SBNation.com User Blog: Jake

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Best Player Available Edition

Jake — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:51:48 -0000

This time of year with the draft speculation in full swing among NFL fans, one phrase gets repeated so often it almost hurts to hear it: Best Player Available (BPA). This is the draft philosophy that all NFL teams supposedly strive to adhere to when assembling their draft boards and eventually making their selections. The idea is that you rank players regardless of the needs of your team and the position that prospect plays, and rank them on ability to succeed and make an impact in the NFL alone.

While I believe that most teams do follow this philosophy to a certain degree, no team in the NFL drafts solely by this model. If they did, Patrick Peterson would be in contention for the first overall pick. The reason he's not? He plays cornerback, a position that can be avoided by the other team and therefore does not impact every play for his team, at least directly. More proof? Quarterbacks are always the most scrutinized and frequently drafted in the first round despite character concerns, lack of perceived intelligence and worries about the offense they ran in college because it is the most important position in football and you cannot win a Super Bowl without a good one.

Sometimes, BPA is used in vain to justify terrible draft notions. If someone calls your team out for making a terrible pick that didn't benefit their team, you can simply reply, "He was the best player available." So I ask you, fans of the Houston Texans, what if the highest rated player on the team's board in the second round was Kyle Rudolph, the talented tight end from Notre Dame? Still stringently defending that strategy?

The truth is, every team balances need and BPA. If you didn't, you would have an overload of talent at certain positions that would be wasted because they never saw the field, and a complete void of talent at other positions. The ideal scenario is to have a healthy balance with as much BPA mixed in as possible. For links that concern the Texans and their search for their best player(s) in the upcoming draft, follow the jump.

Lance Zierlein posted his latest mock draft over at View From the Sideline, in which he has the Texans taking the best player available, Julio Jones, wide receiver from Alabama. He follows that up with outside linebacker conversion prospect Brooks Reed of Arizona State in the second.

Drew Dougherty from the official site participated in a beat writer mock draft for NFL.com and chose Cal defensive Cameron Jordan, despite Julio Jones still being available. I like the pick, but on a side note, does anyone remember when John McClain used to do all of these beat writer guest spots for NFL.com and NFLN?

Gregg Rosenthal of PFT gave Rick Smith and the Texans' front office some love when he quoted the general manager in explaining that their board was already set and that they don't draft for need. Does anyone remember taking Kareem Jackson because he was the most "pro ready" corner and shoving him into the vacancy left by Dunta Robinson? Seems kind of like drafting for need to me.

Realizing that sometimes teams pick based off needs, Patrick from the Texans Tribune compiled the top needs of the first five teams in the draft order based off of opinions of some those teams' writers.

Chris Watkins took a four round mock draft and gave his thoughts for the Texans picks. Two corner backs were taken which Chris doesn't seem to like, although he does admit that Aaron Williams would probably be a safety which he's ok with.

Yesterday, I took a very quick look at possible targets for the Texans in the second round of the draft. Among them are some of my favorite prospect this year including Troy St. WR Jerrel Jernigan and UNC OLB Bruce Carter.

For some thoughts on players the Texans actually already have, Stephanie Stradley dissects the tight ends and Vonta Leach's influence on Arian Foster's running ability from last year.

Lastly, Alan Burge notes that Andre Johnson was knocked out of the running for the 2011 Madden Cover. I am breathing a sigh of relief, and all of you should too. Call it superstitious, but for a team with a seemingly endless supply of bad luck, we don't need any more.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: NFL Fans Are Masochists Edition

Jake — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:33:05 -0000

It's a bad offseason for NFL fans. For a time of year that is usually fairly devoid of football related happenings, this year is especially bad due to the labor uncertainty. Different people prefer different ways of coping with the interruption of their cycle of free agency, draft, offseason workouts, training camp and then season. Some are paying even more attention to the draft. Some are following every bit of news about the CBA negotiation.

Another group of fans have chosen to protest the NFL for locking out the players, and therefore indirectly, the fans. As Mike Silver of Yahoo Sports points out, this is in fact not intelligent because it shows a high level of interest on the part of these fans. What the NFL fears is disinterest. Using Silver's column as a muse, Rivers McCown wondered aloud why we would put up with the nonsense that is going on in the NFL. Notice I say "we" because I'm just as guilty as I sit here writing this article.

The truth is, when the NFL is at its best which it has been lately, it is unsurpassed for its qualities as a sport. While I would never disparage a fan for losing interest, I can honestly say that I am nowhere near my breaking point. I almost feel weak for admitting that. For more news that actually pertains to the Houston Texans and the draft, follow the jump.

In one more bit regarding the labor negotiations, Stephanie Stradley tells us why the NFL is full of "garbage" for saying that they cannot negotiate with the players. Great article, although I don't see the need to subject everyone to "Sex And The City 2."

Nick Scurfield compiled his second iteration of his Mock Draft Machine, and his guest this week was the National Football Post's draft analyst Wes Bunting. Given the ten that were off the board, Bunting selected North Carolina DE/OLB Robert Quinn for the Texans.

Rivers reacted to the mock draft linked here yesterday of Doug Farrar and his selection of Aldon Smith to the Texans. Rivers justifies this pick since Robert Quinn, Julio Jones and Prince Amukamara are off the board, but I would rather have either Cameron Jordan or JJ Watt than Smith.

Patrick Starr followed Mike Kerns' lead and wrote up his draft board for the 11th overall pick. I like his top three of Julio Jones, Prince Amukamara and Robert Quinn, but I would just switch Quinn and Jones positions for mine.

A lot of Texans fans don't seem to like Amukamara, but I don't see why not and think he would be a great addition to the Texans. Fans of teams with a secondary this bad can't really afford to be picky, especially with a very good talent.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Private Workouts Edition

Jake — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:28:25 -0000

Yesterday, the quarterback for the Houston Texans, Matt Schaub, hosted a private workout for members of the team (tip of the cap to WhiskeyR for his FanPost). Several teams have been organizing such workouts while the players are locked out of the league in order to maintain their level of play. I had been seeing this all over the league and wondered when the Texans would get this done.

While I find this incredibly encouraging and think this is just another feather in Schaub's underrated leadership cap, I want to know what is being done about the defense in the locked out offseason. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a completely new defensive scheme being implemented? So it's great to see them take initiative and work out, but I'd like to see them take it a step further and find a way to learn Wade Phillips' defense. For the rest of the links that pertain to the Texans, follow the jump.

Among the defensive players that you don't have to worry about staying in shape is Brian Cushing. He posted this Youtube video of him working out in his hometown gym, among many others.

Cushing was the first round pick of the Texans in 2009. River McCown went back and looked at his shadow draft from that year where he played GM as the picks were happening, and tried to determine if he or Rick Smith had better selections.

Chris Watkins catalogued a stream of conscientiousness about the draft and what he feels is best for the Texans. Something tells me Chris needs to lay off the draft news and get some sleep.

Mike Kerns also weighed in with his draft thoughts when he updated his personal draft board. One notable omission on Mike's board is Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt, who many believe is the best five-technique in the draft.

Lance Zierlein had a great post about defensive linemen in a 3-4 to include Wade Phillips' by now infamous "one gap" scheme. It is an outstanding read for anyone trying to understand the responsibilities of five-techniques and nose tackles in a 3-4.

There were four mock drafts yesterday of note. Here they are along with who they have the Texans selecting and my initial reaction to that pick:

Doug Farrar: Missouri DE/OLB - Aldon Smith. Don't like it.

Evan Silva: Purdue DE/OLB - Ryan Kerrigan. Hate it.

Rob Rang: North Carolina DE/OLB - Robert Quinn. Love it.

Chad Reuter: Nebraska CB - Prince Amukamara. Like it.

For those that think that Amukamara won't make it to the Texans at 11 because the Dallas Cowboys will select him at 9, apparently Tony Pauline has heard that they are not interested in the Big XII Defensive Player of the Year. I've heard a lot of speculation that they really would like to trade up and grab Patrick Peterson, which sounds very much like a Jerry Jones move to me.

Lastly, a lot of Texans fans have supported the idea of drafting Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones. While I don't think this is a terrible idea, I beleive that there is no way it will happen.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Mr. Irrelevant Edition

Jake — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:25:32 -0000

On Friday, the NFL announced the compensatory picks for the 2011 NFL Draft. The Houston Texans were awarded the very last pick of the seventh round, otherwise known as "Mr. Irrelevant. " For those not familiar with the title, every year draft analysts hold a contest to guess who the very last person to be picked will be, and they call that man Mr. Irrelevant. The name is a little misleading, as it makes it sound as if he was the last player picked in gym class, and it doesn't take into account the slew of undrafted free agents that get signed throughout the league.

Compensatory picks are determined by an unknown equation that takes into account the free agent(s) a team lost and those gained. The Texans' only notable free agent lost was Dunta Robinson to the Falcons, and they gained Wade Smith from the Chiefs and Neil Rackers from the Cardinals. John McClain of the Chronicle is on record saying that he thought the compensatory pick was going to be higher. Several writers, including our very own Rivers McCown, were sure that it was going to be a seventh round pick. Obviously, the NFL thought that Smith and Rackers were valuable editions despite the big deal Robinson signed in Atlanta. For more links pertaining to the Texans, follow the jump.

The NFL Draft is now one month away, and speculation abounds. Chris Watkins did a nice piece on taking the best player available philosophy at SB Nation Houston.

Gary Kubiak spoke at the annual owners meetings, and had some interesting things to say. He definitely made it sound like the Texans would not take any offensive player early in the draft, and brought up an interesting question of whether Connor Barwin will play WOLB or SOLB. My money is on WOLB, unless someone they like better falls to 11.

Some people think that that OLB may be Ryan Kerrigan. Alan Burge doesn't sound like he likes the idea, and I know that I don't. I get that the guy has an incredible motor, but why not draft someone with the athletic upside to warrant the pick, as there will be plenty available?

Stephanie Stradley thinks that everyone should go and vote for Chris Johnson to be on the next cover of Madden Football rather than Andre Johnson. Do it.

I'm sorry that the links were MIA last week. I was busy taking care of my new baby and his mother. Also, I have a new job writing for Bleacher Report. I know the reputation that the site has, but they have made an effort to hire selected writers for team coverage. I won't be plugging my articles over there regularly, but I thought I would make a general announcement in case anyone was interested in reading my stuff over there. You can find my author profile here, and you can always follow me on twitter (@JakeBRB) where I post all of my articles once their written. Thanks a lot for the support.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Business As Usual Edition

Jake — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:46:38 -0000

The nine years of existence of the Houston Texans would be hard to categorize as a success. One winning season, two .500 seasons and six losing campaigns are hardly what Bob McNair and the City of Houston had in mind for nearly a decade of football when the team was awarded to the city in 2001. It's upsetting enough to know that mistakes took them to this point, but it's even more upsetting to know that repeated mistakes of the same variety have led to this sub-standard mark as a franchise.

The trick to avoiding those mistakes again and turning around the fortunes of the team is first to identify what has not been working. Sometimes that's easier said than done, especially when the team seems "close enough" to success year in and year out that no one wants to blow the whole thing up and start over. So how do you avoid conducting business as usual without completely disrupting everything? Follow the jump for clues in the daily links.

For the actual business side of the football team, John McClain reported that there will be no pay reductions or furloughs forced upon Texans employees. This is a major step for an owner who has a ton of debt but thoroughly enjoys positive PR.

Patrick from the Texans Tribune weighs in on his thoughts pertaining to Bob McNair's comments regarding the recent breakdown in labor negotiations.

John Hallam has started to break down the recent Texans drafts to judge not only their success but also trends to keep in mind for this year's selection process. You can find 2008 here, and 2009 here.

Lance Zierlein was interviewed by NFL Mocks for his perspective on the Texans' draft procedures. Lance did a good job analyzing the common trends of Texans drafting since Gary Kubiak took over, namely their removal of low character prospects from their draft board and their value of speed over power on the defense. I remain hopeful that Wade Phillips will change their draft procedures this season.

Lance's partner in crime at the View from the Sideline, John Harris, ranked the top 40 draft prospects for 2011. You can find 31-40 here, 21-30 here, 11-20 here, and lastly 1-10 here.

