Day 2 Thoughts

[Roy P]

We selected Slaton (89), Adibi (118), Okam(151), Barber(173), and some QB.
We could have drafted Cliff Avril (92), Bryan Kehl (122), Thomas Brown (172), Brian Johnston (210), and Paul Smith (some QB).

If we wanted a NT, a guy who works hard like Athyba Rubin (190) might have been another way to go instead of Frank Okam. Of course, if the coaching staff can motivate this guy to get down to 320lbs, who knows?

My biggest concern is a lack of a DE to play opposite Mario. I could have perhaps passed over Avril and drafted Jeremy Thompson (102) with the 3rd round pick. I'm also not happy that Indy selected Marcus Howard. Hopefully, Duane Brown can block him.

[Roy P]

Okay, I've stopped crying about taking Brown in the 1st. I've been informed that he played well enough against Chris Long, so that's got to be good for something. It won't stop me from keeping a close eye on Ohio State this fall. Anyway, I truly hope he helps keep Schaub healthy and can cut block in our running game.

Antwaun Molden is my favorite Texan. Most of my high school buddies went to EKU, so it's nice to have a Colonel here in Houston. When I saw him at the Texas vs The Nation game, I looked him up to see where he was being projected. I thought I'd found a real sleeper in the 5th round. Well, you know the rest.

Steve Slaton is a talent. I was thinking about his teammate Reynaud later on. This guy could be our Daren Sproles/Jerious Norwood/Lorenzo Booker who doesn't have to get the ball 30 times a game to make an impact. He could get 10 - 12 touches per game and rack up 100+ yards. Keeping him healthy will be the issue.

Adibi should help in zone coverage. We have Morlon and he's not going anywhere, but Adibi might come in on 3rd downs or be a Nickle LB. Everyone thought he was much faster than he timed, so perhaps it is just instincts. If he can help keep the ball out of Dallas Clark's hands, then he'll be welcome. I just wonder if we are trying to sign Wesley Woodyard as an undrafted FA to compete for a roster spot.

Frank Okam is an underachiever. He should be a lot better, but then again, we wouldn't have been able to get him here. Perhaps slipping into the 5th round will motivate him into losing some weight and getting into shape. Now, I'll give some credit for this pick. I've wanted a big body to plug the middle for DeMeco. Okoye needs to penetrate and can't be expected to take on double-teams all day long. TJ doesn't really like being the power-pig either. Maybe, big Frank can come in here and do some dirty work.

Barber sounds like a clone of C.C. Brown. A SS who plays FS. At least he has good genes.

Brink allows us to have a practice squad project.

Now, I'm wanting to hit the undrafted FAs!
I've mentioned Woodyard, but I'm really wondering how in the hell Darrell Robertson went undrafted (maybe his shoulder is worse than I've heard). Keilen Dykes and Reynaud played at WVU, maybe we can bring them in with Slaton. Oh yeah, Ben Moffitt is probably better than Diles.

[cadams]

overall, i am happy with the draft. i didn't know a lot about some of the palyers they went with, but the more i found out, the more happy i was. i like that we addressed the positions we needed. i can't complain about the brown pick, first because i havent seen him play, and more importantly because we have all been screaming for a LT in the first roud for the past couple of years and now we have one. i would like for him to be ready this year, but if it takes a year for him to develop i won't be pissed. maybe spencer will be healthy and actually turn into the player we all thought he could be.

[NickO]

what's the deal with the blurb about Okam from yahoo.com?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...yhoo&type=lgns

B. Give Houston a lot of credit for maneuvering around the draft, particularly after a mid-first round run on offensive linemen left the Texans without great choices at the No. 18 spot. They slid back to get Brown at No. 26, nabbing a need player at a better value spot. You also have to love the speed of Slaton, who can change a game in a hurry. However, Molden is too raw and the downside of Slaton is that he doesn’t like contact, making him a predictable runner. Okam, a former defensive tackle, is likely to shift to guard, a clever move by teams that realize that non-athletic DTs can make for cheap, athletic G’s.

am i imagining this? has anyone heard any back-up to this story?

