2013 Mocks and Needs

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by painekiller

31 Sylvester Williams DT UNC 6' 3" 320
61 Stedman Bailey* WR West Virginia 5' 10" 190
93 Brandon Sharpe DE Syracuse 6' 1" 255
125 Gerald Hodges OLB Penn State 6' 2" 234
157 Marcus Davis WR Virginia Tech 6' 4" 232
189 Chad Bumphis WR Mississippi State 5' 10" 195

Really 3 WR and only one that fits Kubiak's typical mold, a very unoriginal mock for the Texans.

I'm just checking it now (11/7) and I'm seeing something different:

31. D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama (6-6, 340 - doesn't seem like a ZBS guy)
61. Steadman Bailey, WR. W. Virginia (5-10, 190)
93. Phillip Steward, ILB, Houston (6-2, 220 - pretty light for an ILB in 3-4)
125. Lane Taylor, OC, Oklahoma St. (6-2, 301 - what of Myers & Jones?)
157. Russell Shepard, RB, LSU (6-1, 188)
189. D.J. Swearinger, CB, S. Carolina (6-0, 210)

So lemme cherry-pick while I'm here:

31. Sylvester Williams, DT, N. Carolina (6-3, 320 - best marriage of need, talent left on the board)
61. Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford (6-3, 242)
93. Bradon Hansen, OG, BYU (6-6, 310 - older OL with game experience at all three positions, nimble enough for ZBS)
Comp pick: Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M (6-0, 204 - like his overall game and knack for big plays)
125. Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise St. (5-11, 194)
157. Theo Riddick, RB, Notre Dame (5-11, 198 - depth for an injury-prone position)
189. help at safety
7th round. BPA

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

I'm just checking it now (11/7) and I'm seeing something different:

31. D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama (6-6, 340 - doesn't seem like a ZBS guy)
61. Steadman Bailey, WR. W. Virginia (5-10, 190)
93. Phillip Steward, ILB, Houston (6-2, 220 - pretty light for an ILB in 3-4)
125. Lane Taylor, OC, Oklahoma St. (6-2, 301 - what of Myers & Jones?)
157. Russell Shepard, RB, LSU (6-1, 188)
189. D.J. Swearinger, CB, S. Carolina (6-0, 210)

So lemme cherry-pick while I'm here:

31. Sylvester Williams, DT, N. Carolina (6-3, 320 - best marriage of need, talent left on the board)
61. Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford (6-3, 242)
93. Bradon Hansen, OG, BYU (6-6, 310 - older OL with game experience at all three positions, nimble enough for ZBS)
Comp pick: Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M (6-0, 204 - like his overall game and knack for big plays)
125. Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise St. (5-11, 194)
157. Theo Riddick, RB, Notre Dame (5-11, 198 - depth for an injury-prone position)
189. help at safety
7th round. BPA

I could live with this mock of theirs, and I like your mock also. Not a Swope fan currently, not sure he has the quickness the Texans need in the slot, which is where I think he projects. Plus I think he ends up in Miami.

[painekiller]

I have some time to kill until the kickoff tonight. I hate the prime time start. So another mock from the cbssports.com rankings.

1 Barrett Jones OG Alabama Sr 6-4 305 Jones could be a 5 position guy in the NFL. He might be a super stud at the RT position, he is at worse LG in this league. A little short to play LT but he was 1st team all SEC at LT last season, so he has skills, he is currently playing OC for the Tide. This would give the Texans options on the OL. Brooks can play RG and possibly RT, Ben Jones can play both guards and OC, Barrett Jones could be one of three positions, LG/RG/RT, and be a starter next season and for the next 10 years.

2 Kevin Minter ILB LSU rJr 6-1 245 Would give the Texans another ILB to go with Sharpton (if he is recovered) and Cushing. Stout against the run and decent enough in pass coverage. Could be part of the 2 down ILB rotation.

3 Bacarri Rambo FS Georgia rSr 6-0 210 Rambo ( i love this name) has some dings to his off the field record, but on the field he is a stud. He might be a 2nd rounder but he currently #93 on cbssports.com and #81 on thehuddlereport.com. If he is here you take him. Adding playmakers to the safety position always helps the team.

3A supplemental pick Shayne Skov ILB Stanford Sr 6-3 242 If we ahev learned anything this season, having enough high level tackling machines to play the ILB position is a must. Skov is a high effort guy, a smart guy, can play the run or the pass. IMO he is a 2nd rounder, but cbssports has him as a 3-4 round guy, so I jump on him. I now have some insurance for Cushing and Sharpton.

4 Abry Jones DT Georgia Sr 6-3 308 Has had ankle surgery and will miss the rest of the regular season, has a chance to play in bowl game. Could become a sleeper type pick. Can play the 5 tech or can be move inside and be a disruptor in the backfield. Has long arms.

5 Jeremiah Attaochu OLB Georgia Tech Jr 6-2 240 Plays the strong side OLB in the 3-4 at Georgia Tech. A little on the short side, but....

5 supplemental Michael Williams TE Alabama rSr 6-5 272 Blocking TE who has receiving skills. Has size and strength at the point of attach in the run.

6 Theo Riddick RB Notre Dame Sr 5-11 200 Any 6th rounder or later is a long shot to make this team, depending FA losses.

7 Quinn Sharp P Oklahoma State rSr 6-1 205 see comment above.

[popanot]

I think this next draft is going to be heavy at OL with a sprinkle of ILB and OLB - with an eye on ST players. Wouldn't surprise me to see 3 of our first 4 picks (hopefully we get a #3 for Mario) go to OL.

