Ebron being the perfect example. That kid is going to be great but he barely made an impact last season.
If you want to be technical, there are no holes on any position. There are players at every position that can play. However, saying Gurley will easily beat out Blue sets me up too easily to say Cooper will easily beat out Washington and Shorts. I'm not sure what Shorts and Washington have proven. And you can have 3 receivers on the field at the same time with Shorts in the slot. Gurley is not on the field at the same time as Foster.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Both <a href="https://twitter.com/walterfootball">@walterfootball</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftCampbell">@DraftCampbell</a> have Gurley down for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> at 16.</p>— Mike K (@Zepp1978) <a href="https://twitter.com/Zepp1978/status/591306536275857409">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This is supposed to be the worst tight end draft in a decade or more. Maxx Williams would have been drafted right around where C.J. Fiedorowicz was last year, and after him there is a humongous drop in talent. The tight end class is a bunch of guys who should be drafted in the 3-7 rounds. The Texans, however, need the "move" tight end, which is the guy who is more of an H-Back than an inline blocker and that makes things a little bit easier. Funchess would be interesting. I keep thinking "Shannon Sharpe" when I see him, but best case your going to waste half a year to a year working with him on the intricacies of blocking. But if Funchess never gets the hang of blocking on the NFL level, you could end up with a poor man's Billy Miller - essentially a tight end sized mediocre wide receiver.
Receivers have a much higher learning curve than running backs once they get to the pro level... That's why many of them aren't very productive in their 1st year or two especially when they don't have another receiver on the field that commands double and triple teams (like Nuk had with AJ). Washington and Shorts are seasoned veterans who can run routes and get open. Both are good #2 caliber WR's. The only question with Shorts is that he's injury prone. And if O'Brien told AJ there wouldn't be enough balls for him ---> what makes you think differently about a rookie WR...? Also, the 'experts' are calling Gurley the best RB to come out of college since AP... So saying he couldn't beat out Blue who moves like someone hit the slow motion button is ridiculous.
The Texans WR2 is going to benefit from Hopkins getting double-teamed. Maybe not as much as Andre was but they'l get more one-on-one coverage. I am "meh" on Shorts and Washington. If the Texans are planning on having them being their #2 and #3 receivers then they do need Gurley and more o-line help. "Experts" have been wrong. There's a reason why no one is projecting him as a top 5 pick. even though teams need RB help. He is the best RB in this draft, no doubt, but that ACL injury creates a question mark. I don't think Blue is the answer either. I think the Texans need a change-of-pace back behind Foster. Blue is a very poor man's Foster.
Funny, I just saw a mock draft from NFL.com that had the Giants picking Cooper for the pretty much the same reason you all are pushing for Gurley. Gurley goes to the Chargers at 17.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Mel Kiper goes with Miami receiver Phillip Dorsett for the <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#Texans">#Texans</a>. Called him versatile and underrated a few weeks ago. <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#MelToddMock">#MelToddMock</a></p>— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) <a href="https://twitter.com/taniaganguli/status/591371702799564800" data-datetime="2015-04-23T22:42:55+00:00">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Yeah I saw that. I would throw my laptop at the tv if we picked him over Beasley and this is coming from a guy who likes dorsett as a prospect. He would be a major reach.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Mel and Todd Mock has the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> taking Phillip Dorsett at #16. Well.</p>— PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/591371203345911809">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I like Dorsett, but I'm a bit underwhelmed at that value, considering many people had him available for our second pick just a few weeks ago. I'd rather take a pass rusher, Gurley, or one of the defensive lineman and then trade up to the top half of the second for Dorsett.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>We’re halfway through the 1st round of the <a class="hashtag" action="hash" title="#MelToddMock">#MelToddMock</a>. Here are picks 1- 16. <a href="http://t.co/MhxagDeVCm" title="http://twitter.com/ESPNNFL/status/591372786372849664/photo/1">pic.twitter.com/MhxagDeVCm</a></p>— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNFL/status/591372786372849664" data-datetime="2015-04-23T22:47:14+00:00">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The NFL draft player profiles page has changed Dorsett's bio around in the last day or twin to make him look like a 1st rounder: http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profiles/phillip-dorsett?id=2552424 A week ago it didn't quite gush like that and made him sound like a 3rd rounder. That having been said, I'm weary of WR's who don't have the size to run block. If you can't put him out there on 1st down, he becomes much more of a luxury. To me, Dorsett looks like a "super slot" reciever, or maybe a starter on a pass happy team that basically doesn't care about running the ball.
I don't think it matters who the Texans have as their #2 receiver because the Texans were ranked #30 in the NFL last season in passing attempts and they had AJ and Nuk, and the QB situation hasn't changed. They were ranked #1 in rushing with 34 attempts per game and Foster averaged 20 attempts in 13 games... Which is why I would be surprised if O'Brien drafted a receiver over Gurley because both he and Foster could run this team to the playoffs. Gurley got his knee checked out in Indy and the Dr's say his knee is fine and he's expected to be ready to be a full participant by training camp. Now I'm not saying the Texans will draft him... I'm just making the case that they should. And if Foster has a good year they might can trade him and get something for him (player and or pick) instead of cutting him and only getting cap space. The Giants have been rumored to want a WR and they need one. Cruz may never be the same and he was starting to fall off before his injury.
This draft is a bit deeper at WR, I'd rather have Nelson Agholor, WR, USC at #16 than Dorsett or look to 2nd/3rd round. I don't see Gurley lasting until our pick. If he runs well, he could easily go Top 10. If he's there, I think we should seriously think about grabbing him--impact player.
The Texans #2 WR caught passes for 936 yards. Shorts and Washington have eclipse that number only once in their careers. The problem was with the #3 and #4 receivers who had very minimal production. The QB situation has changed. Fitzpatrick is no longer a Texan. Mallet will have a whole year under his belt to learn and get used to the offense. Maybe the Texans should learn from the rest of the league; throw the ball! The Seahawks were #32 last year and they just traded for a top 3 TE. Even the NFC champions with a top 3 RB know they need to throw the ball. All that being said, I don't disagree that they need a better RB; I just don't think it is necessary in the 1st round. I'm not even lobbying for a WR in the 1st round either. I hear your argument and I don't think it is ridiculous; I'm just making a counter case If they get Gurley as well as a potential starters at both LB positions and a good WR or TE; I'll be happy. The Giants have ODB Jr and they might draft a WR in the 1st round. Hmm. Maybe they are on to something.
Reminder: Adrian Peterson had a torn ACL and actually cartilage damage too at OK. He "dropped" to 10 (IIRC), but rumors were he would have been 2nd or 3rd if it hadn't happened. It hasn't been a problem in the NFL.
You're comparing two super bowl winning QB's to Mallet who may not even win the starting job so I'm not touching that one. A discussion board would be boring as hell if people didn't have different views and insights But I kinda agree with the poster above that Gurley may not be there when the Texans pick at 16. Who would you like them to draft...? Frank Gore and Willis McGahee... Dropped in the draft but both had productive careers. And Gore had two major knee injuries in college.
