Grade The Texans Draft

[HPF Bob]

It's time for everyone and their grandmother to pass out grades for the draft classes. What's yours? How would you rate the Texans' draft haul?

(And for spelling, I get a D-. Sorry about that, Keith.)

[Keith]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

(And for spelling, I get a D-. Sorry about that, Keith.)

Fixed. No problem.

[painekiller]

I voted B to B-.

[HPF Bob]

I haven't voted yet because I don't want to skew the poll with my own opinions before the poll has had a chance to build its own consensus.

Once I do, I'll share how I think we did.

[nero THE zero]

I don't really know what to grade here. I know the draft pundits grade teams based on how they drafted compared to how that respective pundit had players ranked. Essentially it is an ego stroke to laud the teams who fall in line with their mocks/rankings and to blast the ones who didn't.

So far as the Texans go, they filled every need except DE and added additional picks in the process. There are some picks I liked more than others but I'm not going to sit here and try and project how each individual player will do. Instead, I will give the Texans a B for filling most positions of need, trading back (something I was very adament about,) and, I think, improving the team.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

I don't really know what to grade here. I know the draft pundits grade teams based on how they drafted compared to how that respective pundit had players ranked. Essentially it is an ego stroke to laud the teams who fall in line with their mocks/rankings and to blast the ones who didn't.

exactly...I'd bet that most Saints fans yawned at the Marcus Colston 7th round pick a couple of years ago. Not too many of us even heard of Owen Daniels until we selected him. Once we can eyeball the guys on the field we should have a better grasp of how this draft pans out.

My immediate reaction to the Brown pick was...you mean that guy everyone in the media considered a second tier player? I thought Gibbs was here to coach up guys you can get...in the second tier groups. If you take what the Texans state at face value, Brown was the last guy on their board of "potential starters" that had the skillset they were looking for. I'll just have to take their word for that.

I'll compare the pick to the Brad Hopkins selection that Mike Holovak "reached for" back in 1993. Holovak had to defend his pick because some thought he reached for him and was not your ideal bodytype for a LT pick at 13 overall...but Hopkins proved to be a fantastic athlete much like Brown is and ended up to become a pro bowl left tackle for the organization for years.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by Vinny

My immediate reaction to the Brown pick was...you mean that guy everyone in the media considered a second tier player? I thought Gibbs was here to coach up guys you can get...in the second tier groups. If you take what the Texans state at face value, Brown was the last guy on their board of "potential starters" that had the skillset they were looking for. I'll just have to take their word for that.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/members....php?teamid=13

"I think the thing about left tackle is that that is a 'must' position in this league. You've got to protect your quarterback; you've got to protect your franchise, so to speak. And those guys are hard, hard to find. I mean, they don't fall off of trees. You don't make one. They're a special breed."

It's impossible to gauge which tackles will still be available when the Texans pick at No. 18. A slew of teams are in need of a tackle, and the Texans simply hope one of the elite ones remains. They aren't counting on it.

"With this draft coming up this year, there are some very good tackles out there but at the same time, if you as an organization go and reach on a kid because you need that position, you can make a big mistake, so we've got to prepare for this draft for every position, just like we always have," Kubiak said.

Well we can only hope that the Texans didn't reach and make a big mistake. I too was under the impression that perhaps Gibbs could make one out of Zuttah.

However, I'm going to give the Texans a B- for this draft. They traded down, which I loved. We got a player to fill the LT void left by Spencer. They drafted the CB that I would have drafted in the 3rd round. A "homerun" threat was aquired to compete with Taylor in the backfield as the 3rd down back. They have acquired some LBs who can play in coverage Adibi, Richardson, and Moffitt (a guy I would have probably drafted in the 6th or 7th they got as an undrafted FA). The even got a run-plugger in the middle in Okam. I'm not too sure about Barber, but overall, there isn't too much to complain about in terms of filling needs. It will be interesting to see if Nading makes the roster.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by painekiller

I voted B to B-.

I think it is a good draft. It has a couple of risky moves that can be huge upsides for this team, Brown/Slaton/Okam.

I downgraded for no DE help for Mario, not that there was any of that help after round 2.

[EndZoneSeats]

An A+?

Pretty cool that Rick Smith is already a member of your new forum, Keith.

