O'Brien Coy About Draft Options

[HPF Bob]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/n...johnny-clowney

Not that O'Brien is the decision maker here. I think either Smith or McNair makes this choice with O'Brien (and Crennel on defense) giving input when asked.

My head tells me Clowney or trade down but my gut says we are picking Bortles.

[Roy P]

Trading down to 6 would be good so the Falcons can have Clowney. It's a calculated risk that Bortles would still be there or not, but with extra picks the team could always get a QB to groom in the 2nd round and fill other holes. I'm not sure if the Texans are 'In Love' with Bortles but it may be like when drunk men are at a bar near closing time and start getting desperate to fill a need, and start discounting all the ugly flaws that could be overlooked.

[HPF Bob]

That's kind of what I fear - seeing these QBs with "beer goggles".

Scouts Inc (via ESPN.com) lists Bridgewater as the 8th best NFL prospect. Bortles is the 10th best and Manzeil is the 21st.

If the Texans take a non-QB at 1-1 then get to the 24th pick of the first round with Manzeil and/or Garropolo still available, the Texans could package 2-1, 5-1 and/or 6-1 to trade up with Cincinnati (24th pick) or San Diego (25th pick) ahead of Cleveland (26th pick) to get their QBOTF. Maybe we offer them Keenum or Yates as a bonus. Yates beat Cincy in a playoff game two years ago and he may have more value to the Bengals than anyone in the league.

The genius would be that the Texans don't miss a round because we have the comp pick near the bottom of the 4th round and the Raiders pick near the top of the 6th round to approximate the draft hole we are dealing away.

Yes, we could sit and wait until 2-1 for that QB but we risk the Jaguars or the Browns trading up to jump ahead of us. Once the comp picks are added to the simulator, I'll have to run the scenario and see what that does to our draft.

We could go:

1-1 Clowney
1-24 Manzeil or Garoppolo
3-1 right tackle
4-1 ILB
4-comp RB
6-5 depth
6-comp depth
7-1 depth
7-comp depth

[chuck]

I'm pretty sure the Jags and the Browns will take a QB with their first overall picks. And fortunately for us both of those teams are run by morons so we should be left with an appealing selection. Of course it remains to be seen whether the Texans are also run by a moron.

[Roy P]

I see Jacksonville going either Bortles or Manziel and the Browns taking Derek Carr #26. I could see the Texans trading up for Garoppolo back into the First round, I know I'd be tempted if Carr was selected. Still thinking I want to fill more holes...We signed Lewis, but I want Deone Bucannon. At RT I want Joel Bitonio. Wanting a DE like Kareem Martin or Trent Murphy and an OLB like Marcus Smith (unless we traded down and select Barr). Thinking RB can be gotten late with Jerrrick McKinnon.

[Nconroe]

Assuming Clowney is so good that we need to take him at 1-1.

Otherwise speculating about trades or rnd 2 on is fun

Supposed to be a deep draft so why trade up.

It would take a lot to get me out of 1-1.

I could see us taking DT in sccond or third rnd.

It might be QB's don't go till much latter in draft than you guys think.

Not sure if we pick one or two QB but I think whoever, wherever the QB is picked he will be atleast 6'5".