SB Nation - James Casey

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe :: 09.11.09

Seth C — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:34:59 -0000

Odds and Ends

9/11: I don't want to ignore the significance of this date, but I don't want to get political either, that's not why you're here, but it is still a significant date and a time to reflect. I hope you do that some time today.

Going to the Game: I'm headed to Lubbock sometime Friday morning and will be there way too close to kickoff but if I don't go to the game this weekend, it's going to be quite some time before I'm able to head that way. Very excited about the game, although I'm not excited about the chances of rain.

CN Writing Guide and Community Rules: If you ever wanted to know essentially how I feel about community guidelines for DTN and how to write FanPosts, FanShots, etc., then check out Corn Nation's post yesterday. I'm thinking about copying and pasting the entire thing and claiming it as my own (I'm kidding . . . sorta).

Texas Tech Football

Swindall to Play: LAJ's Don Williams reports that IR Tramain Swindall will play on Saturday, according to receivers coach Lincoln Riley, and will likely bump either Adam James or Cornelius Douglas to the third team:

"He’s practiced a lot harder and a lot better (this week),’’ Riley said. "You see a sense of urgency with him that we didn’t see in camp. I think anytime you’re a guy that’s played some and you get demoted to scout team for three weeks, all of a sudden your effort and intensity and all that magically seems to pick up.

There's also a bit about Matt Baldwin, Captain Leach's agent, in this article, mentioning something about how although he played for Rice in the late 90's, he's cheering for Texas Tech because of Leach. Really? There's no school loyalty? I think now we know why this took a meeting between Leach and Hance to get things done.

Williams also has a recruiting update at the end of the article, noting that the Red Raiders will likely take 1 more offensive lineman, 3 or 4 defensive linemen and a linebacker, although this is the most prevelant part:

Tech’s two oral commitments this week give the Red Raiders 19 pledges for their 2010 class. With Tech likely to sign 24 or 25 players, that leaves five or six spots to fill.

Dallas Madison offensive lineman Javius Townsend (6-foot-4, 300 pounds), who committed to Tech on Tuesday, and Navarro College’s Lawrence Rumph (6-3, 270), who has played both defensive end and defensive tackle, are expected to visit campus this weekend.

According to the Rivals.com recruiting service, Rumph has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Southern Mississippi, but not yet from Tech. He was a high-school teammate of Tech defensive tackle Chris Perry at Keller Fossil Ridge and was credited with 16 sacks as a senior.

Rock M Nation Dominates the Interwebs: Rock M Nation has a couple of items that need pointing out, first up is the Week 2 Big 12 Roundtable Recap and in addition to that is the Beyond the Box Score for all week 1 Big 12 games last week and I encourage you to read the whole thing, but the numbers say that Texas Tech must do a better job running the ball:

Tech fell into WAY too many passing downs for this caliber of opponent. Potts' three interceptions came on 3rd-and-15, 2nd-and-13, and 3rd-and-15. Granted, he should really learn what passes he should and shouldn't make, but...a 29.4% rushing success rate? Against North Dakota? That MUST improve, and immediately. Tech is obviously not tremendously likely to beat Texas or OSU on the road, and they'll certainly be underdogs against OU at home, but with poor line play and no threat of a run, suddenly trips to Houston and Nebraska become dicey (especially against NU's defensive line), as do home games against Kansas and Baylor. You have to figure Tech will go 8-4 like they almost always seem to do, but if they can't even pretend to be capable of running the ball, then they're in trouble.

Freshman Focus on Joel Gray: LAJ's Don Williams looks at the redshirts this year and LT Joel Gray is up and offensive line coach Matt Moore likes what he has in Gray:

"Joel is just one of those guys that very consistently wins,’’ Moore said. "It’s not always pretty, but he seems to get the job done. That’s the same thing he did in high school. He always found a way to win, and he’s real competitive. He’s athletic, has really good feet. That helps him out a lot.’’

Owls Look to Rebound: The Chron's Jeffrey Martin writes that the Owls must rebound quickly from their loss to UAB last week and focus on the Red Raiders.

"You want to put (UAB) behind you, but you have to remember it in a way," sophomore safety Travis Bradshaw said. "You don't want to have that feeling again, but it's something you also want to use as motivation.

"We were confident going in, and we knew what we had to do. We just didn't execute."

