I'll trust actual scouts over a random, know-it-all blogger from Rotoworld. http://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2012cfleener.php
Fleener is a monster, could possibly be the BPA when #26 is called up to the podium. OD is good, but Fleener could be great, Gronk great, Graham great.. OD is no Gronk, OD is no Hernandez tbh.. Fleener could end up being a top 5 TE in a couple pf years and usher in the wave of these new super tight ends... 6'6" 240 4.45 40...
i agree, many texans fans seem to have themselves convinced that OD is a top 10 TE...' and no to Kendal Wright, drafting a slot receiver in the first is ridiculous...
I have this on good authority... the deal Kubes made with Wade was he could draft all defense last year as long as this year was an all tight end draft
Rockets love power forwards and Texans love tight ends. Hey this Coby Fleener seems to be an impact NFL player. Its hard to use their 1st pick on TE but if he is the best player avaliable, draft him!
Fleener is overrated, IMO. I guess the Giants (1st round pick) or the Colts (early 2nd round pick) will draft him.
I know we run a lot of 2 tight-end sets but, Dreessen only had 28 Rec. However, he had 6 TD's. I guess what I'm getting at is do we really want to replace Dreessen with a first round pick who would only have 28 or so catches?
TBH, I've always thought that a TE that fits the scheme works better than a WR to replace Jones and Walter. The Texans care so much about receivers run blocking that you'd be hard pressed to find the right one in the draft. At least one that is capable of contributing right away in other areas. So a TE that can block and receive(assuming Fleener is that guy) would make more sense. Then draft a WR later to develop for the future. If the Texans like him, then I don't mind it.
Great point. If we were to get Fleener in the first round, a decent receiver in the second, and a decent offensive lineman somewhere, I think this team would be unstoppable. Basically the greatest thing about the position the Texans are in, is that they can take best player available, for the most part. If they truly believe that Fleener is as good as some of us think he will be, take him. He could add an extra dimension to this offense that OD never could (and I love OD). The two of them on the field together, with Andre, Walter, and a even semi-competent speed receiver would make this offense deadly once again. Better than it probably has ever been. I don't think I can fault the front office no matter what they do as long as the end result is a good one.
We still need a legit deep threat more than a possession TE. I'll take my chances with Graham replacing Dreeson and us drafting Randle/Hill to take Jacoby's slot over.
He is more than a possession receiver. Tight End is the way to go. No WR is worthy of the 26th pick but a good/great TE can be a game changer and you can always put him in the slot. He is about as fast as Kendall Wright
Multiple WRs are grading around the end of the 1st/early 2nd (Wright/Randle/Hill/Jeffrey). WR are much higher hit rates than TE at this point in the draft. Let's go back to 2005... Some recent late 1st WR picks (picks 23-32): 2010 Dez Bryant (24th) - stud 2009 Hakeem Nicks (29th) - stud 2009 Kenny Britt (30th) - stud when not injured 2007 Dwayne Bowe (23rd) - stud 2007 Robert Meachem (27th) - mediocre, but in a Drew Brees offense 2005 Roddy White (27th) - stud Busts (Craig Davis, Anthony Gonzalez) TE picks in the same slots/years: 2010 Jermaine Greshem(21st) - decent 2009 Brandon Pettigrew(20th) - decent 2008 Dustin Keller (30th) - decent 2007 Greg Olsen (31st) - decent 2006 Mercedes Lewis (28th) - seeing a trend here? 2006 Heath Miller (30th) - yep... end of 1st round most likely nets you a decent TE If Fleener was really in the Gronk mold... he'd be projecting much higher than he is. Give me the WR please.
Fleener is actually projecting exactly where Gronkowski was projected to go. But yeah, they play nothing alike. Fleener's game is closer to the TE's you mentioned.
If the Texans want to run a two tight end set (and keep the defense guessing whether it is run or pass), they could always starts play with Casey at fullback and move him to the second TE slot before the snap. Casey gives you that versatility. The Texans could also bring Graham as TE2, instead of a full back or WR3, if they want that two TE look. What the Texans do need from this draft is a TE that block, for short yardage / red zone plays. Dreesen gave the Texans that, more so than Daniels. This type of TE should be able to be had 4th round or latter.
Gronkowski got his projection despite missing an entire season with injury. Suffice to say if he wasn't injured and improved on his 2008 season, he'd easily be a top 10-15 pick.
They have a deep threat - his name is Andre Johnson. Since 2009, Johnson has 17 40+-yard receptions to Jacoby's four. And that's with Johnson missing 14 games.
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