Official 2017 NFL Draft - Round 1 Thread

[Keith]

Originally Posted by chuck

Watson seems to be light years away from what BOB would want from a quarterback.

Light years? I think the most questionable aspect to O'Brien's prototype would be Watson's accuracy. It's not terrible, but it has not been consistent enough.

Otherwise, I think Watson probably scored well in football IQ, in spite of any interception numbers. He will need time to learn reading NFL coverages. He has a very quick release though, which will translate to the pro game nicely. I like that it seems he is a player who really just loves playing the game. Brian Cushing is like that on defense. I want those guys. To have one at QB could be amazing. Texans QBs have too often taken on the personality of its owner and front office - too corporate.

As Warren mentioned in another post, it is all about accuracy, intelligence, leadership, toughness. Seems like Watson is a home run in those last three. And having Tom Savage is a benefit... no immediate pressure on Watson to absorb this offense on Day 1. I do think Savage will have this job in 2017 until he gets hurt... which sadly is more of a when than an if scenario.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by Keith

Light years?

Maybe not light years. But Watson played in a one-look offense. He didn't read the defense and then stand there and scan the field. He had the place he was going to go and there he went. That's one reason for all the picks. Picks I can live with, by the way, in a lot of circumstances. His timing is nowhere near NFL ready. He throws to wide open guys. He doesn't throw anticipating a cut. His body of work is great in college but what he did there has nothing to do with the NFL.

BOB's offense is totally, totally different. The routes the receivers run are dictated by what the defense is doing. The quarterback has to read this and see this. And then make the correct throw. This is miles ahead of anything Watson ever did in college. Does that mean he absolutely cannot do it in the NFL? Of course not. But my level of confidence is low.

I didn't like any of these guys. Forgetting the fact that they should have dealt with this a long time ago, if I were in charge I would have tried to trade down from 25 Seattle-style to try to pick up OL, CB, S, ILB, freaking waterboy, you know, whoever, and then take the quarterback in the third or fourth that played (reasonably well) in the most NFL-ready offense I could find. I'd have him sit for a year behind Savage or Cutler or whoever and then see what's what.

But here we are with Watson and no early picks until 2027. I hope he's a Hall of Fame guy and that he leads the team to six Super Bowl wins and he is on every billboard you necks see as you drive around the picturesque local expressways. But I doubt any of that will come to pass. I don't know. Maybe he'll be on some billboards along 288.

[Nconroe]

Fwiw, I preferred Watson of the choices for QB draft this year. And Texans went and got him..

I also like Savage, so hoping they are both capable and healthy for many happy years of Texans watching.

If it works then GM and Coach can both stick around for a long time as well. That's the hope this time of year.

Here is a positive review of Watson, fairly detailed.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndica...96512.amp.html

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

Maybe not light years. But Watson played in a one-look offense. He didn't read the defense and then stand there and scan the field. He had the place he was going to go and there he went. That's one reason for all the picks. Picks I can live with, by the way, in a lot of circumstances. His timing is nowhere near NFL ready. He throws to wide open guys. He doesn't throw anticipating a cut. His body of work is great in college but what he did there has nothing to do with the NFL.

BOB's offense is totally, totally different. The routes the receivers run are dictated by what the defense is doing. The quarterback has to read this and see this. And then make the correct throw. This is miles ahead of anything Watson ever did in college. Does that mean he absolutely cannot do it in the NFL? Of course not. But my level of confidence is low.

I didn't like any of these guys. Forgetting the fact that they should have dealt with this a long time ago, if I were in charge I would have tried to trade down from 25 Seattle-style to try to pick up OL, CB, S, ILB, freaking waterboy, you know, whoever, and then take the quarterback in the third or fourth that played (reasonably well) in the most NFL-ready offense I could find. I'd have him sit for a year behind Savage or Cutler or whoever and then see what's what.