Rice Finding Identity: DT's Adam Coleman notes that the Owls are still looking for their identity after losing so much talent last year (Jarrett Dillard, Chase Clement and James Casey come to mind) and Captain Mike Leach (emphasis mine) says that his team would be stupid to look past the Owls:

"If they’re that stupid, we’ve got a lot of problems," said Leach, whose Red Raiders take on Rice at 6 p.m. Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium. "I mean, we’re only playing Rice this week."

And Leach acknowledged that although Rice lost quite a bit, much like Texas Tech, they manufacture talent and production:

"They’re missing a quarterback from last year, who I thought was a great player, one of my favorite all-time," Leach said. "I enjoyed watching him play. Everybody says ‘Well, they lost so-and-so.’ Well they also coached and manufactured these guys to some point, so there’s nothing to say they can’t do it again."

Thoughts from Tortilla Retort: I've fallen a little behind on linking to the Tortilla Retort and dedfischer and RRR have thoughts on the UND game (here, here and here).

Neglected Audio and Video: KAMC and Fox34 ask the same question, which is if Texas Tech looking past Rice. Check out the video for the surprising answer.

National and Big 12 Links: ESPN's Tim Griffin looks at how effective the Big 12 offenses and defenses are and predicts outcomes for this weekend's games . . . The Rivalry Esq. previews the USC vs. Ohio St. game . . .

2010 Recruiting Tidbits: Tonight, quarterbacks Scotty Young and Zack Lee will face off as Young's Denton-Ryan Team will take on Lee's McKinney squad. Young is committed to Texas Tech and Lee, initially looked at Texas Tech, committed to LSU . . . the first commitment this week, LB Fred Harvey talks about his commitment to Texas Tech:

"The first time I ever talked to coach Simmons, he had told me that whenever they were able to send me a scholarship offer, they were going to do it," said Harvey, who tallied 78 solo tackles and 21 sacks as a junior last season.

"Out of all the schools, (Texas Tech) recruited me the hardest. They made sure I always had e-mails coming from them. ... It's like they were really working hard, wanting me to come there."

Smart Football on Wes Welker: Smart Football's Chris Brown guest-posted on the NY Times pro-football blog, the Fifth Down and had this about former Red Raider Wes Welker and how he is so effective in New England (I would love for some of our current receivers to read this):

He does this by running every imaginable route that can be run from a depth of about 5 to 15 yards. Although he has enough speed to get downfield, it is his quick feet that are his biggest asset, and he marries them with his precise routes — revealing his art like a great violinist playing his favorite Vivaldi pieces. Keep in mind that Welker stepped in with a low profile and almost immediately earned Brady’s trust simply by getting open, all this in an offense not designed to get the ball to a single guy on a given play, but rather to spread the field and let the expert reader of defenses deliver the ball to the open guy.

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe :: 09.10.09

Seth C — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:28:53 -0000

Odds and Ends

SB Nation Relaunch: Please, please, please head on over to SBNation.com where you'll find a lively new place to get all of your sports news. This has been a huge problem for me lately as I would subscribe to every SB Nation college blog and within the last month, due to the tremendous growth of SBNation.com, I couldn't keep up with all of the incredible posts from thoughts from bloggers in the network and just yesterday unsubscribed to a majority of those blogs and have now subscribed to the new SBNation.com, figuring that I needed a collector of news rather than trying to do that myself. Check out the welcome post and what SBNation.com hopes to accomplish as well as coverage in the Washington Post.

Texas Tech Football

I Am Offended by this Old Caricature: I can't believe the gall of the Rice athletic department to portray the Red Raider as a happy-go-lucky masked bandit (hat-tip The Rice Football Webletter for the cool old cartoon):

via ricefootball.net

Rice Looking to Show Skillz: LAJ's Adam Zuvanich writes that the Rice Owls are looking to show their skills as Rice defensive coordinator had this to say:

"It’ll sound crazy, but we probably have a little better chance of slowing Tech down," said Rice defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach, whose unit allowed Webb to rush for 194 yards, a Conference USA record for a quarterback. "We thought we had a chance to slow Joe Webb down, but he proved us wrong. He was more athletic than us."

Yes, that does sound crazy. Stopping a quality offense, no matter the form of attack, is difficult if the defense is awful, and from all accounts, the Rice defense this year (102nd in total defense) and last year (111th in total defense) was and is awful.

