Agreed about this staff but will say it's hard for me to argue against the BPA approach. Still think we need to go for a OT/CB but if a guy like Montez Sweat were to somehow fall, wouldn't fault them at all for taking him.
Its not so much the approach that bothers me. 99/100 times I definitely agree. Where they lost me is not trying hard enough to address either of their two dire needs before the draft. They played a terrible hand and other teams drafting near them know it. Need a tackle? Perhaps a corner? Just trade up to 22. Done. Texans have to trade away draft capital now to undo what they made to get the players they want. Couldve done so much more. Explore the trade market every once in a while. They need creativity more than any other team in the league.
If they go BPA in the first, what happens if at 54/55 there isnt a lineman/corner worth taking? If BPA means they dont get one of their two need positions until the third or fifth, are people cool with that? Or does BPA at 23 mean you reach hard in the 2nd if you have to? As I heard it explained by Pat Kirwan, who used to be in those rooms, BPA early on is kind of tricky as people doing grading see the holes and especially position coaches who add secondary input will tend to put their thumb on the scale for the new toys they want and/or need. There is some loss of objectivity. It works better at the back end, where people aren't getting dropped right into the starting lineup.
IMO, BPA should not be the plan. They need to draft for need and get the needed positions taken care of. Stop screwing around with your picks. CB or OL, that's it.
The best approach IMO is a hybrid of both - BPA4N. Best Player Available for Positions of Need. For the Texans it is best OT/CB/Edge available.
My thought is that you have to find a starter in round one, unless it's a QB. Usually that means that you draft at a position of need or you draft at a position of slight need, someone that is good enough to supplant an average talent at his position. Basically, if I were running the war room, I'd go into the draft with about five positions of need and I'd take BPA amongst them.
I think we need to see what’s actually done in the draft before we go all doom and gloom, especially with regards to Gaine. I can understand some of the criticism with BOB, as he’s done plenty of things to give me pause. Gaine did quite well in his first draft given the constraints he was working with (ie no picks in the first 2 rds). Unfortunately FA this year didn’t have any real studs at positions of need for us. The Texans are my favorite team but I’ve also been a Raiders fan for over 30 years. I can’t say I’m fired up for the Brown signing. I’d be very hesitant to give huge money to a guy that has played well for 1 season in ideal conditions - best OL coach in the NFL and a QB that get rid of the ball in about 2 seconds. I think our secondary is actually better with TG and Roby. Roby is very fast and has had success against T.HIll and TY HIlton in the past - those guys absolutely kill us. TG is better at covering TEs the honey badger was - he’s just too small and not particularly fast. TEs have historically given us problems The thing I like about this dratt is the depth - I think the Texans will trade back and add a pick or 2, unless as absolute stud falls to them. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Clowney traded during the draft, if they think they can add good players with his draft pick haul. I think Whitney, if used the same way as JC, can give you 80-85% of the production at less then half the cost. If you can trade JC for a couple picks and add a good OT,CB, DT, or S then we might be better off as a team. I really worry about signing JC long term and having two 100 million dollar players on the DL, both of which have significant injury histories.
CBS Sports did a full seven round mock for everybody. Here's the local result, including the Texans trading 23 and 55 to Miami to move up to 13 to get Jonah Williams, and trading a future 3rd for a 4th to draft Nate Davis: All things being equal, I think I'd be pretty happy. I don't know a couple of the late guys, but it's pretty much a crapshoot there anyway.
Just not a fan of trading up. I just don't think any of the linemen are worth 2 picks. There will be someone good enough at 23 and beyond.
I personally disagree, respectfully of course. Mack DOMINATED his competition during this draft process and has an upward arrow. I think he has a real chance to produce more in the pros than as a college player. High risk, high reward type player. Not in the first few rounds of course.
If you want to trade up, Mercilus is the asset worth more to other teams than to you. How far up would #23 and Mercilus move you?
Probably around 22, maybe 21 if you get ridiculously lucky. His value is not what you think. Teams want picks.