But here we are with Watson and no early picks until 2027. I hope he's a Hall of Fame guy and that he leads the team to six Super Bowl wins and he is on every billboard you necks see as you drive around the picturesque local expressways. But I doubt any of that will come to pass. I don't know. Maybe he'll be on some billboards along 288.

Who doesn't do this in modern college football? Which is basically played as HS football with better athletes?

The best recruits who are the most talented guys will go to the best schools where they run gimmick HS offenses. Even Alabama put their hopes on a raw true freshman from a Houston area cellar dweller.

Gone are the days of college QBs learning to play QB in college. You will have to coach them up. Andrew Luck isn't showing up on draft boards again. This doesn't mean keeping Brock for 2017 was a reasonable solution, and your willingness to even suggest it shows just how far you will go to complain about any and all outcomes.

[HPF Bob]

What a bunch of Debbie Downers! Heck, right up the road is a fourth-round QB who played his college ball at the Aggieland of Missi-friggin-sippi and he's able to dominate the NFL. Not that I expect such a perfect storm here but O'Brien can dumb down the offense for Watson in Year One and gradually add back in the playbook. BTW, how did we look with that QB from Hah-vuhd?

If someone told me you could rid yourself of Brock Osweiler and draft a Heisman runner-up QB, all it would cost you is two 1sts, a 2nd, a 6th and perhaps some self-respect, I would have asked what else was on the menu.

Would it have been better to keep Ozzie on the roster one more year and eat $17 million but keep all our picks?

Would it have made more sense to sign Kaepernick for a year and concentrate on rebuilding the OL while developing a QB like Davis Webb?

I'm just pointing out some options here. It's too late to change anything now but I'm okay with Watson at QB for our future. I just wish it hadn't cost so much to get there. At least it wasn't Mahomes.

So, all right, we've mortgaged the 2018 draft. Let's make the most of this one and move forward.

[Joshua]

I'm fine with it.

The price was steep but it is the going rate to move up that far. The last couple of years has shown that the overall team is good enough that we will likely be drafting somewhere in the 20s for the foreseeable future. Any QB that falls into the 20s will have considerable warts. Hell, between the current style of play in college and players leaving early, virtually every QB has significant questions about them. So, we had 2 choices- (1) stand pat and draft an extremely warty QB in the late 1st/2nd/etc. and hope you know something no one else does (read: get very lucky) or (2) move up for one of the better, yet still somewhat questionable, prospects. I just don't see any other realistic options for them drafting a QB in the next couple years. They chose path 2 and the cost for that is a 1st next year. Now we wait and hope Deshaun pans out.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

So, all right, we've mortgaged the 2018 draft. Let's make the most of this one and move forward.

I think this is what hurts the doubters. No first and second round picks in 2018. And if the Texans have done one thing well in the Rick Smith years, it has been their ability to nail first round picks. All of them are still on the roster, all the way back until his first one, Amobi Okoye.

But for all the first round success over the years, the Texans have zero hardware to show for it. It's now a QB league, a passing league. And all the extra #1s sitting on the roster that don't play QB will keep getting the Texans into the playoffs but not to the last game of the season. The Texans have tried long enough to win without a QB.

Another 9- or 10- (or 11...) win season in 2017 would mean a similar scenario for the Texans in the 2018 draft... picking in the back half of the round. So if this mystical college QB were available, the one that played in an NFL-style in offense while possessing impeccable accuracy, cannon-fire arm strength and natural-born leadership, then the team would have to mortgage three drafts to move up to #1 to get him, assuming a team sitting at #1 would even answer the phone call to talk about trading down 20+ picks.

[Arky]

Well, after doing some research, the 17 INTs went along with 41 TDs. I can live with the 41 TDs. (Reminds me of the old Mae West line: "6'7", huh? I don't care about the 6', let's talk about the 7").

41 TDs, 17 INTs is better than a 2:1 ratio. For his career, Watson was 90 TDs and 32 INT's and that is almost a 3:1 ratio. He's a passing fool. At the very least, he should be able to dink and dunk with the best of them (certainly better than Oz).

