While I think we would love a speed WR, I think we may be looking at other areas like Ryan Kelly, best LT, NT/DE or even Hunter Henry. We've left too many "tells" at WR with the Baylor show OB put on.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/mock-drafts/ike-taylor/305658 Might be the worst mock drafts in the history of mock drafts. No Wentz and no Lawson in the 1st. And Jordan Howard goes #8???? I don't mind Tyler Boyd to the Texans but my guess is he'll be available in the 2nd.
I'm guessing Josh Dotson and Michael Thomas will also be available at our 2nd pick. Even Leonte Carroo who seems to be impressing lately may be there. I'm really not feeling a WR with our 1st pick.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> meet with Nevada’s Don Jackson. <a href="https://t.co/H7bSuGC0d7">https://t.co/H7bSuGC0d7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wolfpack?src=hash">#Wolfpack</a> <a href="https://t.co/9qCSgh277B">pic.twitter.com/9qCSgh277B</a></p>— PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/715209749143228416">March 30, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pro-day <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/s?src=hash">#s</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nevada?src=hash">#Nevada</a> RB Don Jackson:<br>40: 4.47<br>Vert: 38<br>Shuttle: 4.1<br>Broad: 10'<br>Met with a few teams including 49ers & Texans afterwards.</p>— Christian Shanafelt (@ChrisShanafelt) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisShanafelt/status/715181550183268352">March 30, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Absolutely terrible. Forgetting everything else, in this hypothetical mock draft, Rick smith would need to be shot for taking boyd over the available talent including Carson wentz and jack Conklin
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> workout <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Harvard?src=hash">#Harvard</a> tight end Ben Braunecker. <a href="https://t.co/slBdzxe88u">https://t.co/slBdzxe88u</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crimson?src=hash">#Crimson</a> <a href="https://t.co/39ZQWYR599">pic.twitter.com/39ZQWYR599</a></p>— PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/715238416359686144">March 30, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">9 most freakish athletes in 2016 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLDraft?src=hash">#NFLDraft</a> (via <a href="https://twitter.com/ChaseGoodbread">@ChaseGoodbread</a>) --> <a href="https://t.co/vXHJI7XyGJ">https://t.co/vXHJI7XyGJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/FQmoorF6Xb">pic.twitter.com/FQmoorF6Xb</a></p>— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_CFB/status/713415169859330049">March 25, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I've been all over Braunecker for a month. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=10364803&postcount=186 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DbsvWvhnt-U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Texans have been looking at "move" type tights end almost exclusively - the shorter, smaller TE's who don't line up inline, but rather at an H-Back or split out wide - guys who have a little less O-line in them and a little more RB or WR to their game. These include - Devon Cajuste, Tyler Higbee, Austin Hooper, Stephen Anderson, and now Braunecker. The thing is, though, among the guys they are confirmed to have met with, Braunecker is by far the best blocker. By far. The only question is whether he is going to stumble stepping up to the NFL from the Ivy League. The Havard/Yale game above looks more like a Division III game than major college football. Based on who they've been meeting with, I think it's doubtful they take a TE before day 3.
Who was the other tight end people liked he transferred from Miami to another school can't remember his name?
Beau Sandland? Sandland is one of the most difficult players out there to get any actual recent video of. I haven't been able to find anything at all recent.
this is a pretty cool visualization not sure I buy that it's so simple to just bunch all players at a given position together https://tartansportsanalytics.com/2016/03/30/maximizing-draft-value-by-position/
I also agree with those that say the Texans will not draft a receiver in the first. Put me down for Robert Nkemdiche. He's not a bad kid. He just did the same dumb stuff that many 21 year olds do. He actually comes from a decent background (I think I read where his dad was a cardiologist). If he is there at 22 he will be the best player on the board and will fill a position of need.
His name has been brought up a little more lately but don't think there is any way we draft him. First, he doesn't really fill a position of need since he is more of a 4-3 DT than a NT. It's possible that you can put him at 3-4 DE but big question as to whether he can be an effective pass rusher. He simply did not produce like many thought he would. As far as his character, it doesn't matter who your dad is. Both brothers got in trouble multiple times at Ole Miss with arrests, fights, drugs, etc...Robert also threw a Tunsil completely under the bus during the combine in trying to save his own butt.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm told <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Houston?src=hash">#Houston</a> LB Elandon Roberts has (or had) workouts with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Steelers?src=hash">#Steelers</a> and has a visit lined up with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cardinals?src=hash">#Cardinals</a>.</p>— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rand_Getlin/status/715586675179520001">March 31, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I think he can play 3-4 end. Besides as often as Clowney puts his hand on the ground the Texans are as much a 4-3 team as they are a 3-4 team. Later in the season when Mercilus was coming around the Texans did a lot of Mercilus, Clowney, Covington/ Wilfork, Watt on the line. Occasionally they would also move Watt inside and Clowney outside. So now imagine a Merci, Nkemdiche, Watt, Clowney front 4. We saw what the Broncos did this past year and the Giants and Ravens in years past. It would be nice to be able to generate pressure from the outside and the inside.
Nkemdiche is a great athlete. He isn't a very good football player. He is a big zero for pass rush, which would be fine if he was dominant in the run game, but he gets pushed off his spot a ton by college offensive linemen. A'Shawn Robinson is in reality the player that everybody thinks Nkemdiche is - a guy who has a lot to learn, but the natural talent and personality to become a dominant player with the right coaching. Basically, if Nkemdiche was 100% on character and effort I'd draft him because I could coach him up and count on him to put in the work necessary to get better, but right now, he's Johnny Manziel - defensive line edition. No work ethic, and while he has enough talent to skate by on it in the college game, he is not anywhere near as talented as he is perceived to be and not talented enough to even skate by in the NFL without such a drastic personality adjustment that he basically becomes a completely different person (something that really doesn't happen in real world human beings). We already have Clowney. Nkemdiche is like a cartoon version of Clowney, with all the advantages of natural talent dulled greatly, and all the deficiencies magnified exponentially. Even worse, Nkemdiche buys into his own hype and thinks he's all that and a bag of chips. Also, he's joined at the hip with his ne'er–do–well brother, refusing to be separated, and his brother makes him look like a stand up guy and a paragon of virtue.
I absolutely agree about getting more pressure but Nkemdiche is not a proven pass rusher (19 TFL 7 sacks in 3 years). The guy has a ton of potential and if it weren't for the character concerns, he'd probably be a top 10 pick based on his size and athleticism. But combine his lack of production and character concerns, there are a few guys in the 1st round I like much more.
I'm all on board with the need to generate interior pass rush. This is why Andrew Billings is probably my top target that I reasonably think could be available when we draft. I seriously hope they come out of the draft with Billings, Butler or Robinson as I think all three are guys that can work in our defense and plan in the nickle to give us interior push.