Running Game Rebound: DT's Alex Ybarra writes that the Texas Tech running game looks to make a huge improvement over last week's performance (more on this in this afternoon's Five Reasons Texas Tech Will Win):

Tech averaged more than 100 yards per game on the ground last season. There were only two games in which it didn’t reach that mark.

It was a different story against North Dakota.

The Red Raiders averaged 2.1 yards per carry. They maxed out at 40 rushing yards — Baron Batch had 30 on nine carries while Harrison Jeffers had 16 yards on a measly two carries.

Even with less chances, Jeffers showed some of his explosion, prompting Tech coach Mike Leach to acknowledge he should have received more touches.

Texas Tech Team Report: RRS.com's team report has lots of notes and quotes including this key to the game:

Keys To The Game: Rice is coming off a 10-3 season capped by a win in the Texas Bowl, but the Owls were forced to reload, which was evident in a 44-24 season-opening loss against Conference-USA rival Alabama-Birmingham. Gone are QB Chase Clement, TE James Casey and WR Jarett Dillard. Defensively, the Owls allowed 412 total yards to UAB QB Joe Webb. WR Toren Dixon caught a career-high nine passes to lead the Owls.

Neglected Audio and Video: KAMC with a report on the new Rice quarterback and receiver options.

Smart Football Gets Its Own Subject Line: Smart Football's Chris Brown had an interesting look at how the BYU Cougars offense was able to beat the Oklahoma Sooners and give credit to former Texas Tech coach Robert Anae, who is BYU's current offensive coordinator. Also, EDSBS asks Brown what makes an offense terrible.

National and Big 12 Links: The most recent BlogPoll was released yesterday and the Red Raiders still sit outside the top 25 . . . FWST's Jimmy Burch wonders if the Oklahoma St. Cowboys are ready for act II, which is the Houston Cougars . . . The Daily Texas notes that Big 12 teams are now focusing on defense rather than offense and has their own power rankings . . .

Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe // 06.11.09

Seth C — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:26:40 -0000

Texas Tech Football

Looking Back at K-State

RRS.com's Joe Yeager is continuing to take a look back at each game from last year and up next is the Kansas State win. Ahhh, good times:

STAR OF THE SHOW: As noted above, this contest was a monster game for Graham Harrell. Not only did he pass for 454 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions, he also eclipsed Kliff Kingsbury to become Tech’s all time leading passer with 12,709 passing yards. It could be a very long time indeed before a future Red Raider passer overtakes Harrell’s career passing mark.

The Non-Conference Schedules

ESPN's Tim Griffin looks at the best and worst non-conference schedules and Texas Tech checks in at #9:

9. Texas Tech: North Dakota, Rice, at Houston, New Mexico
Mike Leach's nonconference schedule won't be as bad as last season's trip to the pastry wagon, but not by much. North Dakota is transitioning into FCS status this season after ranking 137th among the 148 Division II passing teams last season. Sounds like target practice for Taylor Potts, doesn't it? Rice won't be nearly as tough as last season without James Casey, Jarrett Dillard and Chase Clement gone. The trip to Houston will be Tech's biggest challenge and Case Keenum will test Tech's rebuilt secondary in the first battle between the old Southwest Conference rivals since 1995. And New Mexico will have had several weeks to work under Locksley's system, making them a tougher challenge for the Red Raiders in early October.

You could probably argue endlessly about where Texas Tech would rank, probably ranking a number of places, but I didn't understand how Texas didn't rank last. At least K-State is playing UCLA and Iowa State is playing Iowa, while Texas' schedule consists of La. Monroe, Wyoming, UTEP and Central Florida. I know, we're nit-picking here, but Texas' schedule is reminiscent of Texas Tech's 2008 non-conference schedule. Easy.

Texas Tech Baseball

MLB Draft

Texas Tech had no players taken in the first day of the MLB Draft, but had three players and two commitments get drafted yesterday. The MLB draft continues with rounds 31 through 50 today, so we're not completely out of the woods yet, especially with commitments. Let's start with LAJ's George Watson (as an advisory, my browser, Firefox, crashed twice while trying to view this article) who talked with 1B Chris Richburg about being drafted in the 23rd round by the Cincinnati Reds:

"I wish I actually could have seen my name (first)," said Richburg, one of several players with ties to Texas Tech or Lubbock who was selected Wednesday in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. "But any way is a good way. It’s something I’ve wanted to do and something that’s been a goal at the end, for me to get a chance to play pro baseball. Now it’s here, and I’m glad this part is over with and I can get this knot out of my stomach and look forward to getting going again and start playing."

