What does Mario have to do for you to be ok with the pick?

Continue to get better and improve the d. If anywone says he didn't change the defense this year is blind. Look at the double teams and the sliding of protection. Look at how teams ran away from him. Get healthy, add a couple of more pieces and this defense can be one of the best in the nfl.

 

Become an absolute BEAST on defense....Bruce Smith or Reggie White level of play.

DD

 

So he has to be one of the top 3 ever? That might be a little much.

8-10 sacks next year, draw double teams, defense as a whole continues to get better.

 

Yes, he needs to develop into a potential hall of famer...he was the FIRST pick in the draft.

If he only develops into an ok player, he was not worth the pick, especially with the guys going 2 and 3 behind him doing so well.

DD

 

First picks since 85'

1985 Bruce Smith, de
1986 Bo Jackson, rb
1987 Vinny Testaverde, qb
1988 Aundray Bruce, lb
1989 Troy Aikman, qb
1990 Jeff George, qb
1991 Russell Maryland, dt
1992 Steve Emtman, dt
1993 Drew Bledsoe, qb
1994 Dan Wilkinson, dt
1995 Ki-Jana Carter, rb
1996 Keyshawn Johnson, wr
1997 Orlando Pace, ot
1998 Peyton Manning, qb
1999 Tim Couch, qb
2000 Courtney Brown, de
2001 Michael Vick, qb
2002 David Carr, qb
2003 Carson Palmer, qb
2004 Eli Manning, qb
2005 Alex Smith, qb

Guys in Bold ended up, or might end up in the top 5 ever for their position. I'm not faulting your logic, I just think it's unfair to pin those expectations on Mario. I think he will be a really, really good player - just give him more then one injury riddled season.

 

you could highlight orlando pace also. lot of busts on that list also unfortunately.

 

I think Mario is going to have a very, very impressive career. I had him ranked #2 behind Vince Young on my draft board.

 

For me the space between these two names is a pretty good realistic point around which to base a minnimum to be qualified as success. I'm sure that some of you people will probably flip out at my saying this, but particularly Russell Maryland (IIRC Wilkinson was considered lazy with the Bengals) was an anchor for a defense, despite only making one pro bowl. Both of them have had careers where they have been high level consistent preformers for a long time.

No matter what eventually happens, even if he turns out to be Courtney Brown, I have to say that I am fine with the Texan's pick because given the situation and the variables at the time; building a foundation by focusing on the lines rather than skill players was the appropriate path to take in the abstract and hypothetical 'the proper way to rebuild a franchise' blueprint.

In other words, if I ask 'what is the best way to rebuild a franchise', 90% of fans will say build the offensive and defensive lines. From my perspective the Texans stayed true to that blueprint.

 

For most of us, though we have seen him make a difference in the Texans D, the question is who's game will he emulate the best?

Best scenario: Bruce Smith, Julius Peppers

Worst scenario: Courtney Brown, Andre Wadsworth.

For those who insist on the comparisons with Peppers, Julius had an average first year as well. It was his second, third ... he became a top 15 sack leader in the NFL.

Mario is already commanding double teams and causing some problems for the oppositions offensive schemes.

The problem is STILL we dont have enough talent cumulatively. We need another solid draft and some good FA pickups and then ... this D should really start taking off.

 

Actually, Julius had 12sacks before being suspended for steroids. We wouldn't even be talking about this if they Texans had drafted Peppers in the 1st place instead of carr. I think the builing of the program is going forward, now they must add to it. They have the rde,mlb,and cb and on offense they have lt,rt,te and wr. Now they must add to it. A dt,cover saftey,qb and another qb would help also.

 

Peppers had 12 sacks his rookie year ... in 12 games. The record is something like 14 for a rookie, so he was on pace to break the rookie sack record. His second year, he had 7.

Peppers also forced 5 fumbles and had an INT, compared to Mario Williams 1 forced fumble and 0 ints.

 

Except the comparison is not ever going to be with other #1 picks in other years - it's going to be with other top picks in the same year, because those were the other players that both could have been had instead and were fairly obvious alternative choices (as opposed, for example, to a 5th round pick that turns into a hall of famer).

 

It would make me happiest if he had a strong enough overall impact to lead the team to a Super Bowl...ok, at least the playoffs.

 

Comparaing Mario to Peppers is like comparing Carr to Carson Palmer. Nice to dream but not gonna happen.

 

It's likely to forever be linked with Young and Bush. If those guys go on to have subpar careers, just an average career for Mario will be okay. If not, the ceiling is much higher.

That list that was posted is all the more reason a lot of people didn't understand going in that direction with the first pick, however.

With the way it's going right now, Mario will have to be a hell of a player (among leaders in sacks, among the best defense) for me to be 'okay' with the pick.

 

20 sacks in a season and average 9 tackles a game.

 

Learn to throw the ball and become a great QB.

 

Honestly the only way people will ever let the Bush/Young thing go is if Mario was a Shawn Merriman or Jason Taylor type player who would get 12, 13, 14 sacks and was a game changer like those guys. A season of 7 or 8 sacks down the road wont cut it. If he's not mention with Merriman, Peppers, Taylor, Freeney, etc... then what he does will never be enough to downplay on passing up Bush/Young.

 

you only gave us two options..

"he can suck" or "he has to dominate the world"

i'll take a few pro bowls...