Wes Bunting compiled some rumors that he's been hearing from NFL front office personnel and scouts. Among the most interesting nuggets was an opinion that Ryan Kerrigan certainly lacks the athleticism to play OLB in the NFL, and Colin McCarthy may be seriously downgraded by teams because of unhealthy shoulders.

The Texans have made a habit of drafting for need rather than talent available. Lance Zierlein talked to an anonymous front office official from the NFL who stated that if he was making the pick for the Texans, it would be either Cam Jordan or JJ Watt. This is significant because the two starters for next year are seemingly in place with Mario WIlliams and Antonio Smith, so making such a move would signify that the Texans had changed that aspect of their draft strategy.

On a sad note, we have to step away from Texans business altogether and mention the passing of former Oilers wide receiver Drew Hill. Watching Warren Moon throw darts to Hill in the old days of the run and shoot were my first memories of the NFL. Rest in peace.

Lastly, some of you may have noticed that I linked some articles from the end of last week that were missed because I didn't write the links on Thrusday or Friday. I was busy welcoming my son, Eli, into the world on March 17th. He was a whopping 10 pounds and 8 ounces and 21.5 inches long. Despite this, Mom is doing just fine, as is the baby. I'm amazingly happy and proud of my son, and yes, he's already been introduced to his favorite team.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Starting to See Trends Edition

Jake — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:11:45 -0000

Before the Scouting Combine, possibilities for what prospects will be drafted by what team vary greatly. This time of year, as players start to complete their last workouts at their pro days, the clamor of draftniks with different theories becomes more and more a voice of unison. You will start to see more mock drafts that look like everyone else's in greater frequency all the way until the last week of April.

Mock drafts are usually bittersweet for me this time of year because I have one, maybe two, prospects that I not only hope fall to the Houston Texans at their draft slot, but that the Texans also take said player(s). This year is different, because while there are a couple of players that are possibilities at 11, there are a handful of prospects that I would be thrilled to see in a Steel Blue uniform next season. For links on those mock drafts and some of the players that are possibilities, follow the jump.

Nick Scurfield at the official site compiled the statistics of 15 mock drafts in order to try and determine who might be available at the 11th slot. He plans on doing several of these and invites a guest to each edition to make the pick for the Texans. This edition it was Mark Vandermeer, voice of the Texans on Sports Radio 610. Vandermeer picked UNC DE/OLB Robert Quinn, who I'd be ecstatic with.

Dan Kadar at Mocking the Draft completed a two round mock draft as well. Here's round one, in which he has the Texans selecting Missouri DE/OLB Aldon Smith, and here's round two, where he has the Texans selecting Utah CB Brandon Burton. I'd be ok with Smith as long as the Texans do their homework. Smith came back freakishly fast from a broken leg and many people believe that he was still greatly affected by the injury at the end of the year. If he can regain the burst he showed as a freshman when he had 11.5 sacks, it's a good pick. I'm not as jazzed about the Burton pick, simply because of who was available around him; namely Oregon State DT Stephen Paea, who Kadar had picked with the next selection.

Speaking of Paea, Aaron Aloysius posted a new prospect video of the former Oregon St. defensive tackle. If you don't follow Aaron (@AaronAloysius), you should.

Another prospect I like for the first round is CAL DE Cameron Jordan. Wes Bunting also likes the Senior Bowl standout, and thinks his versatility for a 3-4 defense is unmatched. While 5-technique isn't a huge position of need, I think that Wade Phillips could make Jordan a force opposite of Mario Williams.

If something other than an OLB is taken in round one, the Texans will quickly have to consider one in round two or three at the latest. Chris Watkins quickly discussed some of the options for OLB in the second round. I myself have a few to add, and I'll try to have that up later today. Spoiler: Watch out for Dontay Moch.

One way to take advantage of some of the talent in the second round would be to trade down in the first. John Hallam crunched the numbers on if that is an effective use of picks judging from rates of players turning into stars, starters or busts at different spots in past drafts.

Amobi Okoye hasn't lived up to his tenth overall selection yet, but he has done great work with the money that he got for being picked that early. Every year, Okoye goes to his native country of Nigeria to do charity work through his Amobi Okoye Foundation. This year Connor Barwin accompanied him to hold a football camp for youth in the country. Check out the video.

Teams are always looking for diamonds in the rough either late in the draft or with undrafted free agents, even though this year there will be no signings until after the CBA is settled. The Texans reportedly worked out two defensive backs from Central Michigan, Vince Agnew and Bobby Seay.

*Thanks to Alan Burge, who's Twitter account (@AlanBurge) I got the last two links from.

Trading Up or Down: How Much Do The Texans Like Second Round Picks?

Jake — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:29:20 -0000

It is now 45 days and counting until the 2011 NFL Draft. The speculation of teams’ selections will begin to reach a fevered pitch shortly before April 28th. Whenever an article or poll on the draft is posted you will invariably see one preferred choice over and over, and it’s not a player. It's "trade down." I think we as casual fans underestimate the complexity of this option.

There are several factors that a general manager has to consider when deciding whether to trade draft selections with someone. One is whether there is anyone that desires the team’s draft slot, which in my opinion is an aspect that fans often take for granted. If you force a trade down, it is difficult to get market value for the slot you’re leaving. Also, the GM has to determine whether the compensation for the move and the players projected to be available at the new slot are worth leaving the original pick.

Sometimes there is a reason to move up. While this practice is usually reserved for a team with fewer holes on the roster and therefore less need for draft picks, occasionally there is a player that is believed to be such a difference-maker that a team feels it is necessary to move up to select him. This is a difficult task, because as you’re already using valuable draft picks to get your guy, you don’t want to pull the trigger too early or overpay for the move.

So how feasible and likely is it that the Texans will move draft spots this season? Additionally, what would the implications be on the rest of the draft if these moves were executed?

No matter how you feel about the competence of Rick Smith, I think it’s safe to say that he is aware that the possibility of trading draft picks exists. After all, 2009 is the only draft that Smith was in charge of that the Texans did not trade back in either the first or second round. Matt Schaub, Steve Slaton, Darryl Sharpton and Sherrick McManis were all extra players acquired from these trades executed by Smith. For all the flack that he has taken recently from Texans fans, he has shown adeptness at acquiring extra picks if there is a deal to be made.

This year may be a prime opportunity to make such a deal in the first round. The four positions of greatest need for the Texans, in no particular order, are nose tackle, cornerback, safety and outside linebacker. Opinions vary, but there very well might not be anyone at those positions worth selecting at 11. So for conversation's sake, let’s assume not only that is true, but also that Smith and the Texans don’t simply want to take best player available at a position outside the four areas previously listed. This might be the time to think trade.

The guideline for trade selection worth has always been this famous chart. It’s worth noting that this draft may have different values attached. A rookie wage scale, which was one of the agreed aspects of the proposed (yet not executed) new collective bargaining agreement, might make top picks more valuable, the reason being that the only downside of top picks prior to a wage scale was that a player selected in the top 10 would be awarded a contract that was astronomical. Now that everyone is fairly certain that rookie salaries will be at least somewhat reasonable, teams might consider the picks more valuable. Until shown that it is not valid, however, the established trade selection chart will have to suffice.

In my opinion, a trade down would be worth it if it garnered an extra second rounder. For Smith to pick up an extra second round pick, he’d probably have to look for a team to trade with somewhere below 20. There are several teams that might be eyeing an offensive tackle that would like to move up and get their guy before the Lions are on the clock. Also, while it might break the hearts of Julio Jones advocates, many teams might see #11 as a prime spot to get the Alabama wideout before the Rams grab him. Lastly, quarterbacks are always the draft wild card and there may be someone that wants to jump Minnesota to get their guy for the future. If the Texans found themselves in the 20s, they could find a player they were possibly considering at 11, like Justin Houston or Aldon Smith, and have an extra pick in the second. They might also choose a player they thought wasn’t a good value at 11, like Phil Taylor, Jabaal Sheard or Stephen Paea, knowing that they have an additional second rounder to fill another hole on the roster. Again though, Rick would have to find someone willing to move up.

There’s also the crazy notion of moving up for a player. When John McClain suggested trading up for Von Miller, he was killed for it. Granted, that was probably criticized more for his thought that a move like that would cost less than a second round pick, which is exactly what it would take, at a minimum. As was stated before, moving up is usually a luxury reserved for a team without many holes to fill. Although it is completely outside of their drafting M.O., Smith and Kubiak might feel inclined to snag a player that can step in and immediately provide such an upgrade in a position of need that it might be worth a second rounder.

In my opinion, there is a variable that no one is discussing in terms of the Texans draft strategy. Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith know how close they came to losing their jobs. In reality, the current labor unrest might be the one thing that kept Bob McNair from completely rebuilding. McNair is among the group of owners with considerable debt because of what the franchise cost him and the stadium that he built. He likely did not want to pay Kubiak’s salary if he was fired, on top of dealing with the debt issue in the event games are missed next season.

This is why I think there is very little chance that the Texans draft Julio Jones. While that makes sense if you believe he is the best player available at your pick (which I am inclined to believe if everything shakes out reasonably close to what is expected), drafting a wide receiver to develop alongside Andre Johnson is smart as a long-term goal of the football team. Yet I believe Kubiak and Smith want to win games next year in order to keep their jobs, and then worry about successive seasons. That means upgrade the defense to at least average in a hurry. It likely won’t make Texans fans happy because it’s not in the team’s long-term interest to acquire talent that way, but it is in Kubiak and Smith’s best interest if they feel 2011 is their last chance.

This phenomenon could mean a new draft strategy that we haven’t seen from this current office. Part of that strategy may mean trading up. If Wade Phillips tells Kubiak and Smith that Player X can immediately make the defense improve drastically to the point he is worth not only our first round pick but also our second, they very well might listen. If you consult the chart, the highest the Texans could reasonably move up without giving up more than their second-rounder is to 6th overall. This range would make sense because it would leapfrog San Francisco, Tennessee and Dallas, all of whom have some similar interests.

I am not advocating trading up; I feel it is shortsighted. I am merely pointing out that it is feasible that it could happen. This year’s draft for the Texans could look totally different than what we are used to seeing because of a shift in expectations and decision-making at the top.

Even though I would prefer the trade down option to trading up, there are three players that I would want to see as targets if they decided they couldn’t live without them. If Von Miller, Patrick Peterson or Marcell Dareus happened to fall to the 6-9 range and a deal could be made to get them, I definitely wouldn’t rake the front office over the coals for making such a deal. All three bring a unique skill set to Wade's defense that requires less development necessary and therefore more immediate impact for 2011. I would still much rather see three players selected in the first 64 picks than just one, though.

It just comes down to how much Rick Smith and company like the players in the bottom of the top 10, at 11, in the 20s and in the second round. What’s your take? Weigh in with not only if you would prefer to trade spots or stay put, but also who the targets would be in the case the Texans moved up or down.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Even The Draft Isn't Safe Edition

Jake — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:33:21 -0000

I'm not going to keep beating a dead horse on this whole lockout thing, but for those of you that don't regularly read these daily links, I try my best not to focus on it too much. Instead, I like to focus on the only other thing available pertaining to the NFL and therefore the Houston Texans, which is the draft. It works with varied success depending on the day.

Yesterday though, my draft world collided with the world of labor strife. The NFLPA, which is now a professional trade association after they decertified, has apparently asked top prospective draftees to boycott the draft in New York at Radio City Music Hall in April. This request didn't anger me as much as astounded me by its utter stupidity.

The NFLPA has made it a priority to win the PR battle through the negotiation process. The NFL has tried to emphasize the point that the players walked away from the bargaining table, and whether you believe that is true or not, it's a powerful message. So, there is a greater tendency for the average fan to blame the players, and in response to that they decided it was best to try and alter the only major NFL event in the offseason. An offseason that has already been altered by the absence of free agency, which as I just said, fans might increasingly see the players as responsible for. Not very smart.

LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, who will almost surely be the first defensive back off the board, has already stated that he plans on going to New York for the draft. I can't say that I blame Peterson or any other player that decides to attend because they deserve it. Not only have they worked for that moment their entire life, but the NFLPA doesn't really have a leg to stand on asking someone like Peterson not to attend, considering that they had already agreed in principle to significantly lessen top draftees' salaries.

I bring all of this up not to defend the owners, rather just to point out how terribly this whole issue was handled by the NFLPA. For links pertaining to the draft and the Texans, follow the jump.

