Beckham, Marqise Lee. I still don't think he'll fall to us though.
Looks like Tackle is off the draft list, at least for the first 4 rounds? Probably snag a developmental guy late. Still need better depth at C and G though.
If we are drafting for need, I'd expect a WR, CB, or Nose in the first round. A decent amount of depth at nose this year, it seems.
On Braddock projecting Cooper... you need to look at his whole draft. He says it's not a consensus draft but his analysis of the front office priorities. He's the only place I've seen Cooper drop to 16. (but I liked it) If they sign Cobb or Torrey Smith I wouldn't expect a WR to be the pick.
There are kind of some bizarre picks in there. Mariota going #12 to the Browns with the Jets not going QB and Rams picking Hundley at #10.