[Roy P]

THR gave the Steelers and Jags a grade of B. They gave our Texans a D+, you want to talk about hard graders.


The Cowboys got the highest grade of B+

[nunusguy]

Desperate for an offensive tackle, the Texans reached deep into the first round to claim Virginia Tech's Duane Brown with the 26th overall selection. Molden could be the home run of this draft if the Texans show patience for two years.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...s.3945201.html
***************************
Gosselin gives everybody in our Division a "C", except for the Titans who he
gives a "B".
And he says "Molden could be the home run of this draft ". I dunno, did he mean our Draft or the whole Draft ? Anyway, I think he definitely likes our new corners upside.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

"Molden could be the home run of this draft ". I dunno, did he mean our Draft or the whole Draft ? Anyway, I think he definitely likes our new corners upside.

Molden should be the best value of OUR draft. He has cover skills that should prevent the "highlights" that Petey Faggins always seemed to be in. Now, if he could convert some PDs into INTs, I'll be REALLY happy.

[Mike]

I am going to go with a B+, not because I am an eternal optomist who drinks the Bull Wiz, but I am going to include the trade for Myers in the grade.

IMO we got a starting center for a 6th, and upgraded the team speed and athleticism. Just getting Petey/Fletcher to the sidelines upgrades this team with the addition of Molden. Slaton is a threat to turn screens and tosses into large gains to TD's, something we never had. (sorry DD) Adibi also increased the team speed and possibly makes Greenwood start his reggae career early. Okam could be that big body in the middle for the rotation, I am looking at him as the guy who keeps OL away from Demeco.

To see Gary gush about Adibi like he did tells me something. I'll hold judgement of Brown until we see more during camp. If he turns into the uninjured Mr. Spencer, then this could be an "A" draft.

The roster is not where it needs to be yet, but it is getting there.

[Froback]

Not that anyone SHOULD care, but I voted B to B-.

I am still trying to figure out if Otah would have been better than Brown + (take your pick which would not have been taken in the 3rd).

When I first heard about the deal and the selection in the 1st (was at a funeral at the time of the pick), I was like, WTF? Otah, I thought was pretty well thought of, and I had not heard a ton about Brown.

Then I started hearing words like potential and project and "With Alex Gibbs coaching him..." and I started to get real worried. I like both picks in the 3rd alot, so I am starting to lean more toward liking the deal even with Otah there.

So I am tentatively hopeful about this move. And they did address their major needs with these picks. The question really then becomes, will those players address the needs of the team? Which is not just double speak of the first comment.

Yes these players fit into the teams "need" areas. But the question them becomes, Can they solve/resolve those need areas?

That only time and development will tell. It was a very deep draft in OT, but unfortunately the Texans were just a win or two, too good to catch the OT wave earlier.

The loss of the 2nd round pick really made it important they trade down and pick up that extra 3rd though. So (as if he needed more) this puts more weight on Schaub to produce. It cost quite a bit this year not having a 2nd round pick.

I really like what some other teams did in this draft too, but then they had (in most cases) more to work with too.

The only question I have is, which I am sure will spark all sorts of comments, was passing on Booty in the 4th a good or bad move in the long run? I am not as sold on him as some were, but I am definately not in the "Savior Sage" camp. And now with Minn picking him up that is one less team to offer a deal for Sage. I would love to see the Texans pull in some extra picks for next year, because this year showed how some teams were able to leverage extra picks into lots of value.

I am liking the draft as a whole though. I love the potential I am hearing from our late picks.

I do have a friend who is a Wash St. grad and pretty fanatical about them, have to ask what he knows about the QB. He was pretty honest and acurate in the past with Wash St. grads and NFL production predictions.

[dadmg]

I went with a B+, although that was without factoring in the Myers and (partial credit for) Schaub deals. Those would probably bump it up at least one tier.

I like the Duane Brown pick because I've always felt he could be a good fit for our team and I don't think 26 is really much of a reach for him. I don't think he could have been had much lower. Like the Texans, I felt he was the last of the top tier left tackles for their system and that there was a dramatic dropoff after Brown. For the Texans, I think he would have been the third best LT in the draft after Clady and Williams (I think Albert will be a spectacular player, just not at LT.)