One top prospect who won't be attending the draft is Von Miller, according to Alan Burge. Miller joined the class action lawsuit filed by several NFL players trying to fight the very rookie wage scale that the players have not denied agreeing to.

Wes Bunting of National Football Post had a couple of interesting notes yesterday. First of all, he had a quick blurb about three lesser known players that helped their stock with their pro days. Secondly, he broke down players whose ability he would vouch for.

Wes Bunting also talked to Drew Dougherty at the Combine. You can find the podcast of that conversation here.

There were four mock drafts worth noting that came out yesterday. Below are the pick(s) from each for the Texans (Lance Zierlein did a multiple selection mock), and the rationale for the picks.

- Lance Zierlein: Robert Quinn, JJ Watt, Prince Amukamara - "The Texans almost have to draft on the defensive side of the ball. Amukamara is an immediate upgrade, but the Texans may look to add to the front via the draft and the secondary via free agency or in the second/third round.

- Chad Reuter: 1st) Prince Amukamara - "Team needs could push a talent like Prince into the Texans' lap." 2nd) Rahim Moore - "Has the range and ball skills to be the team's new centerfielder."

- Rob Rang: Cameron Jordan - "The conversion to a 3-4 scheme is going to require that the Texans add some size and strength at defensive end. Jordan starred as a five-technique at Cal and was impressive as any prospect throughout the week of practice at the Senior Bowl."

- Brian Galliford: Nick Fairley - "Wade Phillips' 3-4 under defense is predicated on having elite talent at pretty much every position in the front seven. Fairley's athleticism gives him the range to play end for Phillips, and eliminates some of the worry about him wearing down during games."

Wade Phillips spoke about how he sees the defense of the Texans right now before the draft and free agency, and Chris Watkins is happy and confused by what he said.

Wade formerly coached Miles Austin on the Cowboys. There are some people out there that believe Austin might be better than Andre Johnson. Rivers McCown dissects that fallacy.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Rip Van Winkle Edition

Jake — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:36:42 -0000

The NFLPA decertified on Friday. Following that news, the NFL quickly issued a lockout at midnight. I'm sick of statements from both sides. I'm sick of people weighing in with their opinions of who is to blame and when it will all get resolved. I'm even sick of people talking about how tired they are of all the lockout news (irony). For me, it's best just to concentrate on draft stuff to the extent that is possible. I really wish I could put a filter on Twitter and sports media in general that let worthwhile lockout news through to me but kept all of the opinion and conjecture away; unfortunately, that's not possible.

As I continue to do these links, I will try to cater to both sides. If you find the labor stuff interesting, especially as it pertains to the Houston Texans, I'll continue to link those articles as I come across them. For those of you like me, rest assured that I will have a good amount of draft articles that have nothing to do with the labor strife so you can take the "wake me when it's over" approach that I wish I could. You can find the first example of what I'm talking about after the jump.

Let's get the lockout stuff out of the way. Alan Burge gives his perspective as a fan of the status of the labor negotiations to include a breakdown of the class action lawsuit by the players against the NFL.

John Hallam wonders if the fans can decertify as well, after he received a bill for tickets to a season that very well might not be played in its entirety now.

Apparently, season ticket holders were sent a letter from Texans team president Jerry Rootes explaining the "CBA development process" to all the fans, in which he assures them that preparations are being made for the 2011 season.

John McClain takes a lot of heat around Texans blogs because of his lack of news that he produces despite his access. McClain wrote a very informative piece on new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and how he sees the defensive roster as of right now. It's hard to determine what if certain opinions came from Phillips or McClain, but the article sheds a lot light on the direction of the defense.

John Hallam weighs in on what he took from the McClain article as it pertains to the Texans' defense.

McClain used his newfound knowledge of Phillips' intentions for the defense to write the second edition of his mock draft, in which he has the Texans selecting Aldon Smith. I don't agree with the pick, and I'll explain why when I break down Phillips' comments in the previously mentioned article.

Aldon Smith's Pro Day will be held Thursday in what will be a busy week of such workout events. Tony Pauline has a breakdown of the pro days and who will be in the spotlight. One interesting prospect that he brought up that I have to admit I was not aware of was nose tackle Blaine Sumner from Colorado School of Mines. Sumner got on the radar by benching 225 pounds 49 times despite being sick. While bench press doesn't always mean football skills, it will definitely cause me to research him more.

Wes Bunting breaks down the recent draft rumors that he's heard from scouts and front office personnel. Among the interesting notes, Pittsburgh defensive end Jabaal Sheard is flying under the radar as a potential 3-4 OLB. Sheard could be a sneaky pick in what is turning out to be a OLB-rich second round. More on that to follow as well.

Lastly, this was the second weekend that Chris Watkins was at the helm at SB Nation Houston. For a summary of his great work, check out his link roundup at the original Houston Diehards.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Mock Drafts, They Are A Plenty Edition

Jake — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:15:28 -0000

Now that the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, draftniks will be coming out of the woodwork to tell you who will be drafted and where. People often complain about mock drafts, but I think they're great. While I don't put a lot of stock into them until about mid-April, and that's only with a certain few writers, I think they have their place right now as well. First of all, they're fun. Everyone likes to play general manager and talk about who would be good for what team and why. Besides, the only other option right now is to talk about labor uncertainty, of which there is no news. Yay.

The other reason is there is value in learning by compilation. I'm not saying that if you average all mock drafts you see that you will be able to read the tea leaves and tell how the draft will go. I mean that the more you get an idea about who will go in the first round, the more you can estimate who will be around for your second and third round picks, which are the picks that are the most important in my opinion. Let's see what everyone thinks about your Houston Texans after the jump.

First of all, I apologize for not giving you your daily dose of links yesterday. Some of these are from over the weekend, so if you've already seen them, read on.

John McClain posted his first mock draft, in which he has the Texans taking Robert Quinn. This is becoming a more and more popular pick amongst mock drafters, like in this one by Evan Silva. McClain is, to my knowledge, the first local guy that has slated the suspended North Carolina outside linebacker conversion prospect at 11.

Alan Burge continued his draft watch series on the aforementioned Quinn, in which he does a great job detailing the two red flags on Quinn--a brain tumor that he still has, and getting suspended for his entire junior season. I have a piece upcoming with more detail on Quinn myself, but I will state that he is incredibly intriguing and worrisome all at once.

The other popular pick is Cal defensive lineman Cameron Jordan, who was selected by Brian Galliford in SB Nation's mock draft. Jordan doesn't seem to be a popular pick amongst Texans fans whose reactions I've seen, but I don't think they realize what Jordan could bring to the table as a five technique in Wade Phillips' 3-4. Jordan will also be in my later post which will hopefully be up tonight or tomorrow.

Jordan and Quinn are both number one in their respective position rankings as written by Lance Zierlein. In all fairness though, Lance has Quinn slated as a 4-3 DE, and he isn't the first person to suggest that he would be better at that position than at 3-4 outside linebacker. I'm sure Quinn would play more in the role of DeMarcus Ware for the Texans, which would mean not too much dropping in coverage.

With the switch to Wade's defense, the Texans have already announced that Brian Cushing will be moving inside with (a hopefully healthy) DeMeco Ryans. Barrett Walton discussed what that move will be like for the former Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Jerome Solomon has an idea of how the switch to the 3-4 could go smoothly in the case of a lockout. He's also getting a tad on the whiny side for my taste, with the "a smart organization would..." talk. I'm all about calling the team out when warranted, but to suggest a radical strategy that has never been attempted by any of the 32 teams and insinuate the team is not a smart organization because it won't be the first to do so is a little petty.

Stephanie Stradley discussed the possible lockout and why it would be particularly bad for the City of Houston in general.

Diehard Chris wrote his latest installment in his free agent focus series, with this one on Ravens cornerback Chris Carr. He teased it on Twitter by saying that most of us wouldn't be fans of his latest potential signee. In the case of me, he was right.

For those of you that missed it by the way, Chris Watkins (a/k/a Diehard Chris) is the new weekend editor at SB Nation Houston. For a breakdown of his extensive work from his first weekend on the job, check it out here.

Will The Texans Sign A Free Agent Nose Tackle?

Jake — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 14:53:44 -0000

Last week, Rick Smith signed three players who were already on the roster of the Houston Texans to extensions. One of these players was Shaun Cody, who Gary Kubiak, Rick Smith and apparently Wade Phillips believe can play nose tackle in the new 3-4 defense. I made the hypothesis at the time that signing Cody meant that they preferred Earl Mitchell as the starter and that the Texans would probably not pursue a nose tackle in free agency, and very well might draft a prospect for Wade to mold for the future.

In today's Sunday Blitz by the National Football Post, there was an interesting nugget about the Texans:

"The Dolphins raised a lot of eyebrows when they put the franchise tag on nose tackle Paul Soliai, guaranteeing him about $12.5 million in 2011. Why did the team step out like that on a player who most fans aren't even aware of? My sources tell me the Dolphins surveyed the free agent field and believed there were no other nose tackles close to Soliai in ability. Given the number of teams playing a 3-4 defense, the Dolphins feared Soliai would be the subject of a bidding war. In fact, there were rumblings that the Redskins and Texans coveted him."

So this begs the question--are there any other potential free agent nose tackles that could be targets of the Texans, or was I right in my original theory?

My first thought when reading the quote above is that getting into a "bidding war" with Dan Snyder and the Redskins is one of the classic blunders in life, only surpassed by getting into a land war in Asia. If Soliai was actually that coveted and was allowed to test the market, the Texans probably would not have landed him. But was Shaun Cody the immediate backup plan? No matter whether you agree that Cody is a good fit for the 3-4, I think all would agree that he would not be a high priority free agent for anyone outside of Houston. Remember, Cody was picked up when he was released by Detroit, and I've never read anything to suggest that he was pursued by any other team.

My gut tells me that when Wade took over he decided that he liked what he saw in Earl Mitchell and was going to try and mold him into the lighter, penetrating nose tackle that he had in Dallas with Jay Ratliff. I think after making that call, he decided to sign a free agent like Soliai for the immediate time-frame, and he decided to draft a nose tackle to develop behind Mitchell. I could see Wade targeting another Ratliff-esque player to draft, a bigger body classic nose tackle, or maybe a hybrid type like Marcell Dareus.

The Dolphins probably didn't want to spend $12.5 million on Soliai, so the fact that they were willing to tells you not only that they were serious about the lack of free agent nose tackle talent, but also what it might cost to get a comparable talent. They're decision to tag Soliai probably reinforced the same point to the Texans. I believe Cody wasn't next on their nose tackle list, but when faced with the prospect of spending valuable free agent dollars and even more valuable cap space in a year they need to fill a lot of holes, they decided to lock up Cody to fulfill the veteran presence for that position.

The Texans need immediate improvement on the defense because another dreadful performance might cost everyone their jobs as the Texans could begin yet another complete rebuilding effort. Signing someone like Soliai would ensure that the talent at the position would immediately improve. Mitchell would provide possible impact for 2011, but more likely is a project for the future. Now that Cody has been retained, I could see the Texans making nose tackle more of a priority for the draft. As opposed to drafting a mid-round prospect to develop behind Mitchell, I think they might target someone in the first couple of rounds. The reason being that Cody is not a game changer, so either Mitchell or the rookie needs to have an instant impact in 2011.

If the Texans did in fact shift gears from acquiring a good to very good free agent nose tackle to re-singing Cody and putting more of an emphasis on drafting a game changer at nose tackle, I would actually wholeheartedly approve of the strategy. Rather than over-spending for someone like Aubrayo Franklin, I would much rather see them pursue veterans for the secondary, where there is certainly more value to be had in free agency. This could certainly be wishful thinking, but the early Texans offseason moves such as letting go of players because they can't cover (Eugene Wilson and Bernard Pollard) and not forcing someone into a position just because he was a high draft pick (Amobi Okoye) make me think that Wade has injected a healthy amount of common sense into the defensive talent evaluation.

That's my theory. What are your thoughts on the matter?

Texans Free Agent Frenzy On Lockout Eve: Rick Smith Is A Procrastinator

Jake — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:15:24 -0000

D-Day is upon the owners and the NFLPA. By midnight tonight, we will know whether there has been an extension to the deadline, whether there's a deal done (unlikely), whether there is a union decertification and/or whether there is a lockout. It is very possible that today was the last day for general managers to re-sign potential free agents from their team. Rick Smith must have had a few million dollars burning a hole in his pocket because today he spent some money.

