2015 Mocks

[Arky]

Jeez, so what's the deal with WR Dorial Green-Beckham? 6'6", 225, 4.49 speed. A monster/beastly. 5-star athlete in high school. Projected by Rivals as the next Andre Johnson... Scores on the football field as well as on the street - likes his pot. Though the Texans dislike problem children, somebody's going to get a good athlete - the problem will be to keep him from screwing up.... It will be interesting to see who gives him a shot...

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by Arky

Jeez, so what's the deal with WR Dorial Green-Beckham? 6'6", 225, 4.49 speed. A monster/beastly. 5-star athlete in high school. Projected by Rivals as the next Andre Johnson... Scores on the football field as well as on the street - likes his pot. Though the Texans dislike problem children, somebody's going to get a good athlete - the problem will be to keep him from screwing up.... It will be interesting to see who gives him a shot...

They'll be getting the next Randy Moss or the next Justin Blackmon. That's all.

[HPF Bob]

I think I would consider this my dream draft and, boy, was I working the trade phones to get what I wanted/needed. Other than getting a second o-lineman and addressing the safety position, this took care of every immediate need with players I really like (other than QB which needs another year to determine how to address).

Before the draft, the Lions wanted to trade up for our 1-16. I took it to get their 1-23 and 2-22. In case you're curious, they used 1-16 for Malcom Brown, DT, Texas.

I also traded my 4th, 5th and 6th to Seattle for 3-31.

Still, DTs and WRs were falling on the first-round board. I tapped into the Dallas Cowboys and they acquired 1-23 for 1-27, 4-28 and 5-27. They used 1-23 on Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska - who I didn't want.

At 1-27, my intended choice, WR Jaelen Strong, was still on the board but so was DT Danny Shelton from Washington who I decided was too great a value to pass up. Goodbye, Louis Nix.

That meant I still didn't have the WR I wanted so I dealt 2-19, 3-31 and 5-27 to Atlanta for 2-10 and hoped someone above that wanted Green-Beckham instead of Strong. Bingo. Strong was there at 2-10.

With the 2-22 I got from Detroit, I thought hard about Bernardrick McKinney before taking OLB Lorenzo Mauldin, Louisville. This kid has both DE and OLB experience so he won't have the learning curve most converted DEs have to a 3-4 and he's solid insurance if Clowney can't come back. I love McKinney but the ILB role is decreasing in the game so I'm willing to chance a mid-round pick instead of a premium one for that position.

Now, I'm back to just one third-rounder but Baltimore knocked with another deal. I moved down from 3-18 to 3-26 and picked up 4-23. With 3-26, I took Jesse James, TE, Penn St. whom I think will make a great tandem with Fiedorowicz - two solid blockers with mid-range receiving skills.

I'm holding my breath that the two guys I'm really hoping for will still be there late in the fourth. Indeed, they are! I nab C B.J. Finney, C, Kansas St at 4-23 to back up Ben Jones and Taiwan Jones, ILB, Michigan St. at 4-28 to cover the hole next to Brian Cushing.

I fill other needs with my comp pick and finally take a corner in the 7th. I'd like to have done more in the secondary but I love the rest of what I've done here:

27 (from DAL) - R1P27 DT DANNY SHELTON WASHINGTON
42 (from ATL) - R2P10 WR JAELEN STRONG ARIZONA STATE
54 (from DET) - R2P22 OLB LORENZO MAULDIN LOUISVILLE
90 (from BAL) - R3P26 TE JESSE JAMES PENN STATE
122 (from BAL) - R4P23 C B.J. FINNEY KANSAS STATE
127 (from DAL) - R4P28 ILB TAIWAN JONES MICHIGAN STATE
175 (comp) - R5P39 WR-KR TY MONTGOMERY STANFORD
211 (comp) - R6P35 DE-OLB DEION BARNES PENN STATE
216 (comp) - R6P40 RB-KR KARLOS WILLIAMS FLORIDA STATE
236 - R7P19 CB JACOREY SHEPHERD KANSAS