The Molden pick leaves me feeling much like the Fred Bennett pick last year. I wasn't crazy about Bennett but at the same time thought that he was about the best available CB and that we got him a round later than I expected him to go. I'm a bit skeptical but hopefully he can prove me wrong like Bennett has so far. I'm counting on you, Hoke.

I love the Slaton and Adibi picks. Both are productive players with good instincts and athleticism. Both were big-time playmakers in college. I think Slaton is going to be an absolute steal with a one cut and go scheme. I don't think he'll be a starter Day One, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was by mid-season, or at least a valued contributor. My only problem with the Adibi pick is that I think he'd be better suited to the weakside and our bigger hole is on the strong side. I wouldn't be completely shocked to see him starting in '09 on the weakside with a then-31 year old Greenwood on the strong side.

Getting a player with the talent of Okam in the fifth round is nothing I can complain about. In an earlier round I wouldn't be interested in someone who has so failed to live up to that talent, but for a fifth he should be able to be a good value as a contributor in our DT rotation with the potential to become more.

Barber doesn't impress me as a future talent at S, but from what I've read he could be a special teams standout. We can always use more of those.

The profile I read on Brink makes me think he's a good practice squad investment (lack of a cannon arm is his biggest deficiency and the one I think is the most overrated) and could move into a #3 spot if we ever deal Sage.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by dadmg

The profile I read on Brink makes me think he's a good practice squad investment (lack of a cannon arm is his biggest deficiency and the one I think is the most overrated) and could move into a #3 spot if we ever deal Sage.

perhaps Kubiak sees a bit of himself in Wink.

[EndZoneSeats]

Was passing on Booty in the 4th a good or bad move in the long run?

Did you watch Booty play QB in college?

Definitely a good thing we passed on him. If he couldn't be consistently successful with that kind of talent around him, well, he's just not that good.

[lebowski]

I voted b-. I'm not sold on taking taking Brown as high as he was taken. I'm also not sure how Okam will do in the NFL. He didn't dominate against better competition in college the way he was expected to. I think Slaton will fit well and I'm glad we took a CB in the 2nd round. Obviously, I didn't spend all season watching Eastern Kentucky games, so I don't really know much about Molden. We're pretty desperate for secondary help, and it sounds like he'll be able to step in and help pretty soon.

[NickO]

B-. The Texans did the best they could with the hand they were dealt.

A couple points on Brown:
1) I'd rather them take the guy they wanted earlier than he was projected than try and get too cutesy with trade downs and miss out. Maybe they could've traded down again with Seattle and still got him, maybe not.
2) He may be a project, but he didn't go to North Southeastern Lousiana State Technical College or something. He played OT for three years at one of the top colleges and conferences in the country...that counts for something.

Molden - Love the recovery speed. All rookie CBs have trouble adjusting. The recovery speed Molden has (and Cason lacks) will soften those intial blows.

Slaton - Not my favorite pick, but gravy after the trade down.

Adibi - Great value, hopefully spells the beginning of the end for Greenwood. Looks good on a blitz too.

Okam - Good value again. Could be a monster but I'm not expecting any miracles.

Barber - The "drafting SSs late" thing is getting old.

Brink - Who cares? It's funny how people are killing this 7TH ROUND pick.

[HPF Bob]

At this point, the majority of the poll is saying "B or B-".

...and I'd have to concur. My grade is a solid "B".

With no second round pick, Brown will eventually determine if this is an "A" or a "C". Molden is a small-school guy that has that boom/bust potential like Jacoby Jones was last year. Slaton is a good choice if he isn't overworked and he learns not to fumble. He needs to be part of a RB-by-committee, not the feature back. Adibi is another guy who will be great if he fits a role. Okam has the greatest boom/bust potential of anyone we selected but, as a fifth-round choice, he is low risk for the Texans and therefore an excellent choice. The last two choices are likely training camp fodder.

The trade-down was essential in making this draft a solid one. As I asked someone on another board, would you rather have Mendenhall or would you rather have Brown, Slaton and Barber? Not to mention we probably saved cap money by trading down.

Two good drafts the past two years and the addition of revered coaches Alex Gibbs and Ray Rhodes give Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith a "benefit of the doubt" for now. Once we see these guys on the field and see how they fit into the squad, we'll be better able to assess how well we drafted.