Smith was a busy man today. In a few hours he came to terms (in chronological order) with Owen Daniels, Derrick Ward and Shaun Cody. Before we get into what to think about the individual signings, the timing strikes me as odd. These deals must have been in the works for some time, so why wait until the last minute to get deals done? The only thing I can think of is that Bob McNair and/or Rick Smith are under the impression that something just shifted in the labor negotiation realm. I have no idea what they were assuming was going to happen before today, and what that might have changed to, but why tender a first round pick to what you're assuming is going to be a restricted free agent just to possibly overpay him less than 24 hours later? Where did the rush come from?

I'm getting ahead of myself. Follow the jump to see my take on the afternoon shopping spree.

Owen Daniels - In September or October this year, I would have told you that Daniels wasn't worth the money. His inability to stay healthy outweighed his worth, or at least I thought so at the time. When Daniels finally got healthy in 2010, however, the offense was noticeably different. I know that bfd put out some PFF numbers earlier that maybe don't support this, but the eye test of watching every Texans game told me that the offense, and more specifically, Matt Schaub, was better with OD in the lineup.

Having said all of that, Smith paid an oft-injured tight end a lot of money. Daniels will receive $22 million dollars over the course of four years, $14 million of which will come in the first two seasons, with a total of $6 million guaranteed. The deal might not be as lucrative as what he was in for prior to tearing his ACL in 2009, but it's still a lot to pay a player at a non-marquee position with a history of knee injuries (three, I believe, since high school).

Daniels is by no means perfect, but he might be perfect for the Texans' brand of the West Coast offense. Daniels has a rare ability to get vertical from the tight end position, and is usually Schaub's go-to target off of roll outs and bootlegs. It is certainly a risk to assume he will stay healthy, but if he does, I think Daniels will be worth the money. Also, I've heard that when the new CBA is finally approved, deals that were signed this year won't fully count against the cap because it happened in an uncapped year.

Derrick Ward - This signing isn't much of an event in my book. Ward was more than serviceable last year, although I think that was mostly due to great run blocking and defenses getting softened up by Arian Foster all game. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Ward won't be the second string back next year, assuming Ben Tate comes back healthy and is effective, but I don't see anything wrong with Ward as (what I assume is) a cheap insurance policy.

Shaun Cody - This signing bothers me. It tells me less about Wade Phillips' faith in Cody, and more about his faith in Earl Mitchell. Mitchell is clearly the more talented and better suited player to play nose tackle in Wade's 3-4 scheme. I'm assuming that means Cody is being kept as a backup, which obviously means that Mitchell is not the backup, which means that Lance Zierlein is wrong and the Texans' starting nose tackle for next season IS on the roster. The only way I see another nose tackle being added is through the draft for development. I believe this signing rules out the possibility of acquiring a free agent to fill this position.

What's even more frustrating is that pesky Shaun Rogers deal that was just signed. $4 million dollars over one year for a player that has been, at the very least, very good in this league at playing nose tackle, or $5.75 million dollars over two years (with $1.5 million guaranteed) for someone who has never even played in a 3-4?

How do you feel about the three signings? Weigh in via the Comments below.

Texans Re-Sign Shaun Cody to Play... Nose Tackle?

Jake — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:21:48 -0000

Texans Re-Sign Shaun Cody to Play... Nose Tackle?

Per John McClain (via Twitter): "The Texans have reached a contract agreement with starting DT Shaun Cody. Wade Phillips thinks he can move to NT in 3-4."

Wade, you're scaring me. At least throw the word backup in there, which wouldn't be great, but would keep me sane. This better not be even close to Shaun Rogers' contract, so help me.

The Texans Can't Afford To Be Picky

Jake — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:22:05 -0000

There's been a lot of doom and gloom this offseason. First of all, there's been a cloud hanging over the NFL for the last two years since the owners opted out of the last collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, for fans of the Houston Texans, there has been the nasty business of falling very short of expectations. Will Gary Kubiak get fired? Will Rick Smith stay to hire the next head coach? Who will be hired to coach the defense? These are all questions that have been answered, and many have found those answers to be sub-standard. I myself, while not happy about a lack of regime change, have been on record as being pleased with the Wade Phillips hiring, even though I was not happy with the hiring process.

Sometimes I have to wonder if my faith in Phillips and his ability to work with the other two that kept their jobs is misplaced. Surely, as HDH Chris hypothesized, the Earl Mitchell-is-our-nose-tackle talk is a smoke screen. Yesterday, lost in the Combine and labor issue news, Shaun Rogers quietly signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. Rogers, who previously said that he'd love to play in Houston, took $2 million dollars less to play in New Orleans than another offer because it was important to him to play for a desirable team. Follow the jump to find out why I think this was the biggest Texans news item of the day yesterday.

I'm not angry that the Texans didn't sign Rogers. I'm seethingly angry that they apparently didn't make an attempt. I know that many of you were against signing Rogers for a myriad of reasons, and it looks as if the front office shared your concerns. If the Texans inconspicuously made an offer that was turned down by Rogers, I apologize for being reactionary, but this smells of the same misplaced pickiness that has continuously killed the Texans.

The Texans don't have a nose tackle on the roster. There is no free agency this year, or at least none before the draft. Even if the plan is to draft a nose tackle, it takes time to develop defensive linemen in the NFL and that player will probably not be ready to start right away. Even if he was, men who are big enough to play that position usually get gassed, so it's good to have depth at the position. Shaun Rogers would have provided a quality backup at the very least.

Being able to sign that kind of role player in a season without free agency would have been huge because the team could go into the draft knowing that nose tackle was at least partially covered, so Rick Smith would be able to refrain from reaching for the position. As it stands now, there is a good chance that will happen, or the team will overpay a free agent whenever that occurs. What would the peace of mind cost that Rogers could provide cost? A one-year, $4 million dollar contract. Rogers, who is 31, will surely be motivated to show he's worth one more multi-year contract before the wheels fall off.

If anyone should realize that they can't afford to be picky, it's Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak. They should realize that they need to pull out all the stops to show immediate improvement to keep the mob at bay, the same mob that almost cost them their jobs last season. The only justification I can think of as to why they didn't even make a run at Rogers or safety OJ Atogwe is because the cuts they made two weeks ago were in preparation to make a run at a marquis free agent or two after the CBA is in place. That might be wishful thinking, but I'm going to cling to that hope.

Give us something to work with, Rick. It's getting harder and harder to believe.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Which Guy Do You Like Edition

Jake — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:33:33 -0000

In years past, draft season wasn't necessarily fun for Houston Texans fans. As a draft guy, you could analyze all the prospects you wanted and hypothesize about who would fit great into our system, but in the end you remembered that the Texans were predictable and all of your prognosticating (read: wishing) was for nothing. Every year it seemed that the Texans had zeroed in on a position before the draft, and sometimes a particular player, and however you tried to change it with your wishing, what is going to happen is going to happen.

This was the case in 2009. Everyone had shoehorned Brian Cushing to the Texans with the 15th pick. I and several other writers tried to explain why this wasn't going to happen, and then inevitably, it happened. I'm not bringing that up to rekindle the Cushing debate, I bring it up as a prime example of the phenomenon I mentioned above. I don't think anyone saw Kareem Jackson coming last year, but everyone pretty much knew it would be a cornerback, despite John McClain claiming it would be ~~Ryan Mathews~~ Devin McCourty.

This year is different. Between an incredibly deep defensive draft class, where we pick and a new guy calling the shots for defense, anything could happen this year. I know several people that prescribe to the "seeing is believing" mentality when it comes to drafting outside the Texans box, but I believe that the fresh injection of Wade Phillips and the desperation of Kubiak and Smith possibly losing their jobs will make this year different. The possibilities, for once, are numerous. So who are those possibilities? Follow the jump for the daily links.

One very slight possibility is Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller. Yesterday, Lance Zierlein said that it was so unlikely that he falls to 11 that he didn't even want to discuss it. Doug Farrar, however, wrote his first mock draft and that's exactly what he sees happening.

John McClain has been beating the "trade up for Miller" drum since the Senior Bowl. He's broadened his horizons and now thinks the Texans are zeroing in on Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara. He hasn't completely changed his tune, as he thinks the Texans will have to and should trade up to get the Nebraska defensive back.

Lance Zierlein wrote yesterday about the most significant Combine events thus far. Headlining his post was Nevada DE/OLB Dontay Moch, who Lance believes is a second-round pick after running a 4.44 40 and generally wowing during drills and events yesterday. I will have more to say about Moch soon.

Daniel Charles posted his latest installment to SB Nation Houston's draft thread, in which he discusses the Texans meeting with Arkansas tight end DJ Williams and Illinois linebacker Martez Wilson. Please, I implore you to avoid the obvious tight end joke and focus on the fact the Wilson would be a great pickup in the second round if he lasted that long because of his athleticism and versatility (he played ILB in college but is projected by many as an OLB in the NFL).

Diehard Chris fielded questions pertaining to the draft, free agency and... (sigh)... trading Mario Williams. He also discusses Kris Jenkins, who was released by the Jets. I remember watching Jenkins dominate Chris Myers and every other interior lineman in 2009 before he was hurt, but I think the writing is on the wall for the defensive tackle, who finds himself on the wrong side of 30. As nice as it would be to have a veteran nose tackle on the roster before the draft as a backup plan, I don't think Jenkins is the answer.

Barret Walton noted that a couple of Wade Phillips' former players are being released from the Cowboys, and wonders whether the Texans will make a run at Gerald Sensabaugh and/or Marcus Spears. I personally remember the last time we signed a free agent defensive back from the Cowboys, and that didn't work out so well, although you could make the case that Jacques Reeves shouldn't have been cut.

The lack of free agency has made this year's draft different than any other. Patrick from the Texans Tribune discusses why that is so and what the implications might be for draft strategy.

The Texans have many potential free agents, especially if the new CBA (whenever that comes) goes back to players becoming unrestricted free agents after 4 years versus the 6 years that they currently have to serve. Rick Smith has begun discussions with several of their potential free agents, but no deals are looming, says John McClain.

Vonta Leach is one of the more prominent free agents that the Texans have, and as Alan Burge notes, Leach had his knee scoped recently. Burge also writes about the Texans potential free agents in more depth.

Marcell Dareus: Wade Phillips’ Perfect Nose Tackle

Jake — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 01:47:07 -0000

The Houston Texans need a nose tackle; what else is new? You could make the case that they have needed a true nose tackle since their inception, which is rather sad because they ran a 3-4 defense for the first four seasons. Now they’re at it again with newly hired defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, and nose tackle is a priority, but this time there is a decent chance it might be a real priority.

Much has been made of what type of nose tackle will fill the bill. There is the obvious, short and squatty space-eater of a nose tackle. The Steelers’ Casey Hampton is the best example of this type. The purpose of this type is to take on double teams and is better against the run than rushing the passer. Wade Phillips has certainly used this type of player in Buffalo and Denver

Then there is the other option that Wade Phillips has most recently worked with--the smaller, penetrating nose tackle. This nose tackle is more like a three technique defensive tackle in the 4-3 system. He’s supposed to split double teams and get into the back field. While this puts more run stopping responsibility on linebackers, this type of nose tackle creates matchup nightmares for offensive lines. As readers of this blog know, a good example of this type of tackle is the Cowboys’ Jay Ratliff.

The fact that Wade Phillips can make either type of tackle work is one thing I really like about him as a defensive coordinator. That attribute shows the ingenuity and imagination that the Texans have never had from defensive leadership. Which type of NT will be better for Wade this time around? There could be a player that fulfills both types in this year’s draft. I make my case for Marcell Dareus after the jump.

I initially was not a huge Dareus fan, or at least a fan of the Texans drafting the former Alabama defensive lineman. As I initially began studying for the draft, I saw Dareus for what he was in college--a five technique defensive end who had amazing production two years ago when playing next to Terrence Cody but had pedestrian numbers last season. He can split double teams and set the edge as a defensive end in a three man front, but by many accounts is not athletic enough to get around the edge like another five technique, such as Cameron Jordan. I didn’t originally see the benefit in taking him over an outside linebacker or cornerback that may be there at eleven, or even another five technique like the previously mentioned Jordan.