Richburg is a senior and DTN certainly wishes him the best moving forward.

Junior P Nate Karns was picked in the 12th round by the Washington Nationals and from all accounts I think that Karns is going to play professional baseball next year and won't be back with Texas Tech. Same goes for Karns, we wish him luck.

Senior P A.J. Ramos was picked in the 21st round by the Florida Marlins and he sounds like he's ready to start working:

"It’s a great feeling … especially since some people said I wasn’t supposed to be back this season," Ramos said. "All day today I was nervous, my stomach was in a knot wondering when that call would come. This was one of my biggest goals was to get drafted and the hard work I put into it is what this has led to. But I also know that getting drafted is just part of the process and I have to work even harder now to make it up to my ultimate goal."

The two Texas Tech commitments that have been picked are LHP Jay Johnson in the 25th round by the Baltimore Orioles and RHP Brandon Petite in the 30th round by the Houston Astros. Texas Tech head coach Dan Spencer had this to say about whether or not Johnson and Petite will be in Lubbock this fall:

"I do … as confident as you can be without them being here standing at your door," Spencer said. "I think it’s an honor for them to get drafted and that’s great. But both should come to school and I think the money will dictate that."

I'm not as confident as Spencer after reading some quotes from Petite and Johnson. Up first, Kevin Barrett of the Daily Gleaner (I know, sounds strange) talked with Johnson who sounds like he has no problem going professional:

"It didn't really matter with me because with my injury, I wasn't going to be able to get a contract until I pitched this summer and people saw me again," he said. "It makes you feel better if you went higher but the 25th round is good enough."

Being selected by the Orioles was an added bonus.

"Baltimore is my dad's favorite team," Jay said of his father Bill. "When we were young, we were always watching them and Cal Ripken."

Who else isn't feeling very comfortable?

Brandon Petite talked with Dale Woodard of the Lethbridge Herald and T.J. Colello of The Cape Breton Post, who sounds like he's interested in playing for the Astros:

"I was at school," said Petite, who has committed to Texas Tech in Lubbock this fall. "I waited longer than I expected to wait, but it came through and I got drafted. It was a good feeling. It was a big sigh of relief because a lot of teams had been scared off by my commitment to Texas Tech. So they didn’t know if they should take me and take the chance on losing a draft due to a kid that’s going to college. It was a guessing game. So it was a big relief."

Like Inch, Petite chatted up the team that drafted him on Wednesday.

"I talked to Houston right after I got picked," he said. "They were telling me what kind of situations we’re going to be in and what they see in the future. They’re going to wait over the summer to make me my offer and watch me play with the Lethbridge Bulls.

They’re going to see it out and make sure they’re giving me the right offer. So it’s not close to being done yet."

And this (emphasis mine, and yeah, that's a direct quote):

"I wasn’t expecting to wait so long, but it happened," said Petite, who watched the draft unfold on the computer at school. "The initial thought was ‘you got to be kidding me’ because I was in the draft slot as a seventh to 12th rounder, but my commitment to Texas Tech kind of scared off a few teams because they didn’t know if they would draft me in the seventh to 12th rounds that they’d lose me if I went to school.

"But then Houston kind of nutted up and went after me. It was a long day."

Petite attended the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball in Vauxhall, Alta., playing for the private school’s Vauxhall Jets. The 6’3", 210-pound right hander was then named to Team Canada’s roster for the 2008 World Junior ‘AAA’ Baseball Championship in Edmonton.

Not done yet, but it sure sounds like he's excited to play professionally and if given enough money, he wants to play professionally. I understand that a lot of this is posturing by these guys and it's all a part of the game. I just hope that Spencer is calling these guys and letting them know that they can significantly improve their draft status if they end up staying committed to Texas Tech.

My Calm and Level-Headed Thoughts About The Texans' Haul From The 2009 NFL Draft

Tim — Fri, 01 May 2009 22:20:37 -0000

Now that I've had a few days to digest what our beloved Houston Texans did in the 2009 NFL Draft, here are my quick, Friday afternoon thoughts on each draftee:

Brian Cushing--I hated this pick when it was made. HATED it. Now that I've had the benefit of a cooling-off period...I still hate it. The good news is that it seems like the vast majority of the the fan base (1) either loves the pick and has loved it since it was made or (2) has managed to rationalize the pick in the last few days. Thus, I recognize I'm in a very small minority of naysayers. And that's okay; I'm comfortable with that. And hey--I hope Cushing has a career that sees him enshrined in Canton one day. I really do. He's a Texan, and I want him to succeed. So I will root for him regardless.