[nunusguy]

So PK, I gather you think that xtra 3 & 5 are comp picks ?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

So PK, I gather you think that xtra 3 & 5 are comp picks ?

Yes, a 3rd for Mario, and a 5th for Briesel. We might get a 7th also. Brady James will count against us in the formula, so not sure of the comp picks.

Sorry I called them supplemental.

[painekiller]

32 Keenan Allen* WR Cal 6' 3" 195
62 Oday Aboushi OT Virginia 6' 6" 310
94 Sonny Vaccaro S Texas 6' 1" 215
126 John Boyett S Oregon 5' 10" 198
158 Russell Shepard RB LSU 6' 1" 188
190 Will Compton ILB Nebraska 6' 2" 230

I could live with this.

[HPF Bob]

Having watched Vacarro at Texas, he will probably win a job on special teams because he makes memorable hits but he hits more than he tackles and I'd rather have defensive backs who tackle receivers instead of throwing a shoulder into them and hoping they fall down.

Watch the better defenses in the NFL and you'll see them wrap up and bring down ball carriers in the open field. The Texas players, regrettably, don't do this which is why they are 85th in defense. They just don't tackle; they hit and hope he falls.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Having watched Vacarro at Texas, he will probably win a job on special teams because he makes memorable hits but he hits more than he tackles and I'd rather have defensive backs who tackle receivers instead of throwing a shoulder into them and hoping they fall down.

Watch the better defenses in the NFL and you'll see them wrap up and bring down ball carriers in the open field. The Texas players, regrettably, don't do this which is why they are 85th in defense. They just don't tackle; they hit and hope he falls.

I am also not a fan of Vacarro and his tackling, but for a national mock draftsite did a decent mock for us IMO. I agree Safety is a position we may need to target in the draft, and again I want to be on the record, This is not a good draft class as of right now, and the Texans are very deep currently, that can change after early March and the FA are signed, so I am not worrying about the later rounds.

Might be a good year to trade up into the late teens or early 20's to pick.

[HPF Bob]

We've seen Rick Smith trade down a few times. I can't recall him trading up with a target in mind. I might be wrong but I don't really recall a "The _____ have traded out of their pick and with that pick the Texans select...." since the infamous Babin trade which was done by Chatty Casserley.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

We've seen Rick Smith trade down a few times. I can't recall him trading up with a target in mind. I might be wrong but I don't really recall a "The _____ have traded out of their pick and with that pick the Texans select...." since the infamous Babin trade which was done by Chatty Casserley.

Rick has done it in the later rounds, Ben Tate came after a trade down then a trade back up, but he has never done one in the 1st round.

[painekiller]

31 Houston Texans: Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor
The Texans have needed a No. 2 receiver for years, but now that Andre Johnson is declining, it won't be long before they have to secure a new No. 1 wideout for Matt Schaub.

Pick change; previously Jesse Williams, NT

62 Houston Texans: Margus Hunt, DE/DT, SMU
The Texans, with very few needs, can afford to take the best player available. Antonio Smith will be a free agent following the 2013 season, so Houston will need someone to step in starting in 2014.

Pick change; previously Ricky Wagner, OT

93 Houston Texans: Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia
Glover Quin is a free agent this upcoming offseason. It'll be difficult to retain him with Connor Barwin also hitting the market.

Pick change; previously Duke Williams, S

IMO I trade up or I trade down, trading down I look like this

2a Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford Or biggest need is currently ILB depth and future
2b Cobi Hamilton, WR, Arkansas (after the trade down)
3 Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia - I could live with Rambo

[painekiller]

31 Cobi Hamilton WR Arkansas 6' 3" 209
61 Shawn Williams S Georgia 6' 1" 220
93 Gerald Hodges OLB Penn State 6' 2" 234
125 Brad Madison DE Missouri 6' 4" 250
157 Michael Buchanan DE Illinois 6' 6" 240
189 Taylor Reed ILB Southern Methodist 5' 11" 215

Decent enough

I would change a few picks:

31 Chase Thomas OLB Stanford 6' 4" 240
61 Bacarri Rambo S Georgia 6' 1" 208
93 Shayne Skov ILB Stanford 6' 3" 242
125 Theo Riddick RB Notre Dame 5' 11" 198
157 Michael Buchanan DE Illinois 6' 6" 240
189 BPA

My names are starting to be familiar.

[HPF Bob]

I would only take an OLB in the first round if we aren't keeping Barwin. Otherwise, we have enough invested with Barwin, Reed and Mercilus. Of course, Cushing was an OLB in college so there could be the plan to convert such a pick to the inside.

I'd sure rather see a big body in the middle or the top ILB at the bottom of Round 1.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

I would only take an OLB in the first round if we aren't keeping Barwin. Otherwise, we have enough invested with Barwin, Reed and Mercilus. Of course, Cushing was an OLB in college so there could be the plan to convert such a pick to the inside.

I'd sure rather see a big body in the middle or the top ILB at the bottom of Round 1.

Chase Thomas is a guy I can see playing either inside or the outside in our system. He is on the small side for a full time OLB in Wade's system, but he certainly could be an ILB in the base defense and a pass rusher with quickness in some passing down packages.

Also I am thinking Barwin is gone if he is offered a decent size contract from someone, but that happening is looking more unlikely.

Skov is a more traditional ILB, and we need to upgrade the depth at ILB.

That would give the Texans Cushing coming of IR, Sharpton who will have missed half this season, Dobbins and Skov as full time ILB and Thomas as a swing guy going from ILB to OLB depending on the package.

[nunusguy]

Until we know Wade Phillips plans beyond this year, wouldn't it be premature to sign/resign any LBs ?