I believe I was thinking of him in the wrong light, though. On Saturday at the Combine, Dareus weighed in at 319 pounds and measured 6’3". That’s a full inch taller and fifteen pounds heavier than what he was listed at this season at Alabama. Now obviously, weight alone does not make a nose tackle, but it made me think about looking into him more for that specific role.

First of all, his arm length measures 33 and 3/8 inches. The classic nose tackle type requires long arms in order to perform his duties of engaging multiple blockers. Phil Taylor, who is considered by many as the best classic 3-4 NT in this year’s draft class, has 34 inch arms. You also would like a short squatty body for this player because it allows him to anchor against the run. This is also something that Dareus possesses. Measureables don’t make the player, but Dareus passes the eye test for physical attributes to play in the middle.

Dareus has been considered a better fit for a 4-3 system because of his ability to split blocks and get into the backfield. Even if he was drafted by a 3-4 team, it is assumed that he would play the five technique position that he played in college, although he did play nose tackle on a limited basis. I doubt that I’m the first person to determine that Dareus could anchor a 3-4 defense at the nose if absolutely necessary, but most people probably assume that his strengths would be wasted at nose tackle. All that changes in Wade’s system.

Listen to the analysis of Dareus by Rob Rang of CBS sports, and think about what would be asked of a penetrating nose tackle in Phillips’ 3-4:

Pass rush: Good initial quickness off the snap. Doesn't possess the burst upfield to cross the tackle's face and turn the corner. Quick enough, however, to split the gap and collapse the pocket from the interior. Explosive hands to disengage from blocks. Needs a clear lane to close, but shows a late burst toward the ball when he has it. Flashes some legitimate pass-rush technique, including a swim move and good inside rip. Possesses surprising lateral agility and balance to track down elusive quarterbacks.

Run defense: Stout at the point of attack. Plays with good leverage and can anchor to create a pile. Cognizant defender who works hard to keep containment. Good lateral agility and balance to slide while fighting blockers. Long arms and good strength to lock-out. Explosive hands to disengage. Won't shed the block until he reads where the ballcarrier is going. Good effort laterally and downfield in pursuit. Surprising speed for a man his size.

Explosion: Can provide an explosive initial punch to jar the offensive lineman back onto his heels. Powerful and quick hands to shed blocks. Flashes some explosiveness as a hitter, needing little momentum to rock the ballcarrier.

Strength: Thick lower body, which helps him anchor well against the run. Powerful bull rusher with good hand strength to disengage quickly. Good upper-body strength to pull down ballcarriers while occupied with a blocker.

Dareus possesses a rare blend of size, strength and speed that could make him ideal for the Texans’ nose tackle vacancy. According to Mike Mayock, Dareus had ankle issues all last season, yet he never complained or took time off. I think Wade Phillips could make Dareus a star, but it may be a moot point as Dareus may not make it to eleven. There are other options for the unique type of nose that Wade might choose, like Stephen Paea or Marvin Austin, and there are the typical noses like Phil Taylor or Kenrick Ellis. I think Dareus is far above all of them. I would place only Patrick Peterson and Von Miller ahead of him. What about you? Who is your favorite potential nose tackle in the draft?

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Focus On The Combine Edition

Jake — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:38:44 -0000

On the way to work this morning, I flipped on Sirius NFL Radio and the first word I heard was "lockout". I immediately switched away to some mindless drivel. I choose to read selected people's thoughts and opinions on the labor strife and all the implications of it, but the potential work stoppage is a subject that everyone seems to be a self-proclaimed expert on. When it comes to these people, I choose the ostrich approach. That is to say, anytime someone other than few people I trust to know what is going on starts talks talking about their genius solution to the labor negotiations or their guess on how long it's going to take to get resolved, I stick my head in the sand.

Luckily for me this week, the 2011 Scouting Combine was in full swing this weekend. The offensive linemen did their drills on Saturday, and yesterday was the offensive skill positions. I've always hated that the defensive players do their drills during the week during work hours (linemen and linebackers today, defensive backs tomorrow), but that's because I'm a Houston Texans fan and therefore I'm always focused on defensive players. Still, I enjoy the eight hours a day I get to listen to Mike Mayock talk about nothing other than the draft.

One thing that does annoy me about the Combine is all the people who go on TV and radio, or write articles and Twitter messages, about how worthless the Combine is. It is extreme to say that a Combine performance alone will propel or drop a player radically, but if you're trying to break a tie between two players on your board and only one showed up to the biggest job interview of his life in phenomenal shape, that's not going to sway your opinion? If anything, just enjoy the fact that the Combine is an oasis in the middle of the offseason desert, a desert which is particularly inhospitable this year. For all the comings and goings of the NFL other than the labor strife and how it affects the Texans, follow the jump.

As I stated before, this weekend belonged to the offensive players. For notes on all the individual days, check out Wes Bunting's coverage (Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, QB group 1, QB group 2). Doug Farrar also has a good wrap up of who helped their stock yesterday, and who hurt it.

There were several skill position players who looked really good yesterday, and one offensive lineman (USC Tyron Smith) who may end up being selected before the Texans pick at 11. Barrett Walton discussed why this improvement of offensive players' stock is good for the Texans.

Texans fans shouldn't turn a blind eye to the offensive players altogether. As Rivers McCown points out, Matt Schaub could use more help on the offensive line. Also, Alan Burge has a good breakdown of mid-round wide receiver prospects, which is definitely a position of need for the Texans.

It's not exactly the mid-rounds, but Diehard Chris weighed in with who he thought would be good options in the second round with the 42nd pick and asks you to do the same.

Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak both spoke to the media on Friday. Rivers has the transcript of most of the interviews of the head coach and general manager. Stephanie Stradley lays out what the two artists formerly known as Smithiak might be looking for at the Combine based on past selections.

As I stated previously, today is the day that defensive players start to peddle their wares. John McClain continues his man crush on Von Miller, who gushed about Gary Kubiak and the Texans. Paul Kuharsky noted that top-rated safety Rahim Moore is charismatic and claimed that he would like to talk to the Texans as well. Nick Scurfield, who's been doing great work from Indianapolis but is now gone, had a breakdown of the plentiful pass rushers in the draft.

I'll have an article up later today about one of my favorite draft prospects for the Texans. It is not Stephen Paea (although I would be thrilled with him), but to get you in the right mindset of watching defensive players, I leave you with the amazing video of the defensive tackle from Tonga by way of Oregon State lifting 225 pounds 49 times in a minute.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Combine Begins Edition

Jake — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:13:50 -0000

Today marks the official start of the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine. The Combine was created in order to give NFL teams a centralized event to evaluate players medically, but it has evolved into so much more than that. The Combine is a place that is still used to poke and prod potential draftees, but it is also used to judge prospects' athletic ability, interview players and as a place to talk shop with other NFL scouts, coaches and executives. It has also become a media circus for countless outlets, most notably the NFL Network, which covers the event on television.

Much is made about the evils of the Combine because of what it has grown into. NFL people sometimes allude to annoyance with the level of scrutiny that they now receive, but they shouldn't. The fact that a scouting event can rate higher ratings than other sports' games shows how wildly popular the NFL has become, and it is that popularity that allows the NFL to garner $9 billion in revenue annually to argue over.

Pretty much any draftnik that has a decent amount of pull has received media credentials to the Combine and is spending today traveling to Indianapolis. Due to this migration, there isn't as much draft-specific stuff today. I will have a list of Twitter users that I suggest you give a follow to as they will be covering the Combine up later today. In the meantime, follow the jump for all Houston Texans related happenings.

The man with perhaps the biggest stage at the Combine is NFL Network's Mike Mayock. Mayock published his third edition of his Top 5 players at each position yesterday, which had some notable changes. Among them, Mayock has Robert Quinn as his number one DE (he was initially fourth, if memory serves me), Muhammad Wilkerson as his third rated defensive tackle and Akeem Ayers as his second outside linebacker.

As has widely been the subject of Texans conversations, Eugene Wilson was released on Friday, along with four other players. John Hallam wonders if John McClain's claim that Glover Quin will be moved to free safety is based on sources or conjecture.

Rivers McCown thinks that such a move would be a cheap way out, and I agree. The fact that OJ Atogwe has presumably not visited the Texans yet is inexcusable, given the complete lack of depth. More on this later.

Patrick from the Texans Tribune added his two cents about Wilson and Quin, plus his opinion on the current labor mediation with the NFL and the NFLPA.

John McClain writes that DeMeco Ryans will stay busy this offseason with rehab as well as being the NFLPA rep for the Texans.

Alan Burge noted that Ben Tate has been cleared to participate fully in workouts by medical personnel, a nugget that he found on Tate's Facebook. Tate also made the announcement on Twitter yesterday.

Chris kept his free agent series going at Houston Diehards. The latest installment was Chargers safety Eric Weddle.

My time to post is being cut short by my real job, but if you find anything worth linking, leave it in the comments.

Champ Bailey Re-Signs With Broncos

Jake — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:24:54 -0000

Champ Bailey Re-Signs With Broncos

Champ Bailey was one of the favorite prospective free agent signees for the Texans in the offseason, but the veteran corner back has elected to stay in Denver. A move like this gives even more credence to Rivers' assertion that the Texans should be looking at a safety like OJ Atogwe now.

Battle Red Blog Interview with Wes Bunting

Jake — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:35:23 -0000

Wes Bunting is the head draft analyst for the National Football Post and one of the most respected draft guys in the business these days. If you don’t already read his stuff at NFP, he puts out a ton of interesting articles about prospects, rumors that he hears directly from scouts, and what teams are looking at which players. His Twitter account is a must-follow as well.

Wes sat down and answered a few questions in our interview as we prepare for the draft and the 2011 Scouting Combine, which starts this week. Follow the jump for Wes’ insight into the Houston Texans draft issues.

Jake: It is highly unlikely that a new collective bargaining agreement will be done by the time of the draft. How different do you think this draft will be because of the unique labor situation and what will some of those differences be?

Wes: Well the first thing is that teams won’t have free agency to fill out team needs, so the NFL draft will be the first place to fill those needs. I think that teams will go about putting their board together a little differently than if they had free agency.

Another interesting note is that consistently following the draft you could sign rookie free agents. Teams would bring in 5, 10, even 15 guys sometimes. With no CBA intact, there are no rookie free agents, so teams are only going to be able to add however many picks they have, be it 6 guys, 7 guys, whatever number that may be. Typically only about one undrafted free agent will make a roster, but it gives good depth and lets teams know how many players at each position they have going into camp. With this, they have no idea.

Jake: Wow, that’s a really good point, I had never thought about that. Let’s get into Texans related stuff now. Due to comments by owner Bob McNair and General Manager Rick Smith, it is widely assumed that newly hired defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is going to have a great deal of say about what defensive players are selected. What do you know about Wade’s role in Dallas’ drafts while he was there and how much influence, if any, he had during that process?

Wes: I really don’t know how much influence he had. I know that Jerry Jones is the guy who makes final decisions. I’m sure Wade wanted defensive players and they drafted a couple during his time, but I can’t really comment on that too much because I really don’t know.

Jake: The Texans are switching to a 3-4, and don’t have a natural nose tackle on the roster. You recently stated that there is a chance Baylor DT Phil Taylor may end up being a top 15 pick. How realistic do you think that is, and could the Texans make that surprise move?

Wes: It wouldn’t surprise me at all to be honest. How realistic? We would have said that there was zero percent chance that Tyson Alualu went in the top ten last year and he did, so there’s always a chance. What makes it even more intriguing is that Phil Taylor is one of the few tackles in this year’s draft that not only is a really gifted guy; physical, plays strong, has an anchor, good athlete for his size, he can potentially anchor a 3-4 defense as a nose, but he’s also athletic enough to play the five technique. So when you have a guy that fits perfectly into a 3-4 defense and you’re a 3-4 team like the Texans that have a lot of missing pieces in the front seven, getting a guy that could anchor your defense would be key.

At the same time, he does have some character issues. He was kicked off the Penn State team and then transferred to Baylor. He has had some weight issues and really only had one year of production, so there’s definitely some risk that goes with the reward with a guy like that. I think 11 is too high for him, but I’ve been shocked before and when you have a talent like him, a lot of times teams will overlook those character concerns.

