The first 17 picks Saturday.

[Mike]

I think we are in for a interesting ride on Saturday. With our worst ever draft position, it is much harder to try to predict who our selection will be.

I'm not going to even try to predict who we will take. I never thought Omobi would fall to us last year, so will DRC be this years Omobi? Or will it be Stewart? Buckle up. This is going to be an interesting day.

[Keith]

I think the most intriguing thing for me will be whether the team selects a running back in the first three rounds, especially the first round. With three decent options - McFadden, Stewart, and Mendenhall - I'm not sure all will be gone by #18.

Just how comfortable is the team going into the season with Ahman, Brown, Walker, and Taylor?

[Mike]

I would pee on myself if Mendenhall or Stewart were there. That should solve our RB problem. I really like Mendenhall. I would have to take him but I do not think he will be there. I'm not convinced that the toe problem is going to drop Stewart as much as some position will have a run on them (CB or OT).

If they are there, I wonder if that spot then becomes prime trade bait?

Mcfadden will be gone, but Mendenhall/Stewart are not sloppy seconds by any means. I think Smith and Kubiak are smart enough and will not fall into the trap of "we can get a back anytime" if those two guys are there.

[Xetuoh1836]

My "grassy knoll" theory rest with Alex Gibbs. He's brought out of retirement (without any long term commitment) to coach the offensive line, in the ZBS he installed at Denver, while working for our current OC dad, who happened to have our head coach on that staff. To this end, I think they will go and solidify the OL for Shanny Jr. and keep Kubes (and Smith) investment in Schuab from getting killed.
I don't see us using our pick for a RB at #18, especially after the signing of "oft injuried" Chris Brown, Green at 100+/- percent, Taylor back, and Walker showing some skills towards the end of last season.
My uneducated guess, is the Texan will pick an OT with the pick and quite the "doomsayer's". Spencer's been out for 2 years and still question's remain if he'll be ready by training camp. Salammi is a decent backup but, not the long term answer.
Only problem with this rambling??? Whose on the board when we're on the clock.

Now, you may return to your regulary scheduled message board...

[Mike]

I agree with you that OL is needed, I just do not think any of the first round OT's will be there when we draft. Jake will be long gone, and Otah, Williams and Albert will be gone. I think they would love to get one of those three, but OT's are coveted.

Maybe they can unearth a Winston/Spencer replay in round three or four.

[dadmg]

There are a lot of a ways that I can see myself being very happy with this pick.

• If a Ryan Clady or Chris Williams fell to us
• If DRC or McKelvin fell to us
• If Keith Rivers fell to us
• If Derrick Harvey fell to us. Or, in a true wildest dream scenario, if Sedrick Ellis fell to us.
• If we grabbed Kenny Phillips. That guy is going to be a star. And he might be the only worthwhile safety in the draft.

I also like a bunch of running backs and offensive tackles in this draft - one of the rare times that some of my favorite positions in a draft match up with our needs. I'm not terribly crazy about McFadden (although I'm sure there's no chance in hell we'd ever get to make that choice anyway), but RBs I'd have no problems if we picked up at some point in the draft include Stewart, Mendenhall, Ray Rice, Chris Johnson, Felix Jones, Steve Slaton, and Matt Forte. For OT, I think Sam Baker is pretty underrated and would be ecstatic if we could get him in the third. Others I'm interested in would be the already mentioned Clady and Williams, Duane Brown, Anthony Collins, and Oniel Cousins. I like Albert, but as a G and I'm sure he'll be gone before us anyway.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by Mike

I agree with you that OL is needed, I just do not think any of the first round OT's will be there when we draft. Jake will be long gone, and Otah, Williams and Albert will be gone. I think they would love to get one of those three, but OT's are coveted.

Now that KC is in Minnesota's spot at #17, you better believe that means one more OL will be off the board when we pick. They also got the Vikings pick (#73), so that might mean yet another OL off the board when we make our next selection. KC has many holes on their OL, making it more difficult for us to fill ours.

[cadams]

Originally Posted by Keith

I think the most intriguing thing for me will be whether the team selects a running back in the first three rounds, especially the first round. With three decent options - McFadden, Stewart, and Mendenhall - I'm not sure all will be gone by #18.

Just how comfortable is the team going into the season with Ahman, Brown, Walker, and Taylor?

i actually like felix jones better than stewart, and maybe as much as mendenhall.