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

27 (from DAL) - R1P27 DT DANNY SHELTON WASHINGTON
42 (from ATL) - R2P10 WR JAELEN STRONG ARIZONA STATE
54 (from DET) - R2P22 OLB LORENZO MAULDIN LOUISVILLE
90 (from BAL) - R3P26 TE JESSE JAMES PENN STATE
122 (from BAL) - R4P23 C B.J. FINNEY KANSAS STATE
127 (from DAL) - R4P28 ILB TAIWAN JONES MICHIGAN STATE
175 (comp) - R5P39 WR-KR TY MONTGOMERY STANFORD
211 (comp) - R6P35 DE-OLB DEION BARNES PENN STATE
216 (comp) - R6P40 RB-KR KARLOS WILLIAMS FLORIDA STATE
236 - R7P19 CB JACOREY SHEPHERD KANSAS

I love it when you get all these draft picks. I ran a mock for the Colts and went back to see who I would've taken for the Texans. Was surprised to see Jalen Strong was selected before DeVante Parker.

#27 WR Devante Parker
#42 DB Eric Rowe
#54 QB Bryce Petty
#90 OLB Anthony Chickillo
#122 ILB Jake Ryan
#127 TE Mycole Pruitt
#175 RB Cameron Artis-Payne
#211 OL Mitch Morse
#216 CB Justin Coleman
#236 WR Ty Montgomery

I selected Rowe over Stephone Anthony because I figured I would get an athletic ILB later, but wouldn't be able to get a FS who could also play CB. Mike Mayock now believes Damarious Randall is the #1 prospect over Landon Collins, so go figure. I'm hoping that taking Petty with my 3rd pick doesn't mean that I have to start him right away but can sit him on the beach while he learnsthe Offense. I took Pruitt over James because he is better suited for being a pass-catching TE. Fedorowicz is already my blocking TE. Artis-Payne gives me depth, without spending a 1st round pick on Gordon or Gurley. I would be ecstatic with this.

[HPF Bob]

In my mind, I wrestle James vs. Pruitt as well. I think O'Brien wants to be a grind-it-out running coach which means he wants TEs who can be plus blockers on the line and willing to sacrifice the deep speed a Maxx Williams or Mycoll Pruitt offer. At 6-7, James is *always* going to be open against these 6-1, 6-2 safeties. Part of Gronk's success is that he's 6-7 so Brady can always find him.

I'm also weighing the fact that O'Brien is going to know what type of guy/player James is from Penn State and have his own opinion whereas Pruitt, from a smaller school, wasn't seeing top flight competition (as much as I joke about how the Big 14 sucks).

I wouldn't be sad to see us take Pruitt over James. He does mean we can take someone else good in the 3rd (although some mocks have Pruitt rising).

I agree about Rowe. He shows up in many of my mocks for the same reason - he can play FS. He can play CB. He'll be a top special teams guy while he learns the ropes and he's a solid tackler.

I'm starting to see Taiwan Jones as our best ILB option. His profile fits exactly what we want at the position and he won't cost us a second or third the way some other top LBs will. That allows me to fill the DE-OLB spot with someone more capable of playing right away.

IMO, replacing AJ is the top priority so I want Strong or Parker if possible. Most of the top DE-OLBs are gone by the time 2-19 rolls around. I think it's entirely possible that the Texans use 1-16 on Shane Ray or Bud Dupree and take a WR in the 2nd or 3rd but he probably won't be the total-package WR that I'm looking for to replace Andre and take pressure off Hopkins.

I could also be talked into a DT in the first if a good one falls to us which is what I did with Shelton but only after trading down twice to 27 and still finding him there.

I also run Denver Bronco mocks and I look to see who the computer drafted for the Texans. One time, Marcus Mariota fell to 1-16 and we took him. I might have posted it here but the rest of their picks were just terrible so I didn't.

[Roy P]

I could see us taking Jesse James for the reasons you cited. I am only stating why I selected Pruitt. He had a lot of catches against small school competition, but he is accustomed to having the ball thrown his way. Maybe a very poor man's Shannon Sharpe.

I was hoping that the rest of the league would be focusing on Trae Waynes, Kevin Johnson, Marcus Peters, Jalen Collins, and Byron Jones and Eric Rowe would slip under the radar. I mean, he is bigger than those guys, can tackle, has played Safety and CB, and will probably be the most successful of the group. The fact that Demarious Randall is "flying up draft boards" means people are realizing the importance of the position in a passing league and the dearth of talent to fulfill the need. I would simply assign him to cover the pass-catching TEs we face, like Fleener. Anyway, if I can see his highlights and compare his measurables, I am sure that NFL GMs can too. It won't surprise me if he's drafted in the first round.