That said, the only thing that gives me any optimism about the pick is that Smithiak made it. Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak have a stellar draft record, and they know infinitely more about football, personnel, and scheme than I ever will. They're the professionals; I'm just a fan. In Smithiak I trust. Here's hoping I'm every bit the idiot I pray I am for disagreeing with the selection.

Connor Barwin--Looks to be great value in the second round, and if his interview is any indication, he's only scratched the surface of what he can do. Like nearly every Texans fan, I'm very excited about Barwin.

Antoine Caldwell--Without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite pick of the entire draft. Caldwell may not be starting at the outset of training camp, but you have to like his chances of usurping the starting center gig from Chris Myers. That's no knock on Myers; his limitations are nearly entirely based on his size, and that's not something he can control. Three years from now, I reckon we're going to look back on Caldwell as the prize of the draft class.

Glover Quin--A head-scratcher. Is he a cornerback? Or a safety? I really preferred D.J. Moore here. That said, Smithiak found Fred Bennett in the fourth round with several better known players on the board, and Bennett was a revelation his rookie year. We shall not speak of Bennett's sophomore season, lest we get depressed.

So where does Quin fit in? I have no idea. Here's hoping he cracks the DB rotation somewhere in 2009. His development (or lack thereof) could play a large role in how management handles Dunta Robinson's situation in 2010.

Anthony Hill--The confusion I felt when the pick was made has dissipated. Hill's widely regarded as the best blocking TE in the draft. In my mind, this lowers his bust potential exponentially. We already have a stud pass-catching TE; if Hill's skills transform him into a pseudo offensive linemen, the dangerous Houston offense gets even more dangerous. His acquisition has grown on me. Big time.

James Casey--I dig this pick a whole lot. Although my initial reaction was, "Why didn't the Texans take him instead of Hill in the fourth round?", I can't argue with making the value pick of Casey in the fifth. Casey should serve as a utility back of sorts; if he becomes our Frank Wycheck, I'll be more than satisfied. Heck, even the thought of having plays designed that allow Casey to line up at WR, TE, FB, RB, and/or QB are enough to make me giddy.

Brice McCain--Jacoby Jones, you are officially on notice. McCain is here to take your job.

Troy Nolan--There seems to be potential here, and that's all you can ask from a seventh-round selection. Frankly, Nolan probably couldn't have asked for a better situation. Things are far from settled in the secondary, so if he excels on special teams, he might grab a roster spot.

Jeremiah Johnson/Arian Foster--Not technically draft picks, but their arrival makes me feel much better about the team's decision not to draft a RB. Much has been made of the Texans' need for a big back to relieve Steve Slaton. I originally subscribed to that train of thought, but now I'm of the mind that we don't necessarily need a big back. We just need a functional back; that is, someone of any size who can be counted on for 10 carries or so per game. If that's a bigger guy like Foster, great, but I don't think it necessarily means that a smaller, quicker back like Johnson can't fit the bill as well. Either way, I've come to grips with the fact that Gartrell Johnson won't be wearing the steel blue, and I'm okay with it.

The 2009 Houston Texans Draft: Hope You Like The Word Versatility

Jake — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:54:01 -0000

For four months, I’ve been counting down the days until the 2009 NFL Draft. I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas. Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith have steadily built the team almost exclusively through the draft, but that’s not the only reason I couldn’t wait; I’ve been having football withdrawals and I needed a fix. I even contemplated making one of those chains made of construction paper with a chain for each day until the big event, but then it dawned on me that my wife would see that as me taking a temporary vow of celibacy. Needless to say, I was a little more than excited on Saturday afternoon.

Then by the time Sunday night rolled around, my world felt like it had been turned upside down. It’s not that I hated the Texans' draft. I really didn’t even at the time, I was just caught off guard. In all my draft prognosticating, only two of the players were prospects that I thought were on the Texans’ radar, and I had stated publicly that I didn’t want one of them. Due to this utter confusion, I wasn’t able to fully grasp my feelings for the draft as a whole for a full 24 hours. Here it goes.

