There are many critics claiming that it is not very strong. Perhaps there is not going to be several members of the Hall of Fame coming out this year, but I do believe that there are many players who can be more than simply "contributors" who may make the team on Special Teams or as a 3rd stringer. The Texans are like my beloved Colts in many ways in terms of team needs with the major exception being QB. Both teams desperately need OL help. The Colts have a potential solid player in Henry Anderson while the Texans have JJ. The NT and opposite DE are team needs for both. Whitney Mercilus played well and JD Clowney is a top pick (with major injury concerns) but I would claim that another OLB would be welcome. Conversely, the Colts need a pass-rusher badly. The ILB position is another area where depth could be sought after as well as S. The Colts don't need a TE like the Texans do and neither do they require a WR. That being said, I could see Both teams targeting some of the same players.
Considering my target audience, I will focus more on what the Texans should do in the draft. In the first round I believe that Laremy Tunsil is hands down the BPA. Most likely, he goes to Tennessee and JJ Watt will have to face him or Taylor Lewan for many years to come. The best Tackle left in the draft from my perspective is Jack Conklin. I have him ranked third behind Goff and Wentz, who I only have listed because strange things can happen on draft day and I would be foolish to not draft a Franchise QB if given the opportunity. Back to Conklin....I am very afraid of Duane Brown's injury. I don't like uncertainty at LT when I am trying to protect my QB. So, at best I have LT covered with Conklin should Brown be unable to go. At worst, I have upgraded my pass protection and running game with Conklin at RT. If I am unable to secure Conklin because he is off the board in the 1st round, I'm going to be targeting Joe Haeg of ND State later on.
I have Darron Lee ranked next, and truth be told, I hope he is drafted by the Colts. Experts will knock his size and say that he is a WILL in a 4-3. However, his athleticism is freakish and the idea of him covering a TE or RB out of the backfield makes me giddy. Most likely, he goes to another team, but I'm always on the lookout for a guy like Derrick Johnson, Karlos Dansby, Sean Weatherspoon. My backup plans include Kamalei Correa, Nick Vigil, Blake Martinez, or Josh Perry as more 'traditional ILBs'
Assuming Lee is off the board or just not viewed as a good fit in the 3-4, my next guy is Ryan Kelly. He is big and bad and smart and fills a very important position on the field. He blocked for the National Championship team and the Heisman Trophy winner. I've mock drafted him in the 2nd round, but have no problem whatsoever grabbing him at #22. If the Colts don't draft him at #18, I will once again write letters to have Grigson fired....but I digress. The best case scenario is trading down for extra picks and still taking Kelly, but that may be my fantasy world If he is unavailable, I would like to take Graham Glasgow later in the draft. He is a big kid at 6'6" 307lbs with 10 3/8" hands and 33 5/8" arms. Not sure when he gets drafted, but he has versatility to play 4 positions on the OL.
The most likely selection for the Texans, in my opinion, is Josh Doctson. Initially, I was a big fan of Treadwell simply because I value being able to make catches even when you are 'covered'. However, after watching film and crunching measurables, my favorite WR in the draft is Doctson. He's not a burner like Fuller or Coleman, but he gets open by being a smart route runner and he has the ability to make contested catches. I would invite anyone to take a look at some stats compiled by Matt Harmon @
http://www.thebackyardbanter.com/the...n-project.html
I know that there is group-think that the Texans need a player who runs a 4.3 - 40 to take the top off a Defense to help take the pressure off of D-Hop. However, I am more impressed by a WR who can move the sticks and keep an Offense on the field. His 4.5 is decent, but his 6.84-Cone, 7.08-Shuttle, 41"-Vertical, 10'11" Broad Jump, 9 7/8" hands are Outstanding. If he had ran a 4.37 in the 40, we would have no chance selecting him at #22. If we go a different route in the 1st round, I would bang the drum for Malcolm Mitchell who is my "poor man's version" of Sterling Shepard. I also have Shepard rated as a first round talent, but at 5'10" I would have to trade down to make him a selection and garner extra picks in the process.
Other 1st rounders on my board include Taylor Decker (who is a RT only in my estimation), Vernon Hargreaves (who looks like a legitimate starting CB), Zeke Eliot (I hate taking RBs in the 1st round), Paxton Lynch (Who I would sit for a year behind Osweiler), Shepard (already mentioned), Treadwell (too slow for my tastes, but that's what they said about Anquon Bolden), Michael Thomas (Ohio St had a guy here who I think is kind of a Sleeper and might slide to the 2nd round).