Taiwan Jones is similar to Bernardick McKinney, but not as athletic. Good downhill thumpers who stop the run, but never on the field in passing downs because of the liability in coverage. We have Cushing already, so I want a complimentary ILB who can handle the RB in pass coverage. The guys like Alexander, Hicks, Heeney, or Ryan are "Nickle-Linebackers" sort of "bulked up Kam Chancellor - types.

I won't be surprised if Bud Dupree is our first pick and would be fine with it. Unless Amari Cooper or Kevin White is still on the board. If Parker is there, I might raise an eyebrow, but would understand. I'm higher on Chickillo than most and I sometimes try to wait until the 3rd round, and then miss out on him and have to settle for a Kyle Emanuel or Alani Fua. So, getting the OLB early relieved the stress of potential for missing out.

If we go OLB first and WR after, Devin Smith, Phillip Dorsett, Jalen Strong, Breshad Perriman, Tyler Lockett, those guys are going to add to the talent.

[Blitzwood]

I'm glad you brought up Fua. Call me crazy, but I really like Alani Fua as a SS/nickel LB. He's got the same measureables as Kam, 6'4" and 235, and his 3 cone and shuttle #'s are better than almost all the safeties. Worst case is he becomes a great ST player. I could see us taking a flier on him in the 5th or 6th.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by Roy P

#42 DB Eric Rowe


I selected Rowe over Stephone Anthony because I figured I would get an athletic ILB later, but wouldn't be able to get a FS who could also play CB. Mike Mayock now believes Damarious Randall is the #1 prospect over Landon Collins, so go figure.

Just saw that Mayock has moved up Eric Rowe to a tie for 5th best CB with Byron Jones.

[Roy P]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...am-projections

Houston Texans

Round 1 (16): Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
Round 2 (51): Eric Rowe, CB, Utah
Round 3 (82): Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford
Round 4 (116): Max Garcia, C, Florida
Round 5 (152): Bryce Hager, ILB, Baylor
Round 5 (175): Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State
Round 6 (195): Darrian Miller, G, Kentucky
Round 6 (211): Zach Wagenmann, OLB, Montana
Round 6 (216): Tray Walker, CB, Texas Southern
Round 7 (235): Tayo Fabuluje, G, TCU

I'm okay with Perriman, his hands aren't that bad. Andre used to frustrate me early in his career too, but if he makes enough plays, you live with it.

I love Eric Rowe, unfortunately QB Bryce Petty was selected at #41 by the Rams. I couldn't believe the Jaquiski Tartt pick. I would have taken Chickillo or even Marpet and it killed me that the Patriots selected both with #96 and #97.

I understand the Max Garcia pick, which is why I was looking for Marpet. Very pleased with Karlos Williams (good RB pick at about the right time).

Not having drafted an OLB earlier, I can understant the Zach Wagenmann selection. Pretty decent mock.

[Roy P]

Another Fanspeak.com mock draft without trading :

#16 OLB Eli Harold
#51 WR Breshad Perriman
#82 QB Bryce Petty
#116 ILB Jake Ryan
#152 TE Mycole Pruitt
#175 DL Derrick Lott
#195 CB Justin Coleman
#211 RB Zach Zenner
#216 OLB Kyle Emanuel
#235 OC Greg Mancz

Harold is a "reach" because I have seen mocks where he gets down to the Cardinals and Steelers, but I am comfortable with taking him at #16 if my top 7 players are off the board.

I have seen mocks where we select Perriman at #16 or he's off the board before our first pick, so excited to take him at #51.

Petty has a legitimate shot at starting in his 2nd season, and we don't have to draft a QB next year. I am not sure if Mallet or Hoyer are the answer, and want a guy waiting in the wings. A 3rd round pick is not too expensive for a potential Franchise QB who simply needs some seasoning as he transitions from the College Spread to something more complex at the NFL level.

I wondered if Ben Heeney would drop to #116, but he was selected at #115. I prefer Jake Ryan due to his size and versatility.

#152 Jesse James was gone, but I like Pruitt in the passing game and he is better at getting separation due to his quickness.

I continue to draft Lott because he has agility that is uncanny for someone his size. He impressed me at the Shrine game.

Coleman is my Nickel CB who can cover the slot.

Zenner rushed for 2K more than once. Is available here because he played at a small school. I'm okay with that.

Emanuel and Mancz are insurance and could be getting significant snaps in their 2nd season.