It all depends on where the Texans end up picking. I would not take a runningback or safety in the top 10. I would take the best available tackle (offensive or defensive), pass rusher, or corner. You might be able to get Merriweather (pending attitude evaluation) at safety or Michael Bush (pending physical evaluation) at runningback in round 2. Getting a top defender would be more valuable to me than getting say Peterson. An Adams/ Merriweather or Branch/Bush combo or something similar would be better than Peterson/fill-in-the-blank. It all depends as well on what the Texans do in free agency. There's no chance the Texans run the table, finish 9-7 and sneak in as the last wild card is there? You know, so we can stop talking about the draft every year at the halfway point. Don't they have tiebreakers over most of the other WC contenders; JAX, MIA, and if they can beat the Jets on Sunday.
Some have projected that Merriweather may drop to the 3rd round, I don't like taking him in the 2nd. IF Michael Griffin is available in the 2nd, we should take him, he's been UT's leading tackler 2 seasons in a row, the guy is an unbelievable tackler. I was thinking about Bush in the 2nd (probably where he would go if he enters) but think we need more talent on our defense. I think the Texans just need to go with the best defensive player available, Branch or Hall would be very good picks IMO.
If RB is 1st option, I originally thought AP. However, after seeing Slaton from WV and McFadden from Ark should those other options be available, I now would say any of those 3. I also saw that Paul Pozluzny from Penn State this last week and he looks good at LB. The case can still be made that the Texans still either have little or no talent or have little or no depth of talent at a number of positions. Arguably at least a third of our present lineup will probably not be here next year at least. The Crappers and Asserly purge is nearly complete. D-Mac though today against a very good LSU defense got 21 carries for 182 yds and he also is very capable as an option QB. He definitely poses multiple threats. Like I said, he might be a better fit for the Texans than AP but honestly, like I said any of the aforementioned 3 make the Texans dangerous next year.
Current Kiper (Seniors only) rankings: 1. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame 2. Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin 3. Leon Hall, CB, Michigan 4. Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson 5. Quinn Pitcock, DT, Ohio St. 6. Jeff Samardzija, WR, Notre Dame 7. Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville 8. LaRon Landry, DB, LSU 9. DeMarcus "Tank" Tyler, DT, NC State 10. Marcus McCauley, CB, Fresno St. 11. Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska 12. Tim Crowder, DE, Texas 13. Levi Brown, OT, Penn St. 14. Patrick Willis, LB, Mississippi 15. Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas 16. Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU 17. Ryan Kalil, C, USC 18. Brian Leonard, Rutgers 19. Michael Johnson, S, Arizona 20. Daymeion Hughes, CB, California 21. Anthony Spencer, DE, Purdue 22. Turk McBride, DT, Tennessee 23. Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia 24. Kenny Irons, RB, Auburn 25. LaMarr Woodley, DE, Michigan We could end up anywhere on the board with the number of teams with 5 wins or less. Probably looking at the 5-12 range, if I were to guess. Decent number of O and D Tackles available there. Unfortunately, the QB pickings are few and far between. Chasing Matt Schaub in FA or Kolb in the 3rd seems like decent options. Evan Evan
A couple of posters have mentioned Darren McFadden as a target. He's a sophomore and can't come out yet. Even so, I wonder if he's really that great of a pure running back. He's strong, pretty quick, and does the little things well, but he doesn't have the open-field speed that 1st round RB's usually have.
The answer to your question is yes. He will be a top 3 pick next year. Oops, you didn't pose a question, but yes he does have open field speed. He likely runs in the high 4.3s to low 4.4s. He is top notch.
If Schaub is available, definitely go after him. All we should be looking for right now is a functional QB that can contribute positively, and he'd fit the bill perfectly (and maybe more).
I just remember back to the Arkansas-Auburn game, when it was clearly evident to me that Kenny Irons had a second gear that McFadden didn't have. McFadden had a better game, but on appearances, Irons was faster.
I still like both of the defensive players coming out of Michigan. Branch is an absolute beast, I really think adding him next to Mario would do wonders for our DL. Hall is a shut down corner that would be great opposite of Dante, Faggins is terrible. I'm hoping that Michael Griffin falls to the 2nd and that Kolb is available in the 3rd. Picking up Branch, Griffin, and Kolb in the 1st day would be awesome.
Im all about defense...I want to keep building around Mario, DeMeco, and Dunta. Defense wins championships...and I like the direction our defense is headed. First two picks, I want an athletic freak of an outside linebacker and a safety.
