Wondering what some of you think of Myron Rolle. He was a player I really like a couple of years ago. I know he may not be Eric Berry quality in this draft, but I could see him being as a good a safety as Earl Thomas or Taylor Mays.
It'll be interesting to see where he goes considering he hasn't played in a year while attending Oxford.
Great read on Rolle on Bleacher Report (won't let me post the link). He's apparently looking pretty good at Senior Bowl practices and projects as a 2nd or 3rd rounder.
Berry, Thomas, Mays... I've been advocating this for a long time now. The NFL is a pass heavy league, a defense with any chance of success needs a safety that takes away the deep ball. Our secondary should be addressed in the first round. Pollard is the enforcer on run support and hard hitting tackles. Now we need the other dimension of a guy who can play stellar coverage. The 2nd pick should be a NT and another RB in the 3rd round as insurance against Sloppy Slaton.
Here are the players I think best fit the Texans needs. DT Bryan Price S Earl Thomas, Myron Rolle CB Kyle Wilson, Perrish Cox G Mike Iupati RB Ryan Matthews, Jonathan Dwyer Price, Thomas, and Iupati could all be gone by the time we pick, so I think CB makes the most sense if we stay at #20, but if we trade down, we could take a RB.
From www.nfldraftcountdown.com - They have a list of players the Texans were focusing on at the Senior Bowl with comments about each from practice. Player Team Observations for Houston Texans Monday - Dan Williams DT - Tennessee DT Dan Williams isn’t flashy but he is very consistent and had a very solid day. In particular Williams showcased his strength and a nice bullrush. One of the highlights of the 1-on-1’s was watching Williams battle John Jerry to a draw. Brandon Lang DE - Troy DE Brandon Lang struggled mightily. Not only was he absolutely enveloped and dominated by the double-team but he also had a tough time in the 1-on-1 matchups. In fact, Lang was actually outperformed by his Trojan teammate Cameron Sheffield. Looks like Lang might have to make it at outside linebacker. Harry Coleman S - L.S.U. S Harry Coleman is very active around the line of scrimmage and at one point there was a big collision between him and Roy Upchurch in the hole. Tuesday - Lonyae Miller - RB - Fresno State RB Lonyae Miller was able to get outside and turn the corner. Daryl Washington LB - T.C.U. LB Daryl Washington plays too tall at times but looks very comfortable in pass coverage. In fact, Washington broke up one pass when Tony Pike hung the ball and intercepted another in the short time I was watching him. Mike Iupati OG - Idaho OG Mike Iupati, who is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves. I’ve been extremely high on Iupati for months and now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. Coming into this week Iupati was a potential first rounder but based on the way he has played in Mobile “potential” could soon become “sure-fire”. Thursday - Legarrette Blount RB - Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount ran with authority today in drills (take it with a grain of salt). Surprisingly, no punches were thrown, but I'm not throwing in the towel yet on that prediction. In all seriousness, I don't like how Blount runs with a high pad level so that's something to look for. Non-explosive backs who stay high generally can't pan out in the NFL because they don't maximize power and expose their legs to linebackers.... (Wednesday) It is becoming clear that Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount is the best running back in Mobile. Once again Blount proved what a strong, tough, powerful runner he is while also showing the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
Lance Z's first mock has us taking Earl Thomas. There is obviously a long way to go with that combine still to come, but most mock's have either Earl Thomas or CJ Spiller falling to 20, either of which would probably make most fans happy. Especially with no apparent suitable DT's or CB's hovering around 20.
i want one of these, they'll play from day 1. i don't want another DT first round pick, they've been wastes.
Just throwing out some names from the mocks out there: Walter Football: 20. S Earl Thomas - Houston's primary goal is to beat the Colts. They came close twice this year, but ultimately failed because of missed field goals and sloppy turnovers. However, their inability to stop Peyton Manning didn't help matters. In those two contests, Manning was a combined 61-of-85, 562 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. Free safety isn't Houston's biggest need, but the position can be upgraded. And besides, Earl Thomas is the type of ballhawking free safety that could get the Texans one step closer to finally defeating Manning. 51. RB Jonathan Dwyer - The Texans are usually up front regarding what they are looking for. Virtually everyone - from the owner down to the head coach - has stated that addressing the running back position is a huge priority for them this offseason. Look for Houston to draft a runner in the first two rounds this April. 81. DT Geno Atkins - The Texans are really hurting in the interior of their defensive line. Geno Atkins had a great Senior Bowl, whipping Mike Iupati repeatedly. If he drops this far - which is possible considering how many 3-4 teams there now - he'll be a steal. 115. CB Amari Spievey - If the Texans finally want to beat Peyton Manning, they'll need to continue to improve their secondary. Draft Countdown: 20. DT Brian Price NFL Draft Dog: 20. S Earl Thomas - This player is fantastic, a ball hawk that can up up and tackle in a flash. This eligible sophomore recorded 6 interception last year. He possesses terrific ball skills. My NFL Draft: 20. DT Brian Price Pro Football Talk: 20. RB C.J. Spiller Rob Rang/CBS Sports/NFL Draft Scout: 20. S Earl Thomas - Thomas, who broke the Texas record with eight interceptions in 2009 and, in turn, left after his redshirt sophomore season, is a natural playmaker, but could slip on draft day amid concerns about his size and inconsistency tackling in the open field. His coverage skills are so good, however, that some scouts believe his ultimate pro position will be at cornerback. With a potentially dominant front seven, this defense is only a playmaker in the secondary away from being one of the league's best units. Chad Reuter/CBS Sports/NFL Draft Scout: 20. CB Earl Thomas - Keeping Thomas in the Longhorn state could help the Texans' secondary, whether he plays on the corner or as a playmaking safety.
Some measurements from the combine: QBs: Sam Bradford - 6'4 236 lbs Jimmy Clausen - 6'2 1/2 222 lbs Colt McCoy - 6'1 216 Jevan Snead - 6'3 219 lbs Tim Tebow - 6'2 236 lbs RBs: Javhid Best - 5'10 1/8 199 LeGarrette Blount - 6'0 1/2 241 Jonathan Dwyer - 5'11 1/4 229 Toby Gerhart - 6'0 231 Joe McKinght 5'11 3/8 198 CJ Spiller - 5'10 5/8 196 WRs: Jordan Shipley - 5'11 1/4 193 Golden Tate - 5'10 1/4 199 Dez Bryant - 6'2 225 Dez Briscoe - 6'2 207 Demaryius Thomas - 6'3 1/4 224