I’m not about to assign a grade because doing so before the end of the 2011 season would be incredibly asinine of me. In the end though, I like the draft. I love some of the personnel we got, but I can’t say the same for the draft class as a whole because I don’t know enough about some of the players we got, which is no reflection on them but rather an indication of how much more robust the reach and knowledge of the scouting department is than little ole me, but I was a little disappointed on some of the players we passed on. Lastly, I felt like a mistress who spends most of her time trying to convince herself that her man is going to leave his wife, because I was completely sure that the Texans would draft a RB in EVERY CONSECUTIVE ROUND after the third, which they obviously did not.

First Round

Brian Cushing/OLB/USC – Like I said before, I will not say anything negative about a Texan until they give me a reason to on an NFL field. I will say this though--all four people in the room watching the draft with me apologized to me immediately after the pick was announced. I’ve thought about it though, and I think the jury is still out on this one. Like Riott said, Frank Bush made me feel a lot better about Cushing. It’s not as if it was a spur of the moment, uninformed pick; Bush, Smith and Kubiak all admitted that they were targeting Cushing since the Combine. That’s three impressive votes of confidence in my book.

Cushing does play with a great deal of passion on the field, but doesn’t show a lot of emotion off of it, which explains why he didn’t pull a Tom Cruise in the green room of the draft. He started four years in a pro-style defense in which he showed a lot of intensity, a trait that the big three (Smithiakush) told the media was the deciding factor on Cushing. Despite claims that Cushing has “tight hips”, Bush is convinced that Cushing can play in the nickel, making him an every down LB. The accusation that Cushing couldn’t in fact play on third downs was one of my two biggest complaints with him in the first place, so if the closest thing that the Texans have to a LB subject matter expert says he can do it, very well.

The other huge complaint I have about Cushing is the steroids allegations. No, I don’t care about steroids on a moral basis. I care about them in the sense that they may have led to Cushing’s injuries while in college. To McClain’s credit (yes, I just said that… I’m as surprised as you), he asked Cushing point blank about the steroids issue during Cushing’s press conference, to which Brian replied that he will continue to take drug tests until it is not an issue any longer, and that the Texans believed him, which is what is important.

We’ll simply have to wait and see with Cushing, but I am starting to get excited. I think as long as he stays healthy, he’ll be an upgrade at the SLB position and therefore be a good pick. If he plays up to his potential, he’ll prove to be a great pick. (Authors Note: I know I’m a ridiculous homer, but I love the Texans and I didn’t start writing on BRB just to be negative about them. If they give me a blatant reason to pessimistic about them, I’ll do my honest duty, but I don’t think this falls in that category. Do with that as you see fit).

Second Round

Connor Barwin/DE/Cincinnati – I love this pick. Barwin stated that after his selection by the Texans that he was surprised because the Texans had shown basically no interest since the Combine. I think that Smithiak simply didn’t expect Barwin to be still left on the board at 46 and therefore had not spent a lot of time scouting or visiting the impressive TE turned DE. The reason that they probably didn’t expect to have a shot at him was with good reason, considering the interest that several teams that run a 3-4 defense had shown in Barwin as an outside rush LB.

From Day One, Barwin can step in and rush the QB on third downs, which he showed a talent for with 10 sacks in his senior year. Barwin is an amazing athlete and very well may be developed into an OLB with time. If you’re going to take a pick with injury concerns to play SLB in the first round, how intelligent is it to take a player that has shown the intelligence and versatility to potentially replace him if need be? Sounds pretty awesome to me. I’d like to write more on Barwin, but (spoiler alert) there will be more to follow later.

Third Round

Antoine Caldwell/G-C/Alabama – Yet another pick I am floored by. Caldwell not only played exceptionally well in college, but he has shown both the athletic ability and intelligence to play both guard and center in a zone-blocking scheme such as the one utilized by the Texans. All five starters on the Texans OL played all 16 games last year, which an extremely rare feat that will not happen two years in a row, so at the very least Caldwell is a great insurance policy. Even though Kyle Shanahan claims that Caldwell wasn’t drafted to replace Chris Myers, Myers weighs 275 pounds and was pushed around a lot by opposing DTs last year, so the writing might be on the wall.

Fourth Round

Glover Quin/CB-FS/New Mexico – I, like Riott, was not aware of this kid, which is not a great feeling to have about your fourth round draft pick. Quin is slated to be more of a FS than a CB, which I pray to Durga is where he plays for the Texans. This is something different than a flyer pick on a FS in the sixth or seventh. A fourth round pick should have a decent chance of getting on the field. Even if Quin doesn’t beat out Eugene Wilson, I think he’d be better suited backing him up than as the fourth or fifth CB on the roster.

