The J.J. Watt Conundrum

[popanot]

I'm inclined to give Smith and company credit for identifying and drafting JJ, but then I look at the rest of the 2011 draft and think they merely lucked out and caught lightning in a bottle.

http://www.drafthistory.com/index.php/teams/texans

[WMH]

Originally Posted by popanot

I'm inclined to give Smith and company credit for identifying and drafting JJ, but then I look at the rest of the 2011 draft and think they merely lucked out and caught lightning in a bottle.

http://www.drafthistory.com/index.php/teams/texans

3 starters out of the '11 draft. That's not too shabby in my eyes.

ESPN had an article about how well the Texans have drafted. Most of us will roll the eyes and disagree, but stats are stats.
http://espn.go.com/blog/houston-texa...for-most-teams

"With the help of ESPN Stats & Info, our Kevin Seifert examined how many players on each team's roster were drafted by that team. Only five teams have more -- the Bengals, Packers, Vikings, Patriots and 49ers. Twenty-eight members of the Texans' roster were drafted by the team."

I'm of the opinion that all GM's are blind squirrels to some degree, as is everyone that is in a hiring position. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It happens. With the amount of time, effort, and money they put into this stuff you'd think they'd be more accurate, but none of them are. More hits than misses is the key to keeping your job as a GM.

Or, in Smith's case, having some sort of dirty laundry on the McNair's.......

[barrett]

It's not the same group as Nix and Okoye. Wade Phillips was on board for Watt, along with dozens of other coaching/FO changes. The only constant is Smith. The draft is clearly a group process in Houston and 3 different groups drafted those 3 players. And though nobody realistically thought they were drafting the best defensive player of a generation, everyone involved gets a ton of credit.

And even though nobody could have predicted it at draft time, Wade did say JJ was going to the HOF after his 5 sack rookie year. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ed-for-canton/

Wade is clearly a guy who knows NFL defense.

[HPF Bob]

I couldn't recall if Wade Phillips was here for the 2011 draft so I stayed clear of the subject. Different d-coords in those three examples, true. I don't want to call Clowney a bust but I wonder if that will someday be looked upon like the Raiders and JaMarcus Russell if he fails to produce.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

I couldn't recall if Wade Phillips was here for the 2011 draft so I stayed clear of the subject. Different d-coords in those three examples, true. I don't want to call Clowney a bust but I wonder if that will someday be looked upon like the Raiders and JaMarcus Russell if he fails to produce.

I don't think so. JaMarcus Russell turned out to be a slacker. If Clowney fails to live up to his selection, it will be because the injuries and repairs got the best of him.....

[chuck]

Originally Posted by WMH

3 starters out of the '11 draft. That's not too shabby in my eyes.

Well, they ended up with two impact players which is the only time that has happened since 2006 so one does have reason to celebrate.

But in general looking over the team's draft history depresses me profoundly and I always end up wondering how they have ever had a winning season.

[Nconroe]

Originally Posted by WMH

3 starters out of the '11 draft. That's not too shabby in my eyes.

ESPN had an article about how well the Texans have drafted. Most of us will roll the eyes and disagree, but stats are stats.
http://espn.go.com/blog/houston-texa...for-most-teams

"With the help of ESPN Stats & Info, our Kevin Seifert examined how many players on each team's roster were drafted by that team. Only five teams have more -- the Bengals, Packers, Vikings, Patriots and 49ers. Twenty-eight members of the Texans' roster were drafted by the team."

I'm of the opinion that all GM's are blind squirrels to some degree, as is everyone that is in a hiring position. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It happens. With the amount of time, effort, and money they put into this stuff you'd think they'd be more accurate, but none of them are. More hits than misses is the key to keeping your job as a GM.

Or, in Smith's case, having some sort of dirty laundry on the McNair's.......

I agree, we are building our team thru draft better than most teams. Which means most teams draft even worse than texans.