Three Choices

[Roy P]

As I am going through various scenarios, I can forsee the Texans having three top tier choices without a trade. The problem is the positions have negative associations when choosing in the first round. Would the Texans be wise to choose a NT who plays only 2 downs and doesn't get a great pass rush when the Colts are in our division? Would it be smart to draft a RB in the first round, when an undrafted rookie looked really good at the end of last season? How about getting a potential Lance Briggs/Keith Bullocks type WILL LB? If you had to make a choice between these three, we are assuming that the top OL, FS, CB, or whatever your favorite need position would be too much of a reach and the trade down isn't available, who do you choose.

A. DT Dan Williams 6'3" 325 Tennessee
B. RB Ryan Matthews 5'11" 220 Fresno St.
C. LB Sean Weatherspoon 6'1" 245 Missouri

[gunn]

Games are won and lost in the trenches. Of these three players.. This one is a no brainer in my mind. Dan Williams

[painekiller]

If he falls to us, I go Dan Williams. I have been watching him all season and I like the history of the Vols and DLinemen in the NFL.

Weatherspoon I see going in the late 1st to mid 2nd. so I do not use the #20 on him.

And I do not remember Matthews jumping out at me.

[TexanJedi]

Tough call. You make good points about taking a linemen who would, ideally, only play two downs. This point was also made about taking a LB since DeMeco AND Cushing play three downs. I have to say though Weatherspoon looked good in coverage at the Senior Bowl and if the Texans were truly convinced he could play a hybrid nickel line backer then he might be the best value. He would also be another leader on an emerging defense.

Still I like Williams (I guess Price is gone in this scenario, not as big as Williams but more disruptive) and would have little problem with his selection.
Dan fits a perceived need, but Cody apparently played well against the run this season. This defensive tackle class also has much better depth than the line backers (but do we "need" a LB?) with Mt. Cody, Cam Thomas, Geno Atkins et al.

Mathews is a guy I have not seen much of so I can't make a value judgment on him as a player, but given the choice (and shelf life of RBs in the NFL) of continuing to build the defense I would probably go in that direction.

I have to imagine if the Texans wanted to move down they could even if they had to settle for less than market value like they did with Duane Brown as far as I can recall. But to answer the poll, hmmm, let's see...

By the way that coin toss with Atlanta might be pretty big and could be the difference between the Texans getting the player they want or simply going with the best of who's left since I think Atlanta might need secondary help.

[nero THE zero]

Obviously a lot will change between now and April, but it seems to me that both Weatherspoon and Matthews are more likely second round players than first.

The player out of those three I like most is easily Matthews. But, the player I'd pick is Williams. If we took Williams with the first pick, Dixon would likely be there for our second, whereas if we took Matthews with the first, I'm not as comfortable with whatever DT would be there in the second, and DT is the one position that is a must-have this offseason.

That said, if you'd listed Dwyer here rather than Matthews, he'd probably be my choice.

[NBT]

Looks like everyone wants Wiliams. Dan and Mario.

[Blitzwood]

This is a tough call.

I agree with nero that Weatherspoon and Matthews are likely second round players, although Weatherspoon did help himself in the senior-bowl. The only problem I have taking him in the first is with the quality and depth of linebackers in the draft.

Unlike last years draft, this draft is very heavy with LB's, which is unfortunate for "Spoon".

Matthews, IMO, is a second rounder.

Williams is an intriguing prospect, but I don't think Kubiak is looking to replace Cody, who was effective against the run last season even though his stats don't show it, or sit a first rounder in the depth chart behind him. I think the Frank Okam experiment is over and we'll be finding his replacement later in the upcoming draft, maybe the 4th round.

I'm actually leaning towards Earl Thomas. I think this team could use a rangy ballhawking FS to help our anemic secondary. To those who think he doesn't possess the size need only to look at Troy Polamalu or Ed Reed.

[kRocket]

I am a trenches sort of guy, and I don't believe our trenches. either offensive or defensive, are good enough to spend a 1st round pick on RB. What I would most like to do is trade down to from 1 to maybe a Hi 2 + Hi 3. This would be to pick up some good linemen + safety + CB. But, if that trade is not available, as you say, then I would pick Dan Williams because we also play 14 other games and soon to be 16 maybe. I would take my chances with a 16-2 record.:)

[NBT]

Who would you make the trade with? That is always the problem with these scenarios.

[kRocket]

Who would you make the trade with? That is always the problem with these scenarios. I am not sure of the values, but there must be someone who wants a mid range #1 and would give up a high second plus whatever pick would even out the value. I guess any of the top ten or so pickers would be candidates. I am not saying it could happen, but there is always 'maybe' because it has happened before.

BTW: Tampa Bay has #3 and #10 pick in the 2nd plus #3 in the 3rd. I could see that possibly we could pick one of their seconds and a third for #20. Does that work value wise ?

[Blitzwood]

BTW: Tampa Bay has #3 and #10 pick in the 2nd plus #3 in the 3rd. I could see that possibly we could pick one of their seconds and a third for #20. Does that work value wise ?

In Scott Wright's trade chart:

Round 1. #20 850 points

Round 2. #03 550
#10 480

Round 3. #03 255

Round 4. #03 104

Round 5. #03 41

I could see us doing our first for their #3 in the second, third and fifth rounder.....or their #10 in the second round, #3 in the third and forth.

[kRocket]

...I could see us doing our first for their #3 in the second, third and fifth rounder.....or their #10 in the second round, #3 in the third and forth.Either of those scenarios would be very attractive to me. We may not find a pro-bowler, but we could upgrade the quality of the squad as a whole. If our scouting holds up, as it has, then we might pick up a couple of starters and maybe a couple of quality backups.

Thanks for figuring that out for me!

[NBT]

The needs and wants of other teams will change during free agency and trades leading up to the draft. But.......if some team were willing to do the deal for an extra second and something else, I'd probably do it.

[Blitzwood]

Unless a true "playmaker" type player is available at #20, I think they'll try to move down as well.

[cloudwasher]

For anyone who actually looks, FYI I was actually an idiot and clicked the wrong button accidently. Tried to vote for Williams, somehow voted for Matthews. I dont see the need for a RB in the first round. Thats how Ryan Matthews got his one vote :o