Jake: If the Texans don’t pick a NT in the first round, who do you think would be the best value for where he could be drafted; keeping in mind that Wade Phillips has made smaller, penetrating NTs like Jay Ratliff work in the past?

Wes: They’re not going to get a "good value" on a nose tackle in this year’s draft, first and foremost. There’s not a lot of good nose tackles in this year’s draft and they will go at a premium. They’re going to have to take a guy earlier than they might want to. Kenrick Ellis from Hampton is a former South Carolina standout who got the boot off their team for what sources say was failing too many drug tests there, but he’s a 6’5", 340 pound guy who is a good athlete and is strong enough to anchor inside. Jerrell Powe from Ole Miss is another potential nose tackle. He’s 6’2", 340 pounds with a squatty, wide body. He has some character issues as well, and some limited mental capabilities. He’s also 24, so he’ll be considered an older prospect. All of these guys have some concerns, but they’re going to go higher than they typically would or they deserve because there’s a lot of demand for these guys but not a lot of supply.

Jake: What’s your take on some of the smaller defensive tackles like Marvin Austin or Stephen Paea and their ability to play in the one gap 3-4 defense that Wade Phillips employs, where taking on double blockers is not placed at a premium, but penetrating and getting behind the line of scrimmage is?

Wes: You know, I had a discussion yesterday about Marvin Austin in a 3-4. It’s a fit, but I think he has so much more value in a 4-3, especially in a one gap system. Same thing with Paea, that I can’t see a team with a 3-4 team taking either of them before a 4-3 team does. I think Austin has value in the second/third round range as a 4-3 guy. I think Paea, if he wasn’t hurt, would have value at the end of the first but now he’s a second rounder. I have a tough time seeing a 3-4 team taking one of those guys in the second round because you’re projecting what they can do as opposed to teams that feel comfortable because they know what they can do in a 4-3.

I wrote a 3-4 article in which I listed the top nose tackles. I listed Marvin Austin as the number four nose in the entire draft. Do I think he’s going to play nose tackle in a 3-4 in the NFL? No, but there’s not too many guys out there that have that skill set. So I definitely think they’ll get looks. I think Marvin Austin more so than Paea; I think Paea is a one gap guy in a 4-3. At the same time, teams are going to have to reach on some of these guys because there are not too many players that have that skill set out there.

Jake: There seems to be a lot of depth this year for five technique defensive ends in the draft. How much separation do you think there is between your highest rated guys like Cameron Jordan and Marcell Dareus and the other tiers?

Wes: There’s a good bit of talent that is NFL-ready initially at that position. You look at Muhammad Wilkerson from Temple, he’s a 6’5", 300 pound kid with a good frame. Same thing with Christian Ballard who is 6’3" and 300 pounds. I just don’t think they’re as technically sound as a guy like Cameron Jordan. Those guys can hold the point of attack and run sideline to sideline. Jordan can do that as well, but he also offers some unique pass rush ability that allows you to kick him inside.

The Steelers this year did a great job with Ziggy Hood. He learned how to two-gap playing the five technique, but then they would kick him inside to the nose in nickel situations where he was a bear to block inside. I think that’s what you can do with a guy like Cam Jordan as well, whereas some of these other guys like Wilkerson and Ballard are not as natural at pass rushing at this stage.

Jake: The Texans desperately need help at safety. which is one of the weaker positions in this year’s class. You claimed that some scouts are looking at Prince Amukamara as a safety at the next level rather than a corner. Which position do you think he’s best suited for, and what does this do to his draft position?

Wes: I think t depends on what he runs at the Combine. It’s tough to take a corner in the top ten if he runs 4.55. If Amukamara runs in the low 4.4 range, teams are going to look at him exclusively as a corner. You need straight line and recovery speed to play corner in the NFL.

I think Amukamara’s best attribute, to be honest with you, is his versatility. I think he can play in the slot, I think he can play on the outside in press, and I think he can play off in zone. You could even use him as a safety at times in dime situations when he comes down and plays over the slot and that way you wouldn’t have to take one of your safeties off the field for a corner. That’s versatility. He’s a good football player, I just don’t know if he’s a dynamic, shutdown corner. In my opinion, he’s not, which is why I have a tough time taking him the top ten or even top fifteen picks.

Jake: Connor Barwin was pegged by many as a 3-4 OLB before the 2009 draft because of his size and athleticism, so he seems like the most logical fit currently on the roster to play WOLB. Assuming he’ll be fully healthy for next season, do you think the Texans should draft a linebacker to start over Barwin as the primary rusher or rather play on the other side to occasionally rush but also cover more? Who do you think they should target to fill that role?

Wes: I think you let Barwin earn his keep. The Texans took him high a couple of years ago. He played tight end for three years at Cincinatti before making the move to defensive end so he doesn’t have a ton of experience there. He’s a high motor guy and a hard worker so I think they should give him a chance to be successful. I think they should start him initially and see how far he can take it.

There are some intriguing guys later. A guy like Reed Brooks from Arizona, or Donte Moch from Nevada; they’re mid-round rush guys that I think you take a look at for depth, but I definitely think you let Barwin start and see what he can do with it.

Jake: Do you think there’s any merit with drafting a guy like Von Miller if he’s there or Akeem Ayers and starting them opposite Barwin as the other outside linebacker?

Wes: If Von Miller is there you absolutely have to consider him, he’s one of the top players in the draft. Akeem Ayers has never played rush linebacker in college, so we’d be making a projection for him. Physically, he’s rushed with his hand on the ground. He’s a strong kid, he’s explosive, and he runs pretty well… actually he runs really well. At the same time he’s not a natural pass rusher, so I would a have a tough time taking a guy who’s never played 3-4 linebacker and doesn’t have a ton of experience rushing the passer, and asking him to do it in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL.

Jake: Finally, everyone assumes that the Texans’ draft will be very heavy on defensive players, but they also need a deep threat wide receiver to take away double coverage of Andre Johnson. What is a logical round they might look to fulfill that need, and who are some of the candidates for that role?

Wes: You have to peg it on the value that you get. You don’t say "we’re going to take our deep threat receiver in this round". You have your board in place. You have players that fill needs and if they’re the best player on the board at the time of your pick you fill it out that way. Titus Young, if he was there in the second to third round range, he would fill a need. Torrey Smith from Maryland would also be good in the second to third round range as well. Those are the two premier deep threat receivers in the draft. Darvin Adams from Auburn would be a good example of someone with vertical speed that you could get late. Depending on when you want to fill the need is when you start looking at guys. That’s pretty much how it comes down to it.

Again, I can’t thank Wes enough for his time and knowledge about the draft. I thought it was specifically interesting to hear his thoughts on undrafted free agents, as the Texans are usually a team that signs a lot of undrafted players every year. Wes will be at the Combine, so make sure you check his account often for any update from Indianapolis.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Ignoring Mediation Edition

Jake — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:21:14 -0000

The big news out of the NFL yesterday was that the NFL and the NFLPA agreed to sit down for seven straight days of mediation that has no binding power. Everyone seems to have their own take on what this means to the labor negotiations, and our very own Stephanie Stradley does a good job breaking it down with her opinion. While I find it mildly encouraging that they actually agreed to something, I don't really care to pay a lot of attention to these mediated negotiations.

Either side can walk away before the end of the seven day session, and as I and everyone else has mentioned, the mediator can only suggest solutions, which can then be ignored by either side. With two sides that don't seem to be grounded in reality right now (one more so than the other), that doesn't sound like recipe for success. I write about football because I find it interesting. While I pay attention to the details of the labor negotiation because football next season hangs in the balance, I found nothing interesting about two sides arguing over revenue. For that reason, I take the "wake me when we have a deal" approach rather than get excited or discouraged by every new event.

For news links that affect your Houston Texans outside of the labor negotiations, follow the jump.

One unknown aspect of the new collective bargaining agreement is the salary cap. As Rivers McCown points out, the Texans have the sixth-highest payroll going into next season, so a return to a cap system similar to what was in place before would have big implications on free agent spending.

Arian Foster is an exclusive rights free agent who can reasonably expect the Texans to try and sign him to a long-term deal. He went on NFLN Total Access yesterday and discussed running in the zone-blocking scheme as well as his relationship with Priest Holmes, who went undrafted as well.

One player that the Texans were reportedly interested in for the zone blocking system was Denver right tackle Ryan Harris, who the Broncos tried to trade last season but failed. What does this say about the organization's confidence in Eric Winston?

Reggie Herring alluded that the Texans feel more comfortable with Brian Cushing on the inside rather than the outside in the new 3-4, and Patrick from the Texans Tribune brings up five questions based on that assumption. Patrick also explains why it's not so bad being a Texans fan.

Paul Kuharsky dissected the Vance Joseph interview with the official site and gave his opinion on some of the topics.

The Texans will surely draft at least one or two defensive backs in the coming draft, and Wes Bunting has some of the most intriguing players after round one which includes a few defensive backs. Wes also ranked his top 3-4 defensive prospects and gave us a heads up on draft rumors swirling around the league. Wes does a great job at National Football Post, and he has graciously agreed to give Battle Red Blog an interview. Stay tuned.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: The Short Edition

Jake — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:27:44 -0000

I have to apologize for this morning, but I simply don't have the time to put the normal effort into the daily links. I should be back and writing normally tomorrow or Monday at the latest. In the meantime, follow the jump for the links.

New linebackers coach Reggie Herring gave his first interview, and as Diehard Chris points out, the position coach shed some light on what he plans for Brian Cushing.

Over on Texans Tribune, Patrick brings up five questions in concern of Brian Cushing moving inside next season for the 3-4 switch. Kerns also gives his thoughts on how the NFL should learn from Major League Baseball in regards to the damage a work stoppage can do.

The other new position coach on defense, secondary coach Vance Joseph, gave an interview to Nick Scurfield and explained how he plans on turning that group around.

The firing of defensive coordinator Frank Bush and several members of his staff created the opportunity for Herring and Joseph to get their jobs. He didn't stay unemployed for long, because at one time he was an Oiler, so therefore he was hired by the Titans.

Alan Burge continued his draft watch with Arizona DE/OLB Brooks Reed. If you would like to see Reed in action, check out Aaron Aloysius' latest prospect video on the aforementioned Wildcat.

Burge pointed in his article that Lance Zierlein was impressed by Reed at the Senior Bowl. Zierlein himself posted his first draft podcast with Rob Rang and Jay Harris at the Sideline View.

Shaun Rogers continues to talk about how much he would like to play for the Texans as he keeps visiting with other teams.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Dunta's March To The Sea Edition

Jake — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:33:30 -0000

I started writing for Battle Red Blog about the Houston Texans late in the 2008 season. That offseason the topic de jour was what should be done about unrestricted free agent Dunta Robinson. After suffering a horrific injury in 2007, Dunta managed to rehab and return for the end of the next season, although he was obviously not close to 100%. Some fans were in favor of rewarding Robinson for being the emotional leader of the defense for some time with a long-term deal. Some were in favor of applying the franchise tag, which would surely anger the former first round pick, while others were in favor of letting him walk all together.

In the end, General Manager Rick Smith opted for the franchise tag, there were barbs thrown out by both sides through the media, and shoes were written on. Dunta went on to have an underwhelming season to say the least, and was allowed to walk and eventually sign with the Atlanta Falcons the next offseason. Dunta was not met with rave reviews from his new home in Georgia this year, as by almost all accounts he was regularly exposed by opposing quarterbacks and was outshined by Brent Grimes.

Some good will come of the Dunta situation though, right? He left to sign a relatively huge deal and started almost the whole season for the Falcons, which would earn the Texans a high compensatory pick, an unheard of phenomenon in Houston. Rivers McCown thinks not, and his logic is pretty solid. Even if he is wrong and the Texans get higher than a seventh round pick, it won't be much higher I'm sure. For news that won't make you finally throw away your limited edition "Pay Me Rick" kicks in the garbage, follow the jump.

Glover Quin is the only cornerback on the roster that played alongside Dunta in the 2009 season. It has been widely hypothesized that GQ will be moved to free safety, and in an interview with Drew Dougherty he stated that he was willing to do whatever the coaching staff asked him to in transition to the new 3-4 defense.

If Quin is in fact moved to safety, at least one corner will have to be added to the roster to replace him, but hopefully more than that, given that the secondary was so terrible last season. Tom Gower broke down the entire AFC South to include the Texans in terms of roster deficiencies and how they might be fixed through the draft and free agency.