Anthony Hill/TE/NC State – At first, I almost broke the TV after this selection because I was sure that we were going to draft a RB with this pick. It was good in retrospect that I didn’t go with my first instinct because upon further analysis, it is a great pick and I was watching the draft at my neighbor’s house, so he probably wouldn’t have appreciated that behavior.

Hill was rated the best blocking TE in the draft almost unanimously amongst the prominent draft analysts. Hill, a Houston native, is such a good blocker that he might be able to play T in the NFL. Does switching TEs to T ever work in the league? Just ask Jason Peters, who the Eagles just signed to a contract for more money than the GDP of Liberia. At the very least, Hill will hopefully negate the success that opposing SLB have had against the Texans in recent years.

Fifth Round

James Casey/TE-FB-LS/Rice – No, you didn’t misread that position breakdown. Casey is athletic enough to do a lot of things. He’s another pick that the Texans probably weren’t expecting to be around when they got him; rather, they probably had a third round grade assigned to him, which is why they couldn’t resist him in the fifth. At first I had mixed feelings because I knew he was a steal but he was also the second TE in a row, which is a lot in my opinion for a team that has a Pro Bowler at said position.

What’s that? Casey can play long snapper? That’s cool, I guess. He can play FB too? I have to say, that’s pretty cool to have a FB that can catch and run the way he can. If that’s not enough for you though, get this: He can also play QB. Apparently at Rice’s Pro Day, Casey wowed coaches by throwing the ball all over the field. For those of you that like that whole Wildcat thing, there you go. Overall, he seems to fit that whole versatility theme, which was apparently the topic of the Texans' offseason retreat.

Sixth Round

Brice McCain/CB/Utah – If you had told me a couple of days ago that we would come away from the draft with a CB from Utah, I probably would have kissed you. I would have demanded some sort of retribution when I learned it was McCain instead of Smith. McCain is probably too small to make the team as a CB considering how many we have already on the roster. I think his only chance is to play special teams, which he can do with his 4.3 speed. We’ll have to see.

Seventh Round

Troy Nolan/FS/Arizona State – Didn’t I mention something about flyers on safeties in the last two rounds? Nolan was pretty good in college, but as his drafted position suggests, he wasn’t great. We’ll just have to see how it goes, but if Nolan made the team even as a backup for Wilson, he’d be a steal in the seventh.

Anyway, like I said, I am now happy with our performance. I have no idea how all the major draft pundits graded our draft, and I don’t care. The Texans aren’t about sexy draft picks, but sexy picks usually put your team in the crapper, as evidenced by our performance under the Casserly regime. If Cushing stays healthy, Hill and Casey are as good as they seem, and one of the DBs makes a significant impact, this will be an amazing draft. Now we just have to wait four months to find out. Man, I hope it didn’t hurt you nearly as much to read that as it did me to write it.

James Casey Is The Newest Texan!

Tim — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:54:41 -0000

I love this pick. My only question is why we took Casey after having taken Anthony Hill with the second fourth-rounder. That, and what's wrong with Rashard Jennings?

Regardless, Casey's a player. Kyle Shanahan should have fun figuring out a way to get him onto the field.

The Valley Ranch Review: For now, the Cowboys are Loaded at RB

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:00:14 -0000

The Cowboys definitely look to be loaded at running back for '09. That doesn't mean a part of their talented trio will be trade bait come this draft weekend, does it?

The Star-Telegram's Clarence Hill suggests that it may be prudent for Dallas to make a deal for a draft pick.

There is certainly nothing wrong with listening if you can parlay a former fourth-round pick (Tashard Choice) into possibly a third- or even a second-rounder.

The guys at DC.com on that idea.

Nick Eatman:

As for Choice, he just might be the most complete running back of the trio. He's strong and powerful inside, but has the speed to rip off some long runs. Just how many carries he gets this season will be an interesting situation for the coaching staff.

Josh Ellis:

I say no. I realize Choice came relatively cheap as a fourth-rounder last year, and he's behind Marion Barber and Felix Jones on the depth chart, but I really do think he could end up being the best player of the three. He might be the only guy the Cowboys have capable of being an every-down back, and in fact that's what he was at the end of last season, and toe injuries knocked Jones and Barber out of the lineup.