[HPF Bob]

They must be confused since "non-athletic" hardly describes Okam. He's plenty athletic. His problems lie elsewhere.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by NickO

what's the deal with the blurb about Okam from yahoo.com?


am i imagining this? has anyone heard any back-up to this story?

I can't imagine a guy who is still running the 40 - yard dash (5.32) is a player that Gibbs wants as an athletic OL. Okam has enough problems playing 2 downs. To me, this is a crazy idea that has no real substance. If the Texans and Gibbs wanted a RG, they could have gotten Donald Thomas (#195) who is athletic and has actually played the position in college.

Okam did this too: 10 yard - 1.78, Shuttle - 4.95, Cone - 8.07
Thomas did this: 10 yard - 1.72, Shuttle - 4.78, Cone - 7.45, 40 -5.0

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by Roy P

Oh yeah, Ben Moffitt is probably better than Diles.

We got him!

[gunn]

It seems to me that they kind of gave up towards the end of the draft. A quarterback? Come on, seriously. Did you really need to make that pick? Couldn't they have actually drafted a player that "maybe" could have contributed to the team.

Overall, I thought they would have addressed the defense more than they did with the first few picks, but how can anyone complain (not that anyone is) with this team actually drafting a first round tackle.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by gunn

It seems to me that they kind of gave up towards the end of the draft. A quarterback? Come on, seriously. Did you really need to make that pick? Couldn't they have actually drafted a player that "maybe" could have contributed to the team.

I'm looking at our DE situation and see Eric Powell on the roster. Seems like we should be scouring the undrafted FAs this year besides Nading.

Anyway, in the 7th round there isn't a whole lot of "giving up" it is all a crap shoot at that point. The only guy I saw drafted after us who might really be worth a damn is Marcus Monk.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by gunn

It seems to me that they kind of gave up towards the end of the draft. A quarterback? Come on, seriously. Did you really need to make that pick? Couldn't they have actually drafted a player that "maybe" could have contributed to the team.

I've seen many say this was a wasted pick. Only time will tell.

The counter to the argument is that Kubes can groom the guy, make him NFL-ready and then either use him as a backup (ala Rosenfels) or trade him off for a higher pick. An investment...

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Arky

I've seen many say this was a wasted pick. Only time will tell.

The counter to the argument is that Kubes can groom the guy, make him NFL-ready and then either use him as a backup (ala Rosenfels) or trade him off for a higher pick. An investment...

And giving the kid an UDFA offer could not accomplish the same thing?

[Arky]

Originally Posted by painekiller

And giving the kid an UDFA offer could not accomplish the same thing?

I suppose it could.

Brink had been working out here in Houston at some (forget the name) semi-famous workout facility so I think it is logical to speculate that Kubes had met with the guy at some point pre-draft. All Rick Smith says about him on tape is that they think he's going to make a fine NFL QB.

Perhaps they drafted him to avoid the 100-1 shot that someone else would get him... Dunno, you'd have to ask Kubes....

What would be the difference between 7th round money and UDFA money?

[papabear]

Originally Posted by painekiller

And giving the kid an UDFA offer could not accomplish the same thing?

I've been thinking about this as well. At that point late in the draft your almost flipping a coin anyway so anyone else they might have had there eye on at that point has a good shot at still being available as an UDFA. With three semi-proven veteran QB's on the roster already I'm sure most agents would have steered any QB's away from us.

I think most teams like to have a young developmental QB on the practice squad. By taking Brink in the 7th Kubiak got a guy who he at least has a tiny bit of hope for.

[cadams]

Originally Posted by papabear

I've been thinking about this as well. At that point late in the draft your almost flipping a coin anyway so anyone else they might have had there eye on at that point has a good shot at still being available as an UDFA. With three semi-proven veteran QB's on the roster already I'm sure most agents would have steered any QB's away from us.

I think most teams like to have a young developmental QB on the practice squad. By taking Brink in the 7th Kubiak got a guy who he at least has a tiny bit of hope for.

that's actuallya good point. i hadnt thought about that, but you are probably right.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by papabear

.....With three semi-proven veteran QB's on the roster already I'm sure most agents would have steered any QB's away from us......

Yes, very good, that might be it.... Perhaps they learned something from Zabransky (UDFA) last year....