One option as a free agent corner is former Washington Redskin Carlos Rogers. As Diehard Chris points out in his latest free agent file, Rogers is using the deal the Falcons gave Dunta as a measuring stick for what he's looking for. Yeah.

Daniel Charles took his first stab himself at how the Texans might select players in the draft with his first seven round, Texans mock draft. I personally like the Sione Fua and Jeron Johnson picks.

While Daniel had the Texans selecting Missouri DE/OLB Aldon Smith in the first round, another possibility is UCLA OLB Akeem Ayers. Doug Farrar wrote a scouting report on the Bruin linebacker, and for a more Texans-centric look, you can check out Alan Burge's latest draft watch installment on Ayers. I personally would like the Ayers pick... a lot. More to follow shortly.

Lastly, Patrick from the Texans Tribune caught up with the Bulls Eye Tailgaters, who recently won the inaugural Bing Tailgating Championship. Kudos to the BET crew for representing Houston fans so well.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Hard To Stay Impartial Edition

Jake — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:10:27 -0000

As this turbulent offseason swirls around us, I have tried to remain focused on actual football-related matters. I read just as much as anyone on the CBA negotiations and I want to see an agreement reached, but I attempt to make my writing a platform for football as it relates to the Houston Texans. I don't see the point in getting heated and writing angry messages about a business transaction that ultimately has nothing to do with me.

My simple philosophy on the labor strike is that neither side really cares about the fans; both are trying to get the best possible deal for themselves that they possibly can. I don't have a huge problem with that either; it's as American as apple pie. To take it personally is a little silly in my opinion. I would compare it to going to a used car lot and watching two strangers negotiate over a used car all the while getting angry at the car salesman for "being unfair". This situation is just a little different because our pastime hangs in the balance.

Having said all that, I am amazed by the League's lack of PR savvy. Throughout this process, both the NFL and the NFLPA have tried to garner fans support, and while the players association has its slip-ups from time to time, they look like public relations masters compared to the NFL. Take yesterday, when the league filed a labor claim saying that the players aren't negotiating in good faith. Doug Farrar did a great job encapsulating the hypocrisy of the owners.

In the end, the ugly truth that no one wants to admit is that the owners have the leverage, and that's all a negotiation is about. It also seems that they are willing to damage their reputations with the fans to an unknown degree in order to use every bit of leverage they have, which scares me because there could be a lengthy lockout at the end of that road. Despite my wish to remain impartial, it's hard to watch the game getting damaged and not point fingers.

Now that I broke my own rule, follow the jump to check out the Texans daily links.

I'm not the only one with thoughts about the looming lockout; Rivers McCown weighed in with his thoughts on what the fans can do in this situation.

The lockout was supposed to be one of the factors that made Ray Rhodes decide to retire. I guess that decision was short-lived as yesterday he signed to coach for the Browns defense. I have nothing against the man personally, but considering he was the head defensive assistant for the Texans when they were spinning out of control with no clear direction, I have no regrets of him leaving.

One of the few players that might benefit from a little time lost in the season next year is DeMeco Ryans as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. DeMeco talked to Nick Scurfield about his recovery and his thoughts on moving to the 3-4.

Luckily, the draft will not be affected if there is a lockout. Lance Zierlein posted his top five players at each perspective position. Lance also got into a Twitter discussion with ESPN's Todd McShay about rising and falling draft statuses.

Alan Burge continued his draft watch series with Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan. I would have liked Kerrigan a lot if we were still utilizing a 4-3, but in my opinion he doesn't have the athleticism that you're looking for from a 3-4 linebacker.

Rob Rang did an interview with Prince Amukamara in which the Nebraska cornerback impressed me. Many people are questioning Prince's speed these days, mainly because of his inability to stop Oklahoma State's Justin Blackman. Amukamara addressed the issue with the accountability that you'd like to see from a pro:

"We were in a Cover-4 scheme, and I was expecting safety help over the top initially. Now our safeties are taught to come up to support the run aggressively and on this play, it was a flea-flicker, so they were coming up hard. Blackmon ran a great route, completely catching me by surprise. He came off the line slow and then accelerated past me. I caught up to him, but he got out of my tackle. It was good planning and execution on their (Oklahoma State's) part and I just didn't make the play when I had the opportunity."

Also, he stated that if an NFL team wanted to move him to safety, he'd be willing. I think even if the Texans aren't a realistic landing spot for Amukamara that he will be one of the more interesting players to watch throughout the whole draft process.

Texans Draft Talk With Aaron Aloysius

Jake — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:11:42 -0000

Draft speculation season is in full swing, which I thoroughly enjoy. If you like it as much as I do, you should know who Aaron Aloysius is. Aaron writes for a site called Draft Breakdown, and he also puts a lot of videos on Youtube of draft prospects that are the closest thing that we can get to coaches' tape to evaluate players. Aaron uses a lot of these videos to determine what he thinks of players rather than repeating what other draft analysts are saying about potential draftees. Aaron answered some questions that I had about the draft specifically for the Houston Texans which you can find after the jump.

Jake: Texans fans have wanted a nose tackle for years, and this is the year it looks like that might finally happen with the switch to the 3-4. Who are some of the prospects you like for that position this year? Keep in mind that it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the mold of Casey Hampton because Wade Phillips was able to use a Jay Ratliff in his one-gap version of the 3-4.

The fat man at the top of the list has to be Phil Taylor. The big man out of Baylor is an exceptional athlete for a 337-pound d-lineman, displaying the athleticism to move laterally and make plays, as well as the speed in the open field to track down slower ball-carriers. In addition to playing nose tackle, Taylor may be athletic enough to play some five-technique.

However, Taylor does come with some character baggage. He started out at Penn State but was dismissed from the program, and he's long battled weight issues, including in '09. Once described as a slug on the field, Taylor re-committed himself to football last summer and now looks like a promising NT prospect. He'll need a tough position coach on him to keep his weight down and his effort up, but he'd be worth taking somewhere in the top 50 picks.

Another physical freak who has some baggage is Hampton defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis. Unfortunately, Ellis also was kicked out of a major program, in his case South Carolina, and has had some trouble with the law. But when this guy's focused and something close to good shape, he can be a dominant player. That was seen in the Texas vs. The Nation game, where the guy was simply unstoppable. He outplayed Ole Miss defensive tackle Jerrell Powe, another possible 3-4 nose prospect, proving that he's got early round talent; the question is whether those character concerns are disconcerting enough to knock him out of the first two days of the draft.

Some mid-round guys to look out for are Notre Dame's Ian Williams and Stanford's Sione Fua. Neither's as physically gifted as Taylor and Ellis, but they're solid technicians who could at least provide depth at that important spot.

Also, it's possible that Wade Phillips will develop a solid nose tackle out of a prospect no one's talking about. Last spring, the Cowboys took a flyer on Supplemental Draft prospect Josh Prent-Brice, who looked very impressive in the pre-season. Hopefully, Phillips will have be able to turn another late-rounder in a possible long-term solution.

Jake: People automatically think of outside linebacker for 3-4 teams because they get sacks, but inside linebackers are often looked over. How strong is this year’s crop of ILBs, and who are some that you think might fit well in a 3-4?

The switch to a 3-4 whittles down the Texans' options at inside linebacker: instead of rangy, uber-athletic guys, the team likely will focus on tough, physical 'backers who can take on blocks and pummel ball-carriers.

Fortunately, this draft features a couple guys who could fit in that role. Illinois linebacker Martez Wilson is a 6'4, 250-pound freak who's drawn comparisons to Karlos Dansby. Personally, I think Wilson is a bit more tight-hipped than the Dolphins LB, and he's not the most instinctive player. But a team will fall in love with his upside, most likely somewhere in the second round.

One of my personal favorites in the draft is LSU product Kelvin Sheppard. Sheppard's the kind of player who isn't elite in any area but should be a very good all-around pro. He's good at taking on blocks and is explosive playing downhill, especially as a blitzer. Also, Sheppard displays solid range in coverage, making him an every down player for whatever team picks him in the 2^nd or 3^rd round.

A more physical guy that may be a good pairing with DeMeco Ryans is Mississippi State linebacker KJ Wright. Because Wright played outside in college and has some experience rushing the passer, most draft analysts project Wright to 3-4 outside linebacker. That said, I think Wright would be a good fit inside, using his long 34 1/2" arms to keep blockers at bay and make play downhill. If not a permanent fixture inside, Wright could provide the inside-outside versatility that becomes so important when a 3-4 linebacker corps is depleted by injuries. As a result, he'd be a solid 3^rd or 4^th round pick for the Texans.

In addition to those early to mid-rounders, Marshall linebacker Mario Harvey could be a prospect who appeals to the Texans in the late-rounds. At 5'11", 250 lbs., Harvey is built like a truck and plays with a mean streak that's earned him the nickname "Thumper". Unfortunately, his height isn't ideal and he'll be a liability in coverage, but Harvey could be a quality reserve who makes plays on special teams. And like KJ Wright, Harvey has experience as a nickel rusher, which adds to his value and could him make the 53 man roster.

Jake: My contention is that Connor Barwin is a perfect fit for WOLB in the new scheme because of his athletic ability and the fact that he was being used in almost the same role when the Texans still ran a 4-3. What do you remember of Barwin from 2009 when he was drafted? Do you agree that he is just as good an option or better than a rookie, or should the Texans be looking to upgrade that position with the eleventh pick?

I must say that I wasn't very high on Barwin. No one doubted that Barwin could provide speed off the edge, but I didn't see enough strength or polish as a pass rusher to warrant taking him in the top two rounds. Mike Mayock echoed those concerns, saying that Barwin would be able to contribute more out of the gate as a tight end, not a pass rusher.

That said, Barwin is in an ideal situation for his skill set. He possesses the athleticism to be effective in coverage, and his speed should enable him to notch more than the occasional sack. If Wade Phillips gets creative with his blitz schemes, allowing Barwin to loop inside behind Mario Williams, the Cincinnati product's speed could allow him to have even more of an impact.

At the very least, Barwin deserves a year to prove himself as an OLB. Hopefully, he'll impress there and become a big part of the new-look Texans defense.

Jake: Is there any chance that Prince Amukamara falls out of the top ten into the Texans' lap? If not, how big is the separation between him and the next few corner backs on your board?

There's increasing speculation that Amukamara could slip out of the top ten; some scouts compare his stock to Malcolm Jenkins', who went 14^th overall in '09. As is often the case with possibly speed-deficient prospects, the Combine will determine whether teams drop him down their draft boards.

If Amukamara runs 4.5 or higher 40 time, I very easily could see him slipping out of the first ten picks, thereby making him an option for the Texans. I'm not sure that he'd be their best option at that point, but I do think he'll be a very good pro. Unlike Jenkins, who wasn't particularly fluid or fast, Amukamara has good closing speed and the hips of an NFL cornerback. He'll become a solid pro and, in my opinion, will player better early on than Kareem Jackson.

Obviously, speed is an important requirement for corners, but what shows up on tape matters more than the number that pop up on a stopwatch. Last year, Joe Haden looked awful at the Combine; according to the NFL's official electronic 40 time, he ran a 4.62 40. Despite the bad time, Haden played exceptionally well as a rookie and looked far better than many of the corners who ran faster 40s.

The same could be true with Amukamara this year. Though guys like Brandon Harris, Jimmy Smith, and Aaron Williams are good corners, I do have Amukamara rated higher and think he'll be a better player, especially early on in their rookie seasons.

Jake: This draft class seems to be extremely weak at the safety position. How will that lack of talent affect where they will be drafted? Will low supply cause teams with need to reach a little bit?

I agree that the safety class is extremely weak. As a result, the more talented safeties will have their stocks artificially inflated, leading to them coming off the board earlier than they probably should.

The biggest draw in this class is UCLA safety Rahim Moore. The ballhawk notched ten picks in '09 but only brought in one in 2010, in part because teams avoided him. The rangy safety should be very good in coverage, but he's an inconsistent tackler and could be a liability against the run. In a typical draft class, that would make Moore a 2^nd or even 3^rd round pick, but I expect a team to reach for him as high as the late 1^st.

Other prospects like Oklahoma's Quinton Carter and Clemson's DeAndre McDaniel will be more effective in the box, but they lack Moore's range and may be limited to playing strong safety. Ahmad Black's an intriguing prospect who's played well against the run and the pass, but his extreme lack of size (5'9", 183 lbs.) may require him to make a move to cornerback at the next level.