On Wednesday, the Cowboys will be scouting Rice tight end, James Casey. The private workout will be held in Houston. Casey is considered a hybrid player who can be utilized as a QB in a Wildcat offense.

FoxSports puts Dallas on the clock and asks Todd Archer about the Cowboys' needs going into the draft.

Here are some draft-day memories of five current Cowboys.

Mike Jenkins has switched his jersey from #31 to #21.

On Monday, Tony Romo launched yet another come-from-behind victory by winning the Will County Amateur Golf Championship in Crete, Illinois. And then, to celebrate his birthday on Tuesday, #9 won the Adams Golf Pro Scratch Championship tournament run by the N. Texas PGA.

Hat Tip to Wmillion for his post.

There are nine finalists for this year's Madden cover. Demarcus Ware is one of them. Although it would be awesome to have a Cowboy recognized, I'd rather pass. Brandon Jacobs is one of the other finalists...he, he.

Reminder - The BTB fundraiser is still going on and we'll be giving away the Triplets Lithograph to someone who has donated. It's a random drawing so get your name in the hat soon, by early next week, we'll be doing the drawing. BTB appreciates your support!

Scouting report: James Casey

Mocking Dan — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:04:47 -0000

James Casey

6'4, 235 pounds | Rice | Tight end

Strengths: Casey is very reminiscent to Redskins tight end/h-back Chris Cooley. He has excellent athleticism for the position and showed the ability to make difficult catches look easy. Good, but not great, speed for the position. Showed the ability to get good yards after the catch.

Weaknesses: Only played two years of competitive college football after playing baseball. For a tight end, Casey is lacking in bulk and strength. This limits his ability as an in-line blocker. Sort of a man without a position. Needs to become more explosive in his cuts to make his route running better.

Final word: After playing baseball for three years in the Chicago White Sox's farm system, Casey returned to football in 2007. Casey had a stellar 2008, in which he finished with 111 receptions for 1,329 yards and 13 touchdowns. Has had a great offseason where his athletic tools could be on display. However, he's still learning as a football player and will only be a receiver early in his career.

Round projection: 3

YouTube Saturday: Day Two tight end options

Brian Galliford — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:30:08 -0000

It's Saturday at Buffalo Rumblings, which means it's time for another version of YouTube Saturday. Today, we'll look at five day two tight end prospects in this year's NFL Draft that might pique the interest of our Buffalo Bills. And only four of them were collegians last year!

James Casey (Rice), Travis Beckum (Wisconsin), Jared Cook (South Carolina), Bear Pascoe (Fresno State) and Tony Scheffler (Denver Broncos) are profiled here. As always, these haven't been screened for NSFW music, so keep the volume low just to keep it safe.

Four more videos for you after the jump.

Cowboys set some pre-draft visits

Dave Halprin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:00:13 -0000

The ever-resourceful Todd Archer writes that the Cowboys have lined up some pre-draft visits with local prospects coming in on the 10th, and the national guys beginning on the 15th. Three quarterbacks and three safeties top the list. Go read Todd's article for more info on the guys, but here are the names to chew on:

QB: Stephen McGee, Chase Daniel, Tom Brandstater
DB: Mike Hamlin, Louis Delmas, Darcel McBath, Jarius Byrd, Bradley Fletcher
LB: Lawrence Sidbury, Jason Williams
TE: Anthony Hill, James Casey
WR: Patrick Turner

I wish I'd seen a little beef at NT on that list. Tank Johnson has left and is talking to the Bengals, so Jay Ratliff needs a little help on the interior. Maybe our new DE, Igor Olshansky, can motivate one of our own to jump up his game. Wade Phillips discussed Olshansky's relationship with potential backup nose tackle, Junior Siavii, who was picked just behind Drago in the 2004 draft (Round 2, pick 36):

"They have a close relationship," Phillips said. "They work hard together. Both were high draft choices coming out of Oregon and they push each other and compete with each other with everything they did in college. Igor talked about, I'm going to get with Junior and we're going to do this and we're going to do that and Junior says, Well, I can out do him. So I think it'll be a fun thing for us to have them."

Coach Phillips on Olshansky:

"He's still a young player, one of the strongest if not the strongest guys in the league. And he plays hard. He learned to play hard. Hopefully I helped him with some of that when he was young. But he plays very hard and he's a big man that can move."