He's got much to learn. Obviously, the NFL is way different than college but he sounds like a baller so he should be able to adapt. Just hope that they develop him constructively....

[Arky]

As for the 2018 draft, teams have survived something like this before. Losing the 1st and 2nd picks hurt but that can be worked around by drafting well in the other rounds and free agency. If they do it right, it can be reduced to just a small blip on the long term radar....

[Keith]

Originally Posted by chuck

Watson played in a one-look offense. He didn't read the defense and then stand there and scan the field. He had the place he was going to go and there he went.

I'm not sure what college doesn't do this crap anymore. Seems like you are waiting for an ideal that does not exist.

A difference in opinion, but I'd prefer the team do what they did (specifically, jettison Osweiler and invest in a good rookie while Savage babysits) than punt the problem ANOTHER year and go with Cutler/Kaepernick/Godknowswhat.

Is it a gamble? Hell yes. But your alternative is none better in 2017 (wait, unless you think Cutler is a Super Bowl QB) and only makes 2018 seem like another lost year. 2018 may still be lost if Watson doesn't make the transition, but at least there is hope in the meantime.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm not sure what college doesn't do this crap anymore. Seems like you are waiting for an ideal that does not exist.

That's probably true. I don't watch nearly as much college football as most of you likely do, and if the number of schools running bs offenses has risen from some to virtually all of them, well, I guess I'm reminded of one reason I don't watch a lot of college football.

I never, ever, advocated keeping BO on the team next year, by the way. I wanted to cut him as soon as financially prudent and eat the twenty million or whatever it was to get his ass off the team and away from the building. I'm still puzzled at the FO's sending the Browns a valuable pick to clear cap space that they apparently aren't planning to use this year. (Yes, I know it carries over to next year but I'd kind of like to win now rather than at some vague point in an imaginary future.)

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

That's probably true. I don't watch nearly as much college football as most of you likely do, and if the number of schools running bs offenses has risen from some to virtually all of them, well, I guess I'm reminded of one reason I don't watch a lot of college football.

Yes, it is most. Like I said, even Nick Saban gave in. College football now looks like Friday night in Texas with bigger faster athletes. The overall talent is still low enough and disparate enough that putting your best athlete in space near the LOS is more reliable than trying to connect on a timing route downfield. Plus you don't have to worry about the long term health of your QB in college. So the few teams that resemble a pro style offense are the exception not the norm, and most of them aren't good enough to have a top talent at QB anyways.

Originally Posted by chuck

I never, ever, advocated keeping BO on the team next year, by the way. I wanted to cut him as soon as financially prudent and eat the twenty million or whatever it was to get his ass off the team and away from the building. I'm still puzzled at the FO's sending the Browns a valuable pick to clear cap space that they apparently aren't planning to use this year. (Yes, I know it carries over to next year but I'd kind of like to win now rather than at some vague point in an imaginary future.)

This makes more sense. I agree the trade to CLE looks weird without the accompanying financial moves that trade should have allowed. I am assuming a deal for Hopkins is a big part of that.

[chuck]

I basically quit watching college football right around the time the zone read came into fashion. Another thing I love is the line up and pretend to run a play and then step back and wait for some asshole in a visor to signal in the call.

If that ever seeps its way into the NFL, well, you guys won't have me to kick around anymore.

Christ, reading back over this I sound like my grandfather. Minus the segregationist tendencies.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by chuck

I basically quit watching college football right around the time the zone read came into fashion. Another thing I love is the line up and pretend to run a play and then step back and wait for some asshole in a visor to signal in the call.

If that ever seeps its way into the NFL, well, you guys won't have me to kick around anymore.

Christ, reading back over this I sound like my grandfather. Minus the segregationist tendencies.

What cracks me up is the teams that rush up to the line like that are usually bad at running the actual hurry up. All they know how to do is run to the line and stare at the sideline.