Official 2023 NFL Draft - Round 1-7 Thread (+UDFAs)

Keith · #8 04-29-2023, 12:52 AM

Since Easterby was dismissed, it seems as if it has been far more difficult to get info and insight to what is happening in the room where it happens on Kirby. These media narratives are increasingly just that... stories. The media craves a narrative, and the Texans aren't giving them out anymore. There's dead air and empty columns still to fill though, so we get whoknowswhat to fill that space.

Cal has said today even that he stepped back in the draft process versus his level of involvement in hiring the head coach.

Quote:

@BKubena
There has been much speculated about the McNair family’s involvement with the draft. I asked Cal McNair about it. His answer lines up with what I’d heard from multiple people in the weeks leading up to the draft.

Quote:

"I was a little less involved than in the coaching search because that's the (specialty) of these guys," McNair said. "It wasn't last month that they woke up and started looking at Will Anderson or C.J. They'd been watching them for years, literally years. So, they really know them so well. ... There's so much that goes into it that you've got to let these guys do their job, and they did it yesterday."

https://twitter.com/BKubena/status/1...302592/photo/1

So one can be skeptical that Cal is being honest here, but I tend to believe him and not all the other media cultivated narratives. Cal's dad had the same philosphy, for better or worse. Why wouldn't Cal? Of course Cal may have an opinion on what player he likes and how to get it done - we all have an opinion - but ultimately I don't think he levied any sort of veto power or overruling here.

What little we've seen in the war room and of how this draft has so far played out seems to me that Caserio and Ryans are aligned and McNair is happy to see what they can do together. The picks this weekend are just the results... the real narrative consists of the firing of Easterby, the trading of Watson, and the hiring of Ryans.

Side note on Brooks, who I think has done a really nice job since he began covering this beat... he mentioned he was 12 during the 2006 draft (Mario-VY-Bush)... and man it made me feel old.

But that analogy - that drafting Stroud and Anderson might have been like getting both Mario and Vince, just really helps to encapsulate how unique Thursday was not just for the Texans but for the league. The only other times the same team has had two of the first three picks was '00 (Arrington/Samuels) and '92 (Emtman/Coryatt). The Texans did this with the two most important positions on the field, one on each side of the ball in the passer and the pass rusher. Have to admire the boldness if nothing else.