Jake: The Texans need a deep threat to draw away safeties from Andre Johnson, like a Mike Wallace or Jacoby Ford. What receivers could be had in the middle rounds that could fit that role nicely?

Unfortunately for the Texas, the speed guys tend to get pushed up draft boards: guys like Torrey Smith and Titus Young will go in the top two rounds, as could Troy speedster Jerrel Jernigan. I could see the Texans picking a receiver higher than everyone expects if they fall in love with one of those guys.

One mid-round speedster who would make sense is Abilene Christian receiver Edmund Gates. Gates has adequate size and very good quickness. Unfortunately, an injury denied him the opportunity to participate in the Senior Bowl, which could damage his stock.

However, he's got plenty of speed: he claims he never lost a footrace to fellow Abilene Christian prospect John Knox, who blazed the turf in Indy. Hopefully, he'll be an equally productive pro.

Jake: All the positions we’ve covered so far are of need for the Texans. Who are some players at these positions that won’t get their names called until Day Four who might be better than advertised?

With late-rounders, you're looking for guys who can carve out niches that will earn them a roster spot on your squad. I think Auburn running back Mario Fannin is a perfect example of one of those Day Four guys who has a long NFL career. Fannin had a disappointing senior season, but he possesses good size (5'11", 225 lbs.) and is a very good receiver out of the backfield. I don't think he's a full-time fullback, but he could take some snaps there, adding to his versatility and value as a back of the roster guy.

Nevada tight end Virgil Green's another guy who'll stick on an NFL roster, perhaps even become a valued weapon in the passing game. Green isn't exceptionally explosive, but he's got good quicks and solid hands. He lacks the size and strength to be a good in-line blocker, but he's a willing blocker in space and could be a solid h-back/move tight end.

One prospect who could be of particular interest to the Texans is Rice pass rusher Cheta Ozougwu. Cheta wasn't very productive in college and has atypically short arms; as a result, he most likely won't get picked in April. However, he's got an above average first step and gives great effort as a pass rusher, which was evident at the Shrine Game practices.

After Tuesday's practice, a couple Texans scouts crowded around Ozougwu and had a long chat with him. It's possible that they like him as a developmental 3-4 outside linebacker. If Wade Phillips liked him enough in Orlando, the Texans could take a flyer on Cheta and see if he can make the squad as a special teamer with pass rush upside.

I can't thank Aaron enough for his valuable insight into the draft. I plan on having Aaron around as often as he'd like in preparation for the draft. In the meantime, make sure to check out his writing and his videos.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Wade Calling the Shots Edition

Jake — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:42:34 -0000

After a one day absence, I've been cleared by the trainers and am back in the game. I want to thank Kerns for filling in on Friday. The offseason has been quiet so far, and in what I can only guess was an effort to keep your Houston Texans in the news, General Manager Rick Smith did a radio interview on Friday to discuss the team. He claimed that DeMeco Ryans is just fine, and as Alan Burge noted, he said that this is his first time personally dealing with personnel issues pertaining to a 3-4 defensive scheme. As Burge correctly pointed out, this just means that Wade Phillips will be picking his own defensive players in the draft and free agency.

I personally see this as a good thing. The Texans' track record for evaluating defensive personnel speaks for itself. Brian Cushing, Ryans and Mario Williams have all been nice picks, but the first round is scrutinized so heavily because you're supposed to be successful. Effective GMs make their money on days two and three of the draft, something that Smith has failed to do. Again, I don't like how this system of Wade running the defense along with player acquisition for that side of the ball came to be, but I truly believe that it will be a case of a broken clock being right twice a day sort of thing. Apparently, as Diehard Chris points out, the scouts don't know 3-4 players either. Now that I can't spin. So who will Phillips be eyeing for his new defense? Follow the jump for the daily links.

First off, Wade is going to have to evaluate what holes he wants to fill and what the priorities are. Paul Kuharsky breaks down Football Outsiders' take on the needs of the AFC South to include the Texans, and puts his spin on it.

The Texans will have to strategize a lot in order to be successful next year as they do not know whether they will play a shortened season or the new 18 game "enhanced" season. Stephanie Stradley breaks down how it should be done.

This month at the Scouting Combine, much will be made of individual workouts performed by potential draftees. Rob Rang points out that the most overlooked process of the combine is the team interviews, and highlights 15 players that need to make a good impression. On that list is defensive tackles Phil Taylor, Kenrick Ellis and Marvin Austin, all of whom the Texans may be eyeing.

Wes Bunting is one of the best draftniks in the business, and he recently published his first mock draft on Friday. He has the Texans picking Alabama's Marcell Dareus, who will likely play the five technique at the next level if he gets drafted by a 3-4 team. I'm not sure why, but I'm not entirely in love with this pick. Even though he obviously has talent, he wasn't a difference maker this season after losing key supporting cast members like Terrance Cody. Dareus also has a rough past and has had people question his work ethic. I need to get smarter on him, as a lot of people are starting to discuss him slipping out of the top 10, but for right now my gut isn't happy with this pick.

Alan Burge also continued his draft watch series with analysis of Georgia OLB Justin Houston. Aaron Aloysius of Draft Breakdown did a tale of the tape piece on Houston this weekend in which he included game footage from three separate games. Aaron believes Houston played better with his hand in the dirt, and after watching the game footage I have to say that I didn't see much that would make him warrant a first round pick, much less a high one.

By the way, we will have an interview with Aaron up later today. Stay tuned.

Shaun Rogers Not In A Hurry To Sign Anywhere

Jake — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:34:04 -0000

Shaun Rogers Not In A Hurry To Sign Anywhere

Apparently, recently released DT Shaun Rogers is not going to sign with any team until next week, according to Jason La Canfora. Suposedly a third of the league has contacted him, and I am starting to think it's a long shot he will play in Houston next season.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Unexpected Help Edition

Jake — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:34:40 -0000

With the Houston Texans coming off a 6-10 season, the fan base is expectedly upset with the lack of progress from the nine year old franchise. After Bob McNair decided to keep head coach Gary Kubiak in place and just change defensive staffs, the Texans need a quick turnaround to prove he made the right choice. This means the Texans don't have the luxury of being as "prudent" with player acquisition as they normally are.

A team that usually shies away from free agency is probably going to have to sign some players to play integral positions for Wade Phillips newly integrated 3-4 defense. It would be nice to have some of those players signed before the draft, but the looming expiration of the CBA has made that pretty difficult. Sometimes though, luck can help you out a bit. Want to know what I mean? Follow the jump for your daily links.

Shaun Rogers was told he'd be cut yesterday by the Cleveland Browns. Jerome Solomon thinks he'd be a perfect fit for the Texans and I agree. The Browns are rebuilding, and they don't believe that Rogers at 31 is worth the long-term investment. That doesn't, however, mean he doesn't have anything left, and he might be perfect to start in the middle while the nose tackle that surely will be drafted this year is developed.

That nose tackle drafted by the Texans may be Baylor DT Phil Taylor. Doug Farrar has him at 38 on his board of top draft prospects, and breaks down the 337 pound man from Baylor.

As Barrett Walton notes, the Texans might be interested in the CFL's leading rusher and former Houston Cougar Phillip Hunt. Cameron Wake showed that the transition is possible from the CFL to the NFL, so why not give it a shot?

The NFLPA and the league are in disagreement over whether the franchise tag can be applied or not, but I think the NFL is probably going to win this one. Who, if anyone, would the Texans apply the tag to? Paul Kuharsky thinks it might be Owen Daniels. I am going to weigh in with my opinion on the matter shortly.

Yesterday I wished Bruce Matthews luck as he was close to obviously leaving to coach the Titans offensive line for new head coach and best friend Mike Munchak. Alan Burge states that while he will always be an OIlers fan, he wishes them nothing but mayhem.

Did you feel slighted when the Texans were seemingly not represented in the NFL commercial in which various TV characters were wearing all 32 31 teams' jerseys? Diehard Chris did some analysis and thinks that we might be represented in a weird way.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Long Way To Go Edition

Jake — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:27:54 -0000

As of two days ago, the entire NFL joined the Houston Texans and other teams that had shorter than desired years to officially begin what will be a turbulent yet often times quiet offseason. The draft order is complete with the reigning champion Packers selecting 32nd and the runner up Steelers picking right before them. We are 78 days away from said draft, and it's going to be a difficult ride to get there. I apologize as these posts get shorter and shorter, but the fact is that people are really starting to shift focus elsewhere now that football has gone into hibernation. The daily links post will trudge on though, even if there are only a few articles worth the read. For the ones today that are worth your time, follow the jump.

As expected yesterday, John McClain is reporting that the Titans have officially informed the Texans that they will interview Bruce Matthews for the offensive line coach position in Tennessee. Matthews is likely to take the promotion to work for one of his former teammates coaching among others, his son. It will be weird to see him go, but good luck to Matthews if he does in fact leave. The news is bittersweet, however, as it was learned that Frank Bush might be head to Nashville to coach the linebackers.

Speaking of John McClain, Daniel Charles gave him props for not whining about the weather while getting to cover Super Bowl XLV. No, he was not being sarcastic.

Patrick over at Texans Tribune detailed what he as a Texans fan would like to see in the offseason for both the offense and the defense. Free agent signings dominate not only Patrick's thinking but most that of most Texans fans, as the team does not have the time to fix this problem through the draft.

Diehard Chris continued his offseason free agency spotlight with Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor. Barrett Walton made his wishes known for the Pittsburgh defensive back as well. Taylor would be a nice addition, but I get a little leery of putting a lot of eggs in that basket considering that the Steelers front seven and the best safety in the NFL can cover up for a lot of shortcomings.

One avenue to bolster the secondary is to draft one early in April, possibly Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara. Following a note from yesterday, Wes Bunting wonders whether Amukamara is worth an early selection, and thinks its possible that Prince might be playing safety at the next level like Malcolm Jenkins and Antrel Rolle.

Another prospect that the Texans are surely considering is Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller. The official site has an interview with the Senior Bowl standout from Mobile.

Texans Down 'N Dirty: History Repeats Itself Edition

Jake — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:58:02 -0000

Human beings are often a slave to their own routines and habits. The older you get, the more entrenched you tend to be in your ways, whether you like it or not. When trying to judge how a person will react to a certain situation, it's obvious that the first place to look is how they've reacted to similar positions in the past. People do not change that often.

Yesterday, Titans owner Bud Adams named Oilers Hall of Fame lineman Mike Munchak as the second ever head coach of the Titans. Hiring someone that will piss of Houston fans? Check. Adams has a history of making decisions that seemingly are predicated on upsetting the fan base of the city his team once called home. What other common occurrences could the Texans learn from? Follow the jump.

With the hire of Mike Munchak, it is likely that Texans assistant offensive line coach Bruce Matthews will likely join the Titans as the full time O-line coach. Matthews interviewed for a position with the Cowboys last month before signing a two-year contract extension with Houston. As Diehard Chris writes, the move makes sense and would not cripple the Texans' run blocking or pass protection.

The odds to win the championship in 2011 were released today, and the usual suspects dominate the top and bottom of the list. Where are the Texans? Smack in the middle at 16 with 35/1 chances.

Alan Burge continued his draft watch series witha breakdown of Prince Amukamara. Burge frets over the prospect of repeating last year's first round defensive back pick and believes the eleventh selection should be used on a front seven player. Interestingly enough, Wes Bunting just tweeted last night that an NFL scout told him that Amukamara is not liked at all. This is the first outright negative thing I've heard about Prince, and it could be honest opinion or posturing.

Dan Snyder is suing the Washington DC City paper for defamation of character, and Rivers McCown thinks something similar could happen in Houston because of a connection between the PR departments.

Jerome Solomon thinks that Bob McNair should use the same vigor speaking out against a work stopage that he used for defending Brian Cushing.

Post-season awards are sometimes a popularity contest. As Paul Kuharsky writes, Arain Foster was a victim of fans' unwillingness to change by losing a couple of those awards he probably deserved.

Lastly, I leave you with a draft prospect video of Von Miller by Aaron Aloysius of Draft Breakdown. Aaron has a compilation of great videos of a ton of players at his site, and we'll be talking to him throughout draft season.