[painekiller]

I have my hoped for picks: Williams, Clady, Albert, McKelvin, DRC, Mendenhall.
My oh no picks: Sweed, Devon Thomas, Harvey, Balmer, Merling or any QB in the 1st.
My outside the box 1st rounder: Mayo, Rivers, or Hardy.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by Keith

I think the most intriguing thing for me will be whether the team selects a running back in the first three rounds, especially the first round. With three decent options - McFadden, Stewart, and Mendenhall - I'm not sure all will be gone by #18.

Just how comfortable is the team going into the season with Ahman, Brown, Walker, and Taylor?

what is the bigger potential crisis? Going into the season with Bennett as your best cornerback (healthy) may be a recipe for disaster in '08

[nero THE zero]

Originally Posted by Vinny

what is the bigger potential crisis? Going into the season with Bennett as your best cornerback (healthy) may be a recipe for disaster in '08

I definitely agree with this but how effective can a rookie CB be? Assuming DRC and McKelvin are off the board, would a Jenkins or a Cason make that much difference over a more seasoned, lesser talent like Fletcher?

[badboy]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

I definitely agree with this but how effective can a rookie CB be? Assuming DRC and McKelvin are off the board, would a Jenkins or a Cason make that much difference over a more seasoned, lesser talent like Fletcher?

I also like Godfrey & Chevis Jackson should be there in 3rd. I have to say WIlliams then Stewart if avail @ 18. I really like Williams at #18 then in 2nd (Sage) Forte or J. Charles(should be gone)and CB in 3rd as stated. Tyvon Jackson in 4th CB/FS/KR with sub 4.4 I believe. In 5th I'd go the DT from Texas Tech (?) with emotional problems) or even Darnell Terrell Cb/FS with decent speed and size.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

I definitely agree with this but how effective can a rookie CB be?

Dunta was effective as a rookie, and he was drafted at #10. Last year, once Fred "learned how to prepare and practice" like a pro, (per Kubes) he played OK. Yes, he made mistakes, but he was far from terrible.

No matter how we slice it, we need three good CB's at a minimum. As we sit today, we have Fred and Reeves. We need at least one more to go with them and then add Dunta in there, but who knows what we will get from him this year. If he comes back after being on the PUP list and plays decent, then that is a bonus as he continues to heal.

[nero THE zero]

Originally Posted by Mike

Dunta was effective as a rookie, and he was drafted at #10. Last year, once Fred "learned how to prepare and practice" like a pro, (per Kubes) he played OK. Yes, he made mistakes, but he was far from terrible.

No matter how we slice it, we need three good CB's at a minimum. As we sit today, we have Fred and Reeves. We need at least one more to go with them and then add Dunta in there, but who knows what we will get from him this year. If he comes back after being on the PUP list and plays decent, then that is a bonus as he continues to heal.

I understand that a rookie CB can be effective. But, what I'm asking is, would a rookie CB not named DRC or McKelvin change the fact that the best CB on the field is Fred Bennett? In other words, in the short term, would drafting Mike Jenkins really be any more beneficial to us than, say, Terrance Wheatley? They'll both end up playing nickel back for the majority of the season, so I don't see where there's much of a difference in impact there.

OTOH, if Jonathan Stewart or Rashard Mendenhall is drafted it easily plausible that they're starting (or primary back-up to AG if he's still around) from day one.

I'm not advocating a RB only stance in round one. I'm simply saying that the "crisis" at CB might not be solved even if we do draft a CB in the first.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by nero THE zero

I definitely agree with this but how effective can a rookie CB be? Assuming DRC and McKelvin are off the board, would a Jenkins or a Cason make that much difference over a more seasoned, lesser talent like Fletcher?

I have a low opinion of Fletcher and I'm not sure he is even a good nickel back...if you are building for the future then why take the rookie CB next season if you are using that logic. Take a solid cb now and you have Dunta, Bennett and a high pick CB as your core cornerbacks in '09.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Keith

I think the most intriguing thing for me will be whether the team selects a running back in the first three rounds, especially the first round. With three decent options - McFadden, Stewart, and Mendenhall - I'm not sure all will be gone by #18.

Just how comfortable is the team going into the season with Ahman, Brown, Walker, and Taylor?

I'll pull a muscle giving myself a pat on the back for nailing this story line. I was pretty doubtful that both Stewart and Mendenhall would be gone by #18.

While I think it is inevitable that the Texans take a corner sooner than later, how early they select a running back will again be interesting to me as we start Day Two.