Mock Draft on cnnsi.com 5 S Sean Taylor Miami (Fla.) 6'3" 225 Jr. Washington trades down (swapping with Houston) and picks up a third- and fourth-rounder. The Texans need a mauler in the defensive backfield -- and Taylor is being compared to some of the game's greats. Houston signed free-agent DT Robaire Smith; adding Taylor may springboard the Texans into bona fide contender status in the AFC South. I thought I saw someone else mention this possibility (that the Texans trade up with the 'Skins). There is good and bad with this. Good...we get Sean Taylor. Bad...we still need depth and that means using as many draft picks as possible to help that. Remember that Dominick Davis was a 4th rounder. That said, I do think that getting Taylor should probably out weight getting mid-round type depth.
If we just sit at #10 a very very good player will fall to us, maybe even Taylor. Draft picks are just too valuable to a developing team to give up for one player. Even ifTaylor is the best saftey that ever played, safties are not the biggest impact players on the team. Drafting is a science and an art but still proves unpredictable. Just as many NFL stars come from the lower rounds. The best way to insure you hit on future stars is to draft a buch of players and let them play. The cream will rise. Jimmy Johnson did a great job of this during his years with the Cowboys. They got a several extra picks from the Vikings in the Herchel Walker trade that eventually became key players for the Super Bowl teams. You could argue that the #1 need for the Texans is a pass rushing. We've done well to shore up the front 3 but in the 3-4 the pass rush comes from the linebackers and from the blitz. We could even trade down a little, get an extra pick and still address this need.
i agree with gene...i don't want to see us give up another pick so we can move up only 5 freaking spaces.
People are saying that, even in the 3-4, you can use a safety to play the run or rush the quarterback. From everything I've read and seen, Taylor is like Roy Williams (the Dal. safety) with hands. He can rush the QB, he can take down an RB, AND he can lock down a TE or a WR. I don't think you pass on an opportunity to grab a guy like Taylor. Our D-Line is fine now and we could definately get a decent, QB rushing OLB in the second, third, or fourth round. PLEASE... get Taylor... ya'll will be happy when you see his abilities on the field. Roy Williams DID impact the game significantly for the 'Boys and this cat is BETTER!
I don't know about giving up 2 other picks. Maybe the #10 and our 3rd rounder I would do. But a lot of times the third and fourth round is where you fill holes and get solid players to add depth to your team. Injuries are too common in the NFL to be losing depth.
I don't know. I really like the sound of getting an impact player like Sean Taylor and plugging him into one of our weakest positions. We've been stockpiling mid-round picks over the last couple years by wheeling & dealing, and I think it's time to put a couple of those to use. I think there's something to be said about making a move to get an impact player vs. taking best available when your pick comes around. There's no great LBs in this draft (our other big weakness), and getting Robaire Smith has helped our D-line. Play-making, hard-hitting safeties make a difference, and I'd love to get one this year.
The Texans need to draft a surefire stud in the first round (on defense) and Sean Taylor looks like he is the best out there to fit this description and fill our need. In all, I sheepishly trust Charlie's decision making team and I believe they will take the best step for us. That said - I am a sucker for defense and I would love to have a stalwart like Taylor here in Houston.
I feel this way too but at the same time realize that Taylor is basically a franchise player. From everything I hear, he will be one of the best (like top 3) safeties in the game in time. I don't think guys like him come around too often, so it's not such a bad idea to trade up for those 5 spaces. Especially, if the trade needed to get the 5th is our 10th pick + the pick we get for Henson - practically free. Then it'd kinda be like our 10th and a 6th rounder for the 5th, in theory.
I don't agree with trading up to get a safety. Even if he does turn out to be the best safety in the league. We need the extra draft picks more. Edit: In fact, the only player in this draft I think we should attempt to trade up for is Gallery.