The NT position is very important to me in the 3-4. Every year I'm looking for the guy who is stout against the run and has the ability to push the pocket. I was high on BJ Raji, Marcell Darius, Vince Wilfork, Haloti Ngata, and Dan Williams to name a few. I was not a fan of Danny Shelton last year because I felt like he was forced down our throats by the Media as the next big thing. This year I was big on Jarran Reed and DeForest Buckner. Then the Combine came and I started looking at other players with similar skill sets and athleticism and felt like I was weighing them too heavily. Buckner would be more of a 5-Tech DE and I have considered taking him off my board after his Combine, but I was really excited about Reed. This is a 'very good and deep DL' class by most accounts. So, I wanted to separate the cream from the milk and I came away with Maliek Collins as my top dog. He's only 6' 1 7/8" and 311lbs which is shorter and lighter than I like my NT to be (6' 3 3/8" and 330lbs). However, his other measurables blew me away....1.79-10, 5.04-40, 7.53-Cone, 4.52-Shuttle, 29.5" Vertical, 9'1"-Broad Jump, 25-Bench Press, 9 1/2" - Hands, and 33 1/8" - Arms. So, I took a long look and decided that this was the guy I wanted to plug the middle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqJNuDpnWAw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUXXTwJrpEo
My fall back plan is Javon Hargrave. Watched his All-Star games and came away impressed. He is moving up draft boards, but who knows....If we could trade down and collect some picks, then we could take him in the 3rd round, maybe?
Another player who I have drafted in many mock drafts is Joshua Garnett. He is a day-one starter at RG and I no longer have to worry about my run blocking. He is also very good at pass-protection by just utilizing a strong base and setting his anchor. He would be a great selection in the 2nd round. If he's not available, I would consider Connor McGovern in the 5th round to groom.
I'm also thinking about the DE position to replace Crick. I was pleased with Christian Covington's play last season, but he is only 6'2" so I am intrigued with Carl Nassib and Bronson Kaufusi. O'Brien is familiar with Nassib from Penn State, and he had a 1.62 10-yard split which is insane for a nearly 6'7" 277lbs man. If we get Garnett in the 2nd, there's a possibility to get Kaufusi in the 3rd round. He's 6'6" 285lbs and had a 1.69 split. Kaufusi's 7.03-Cone was better than Nassib's 7.27 and his Shuttle of 4.25 was better than Nassib's 4.37, so I'm not sure why he is rated lower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s0KiubyLvA I realize this is heresy, but he reminds me of JJ Watt. So, I have Nassib ranked higher based upon Mock Drafts and the 10-yard split, but I would probably take Kaufusi in the 2nd and be pleased. Other than these 2 players, I don't really have a great DE in the 3-4 and would look to fill other needs if they are unavailable.
Having a NEED at Tight End in a 'poor' TE Class really sucks. I'm most likely going to 'reach' to fill this need. The top ranked TE was Hunter Henry and I was on board. There was even discussion of taking him at #22 just to have the position settled. Currently, Nick Vannett is my do-it-all TE. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt of being underutilized at Ohio State just because they were loaded. I've seen flashes of pass-catching ability, I like his size at 6'6" 257lbs 10" Hands, 34 1/4" Arms. His Cone-7.05 is decent and the Shuttle of 4.2 is above average. I have him as a late 2nd round early 3rd round prospect. Next I have Hooper followed by Henry. I really want to select a TE and if they are selected earlier than I am prepared to do, then I wait and hope....Tyler Higbee and Jerell Adams are really just big WRs who offer little in terms of blocking. My Combine Darling is Beau Sandland. He's 6'4" 253lbs, 10 1/8" Hands and 34 1/4" Arms. He benched 225lbs 23 times. He jumped 10' 4" and 35". The 4.33 Shuttle was among the best among TEs. His 7.1 Cone was not bad. I won't lie and say I watched all his games in Montana, but if I miss out on the top TEs in the class, I give this guy a look.
This Safety class is an enigma to me. The prototype for me is Sean Davis, who may play CB in the NFL. Again, I'm looking for guys who can cover the Gronkowski's of the world or at least make it look competitive. I am not a huge fan of the way he tackles, but if he can make pass break ups and be willing to put his nose in the pile, I have to take a long look at him. A 6.64-Cone and 3.97-Shuttle, to go along with 37.5" Vert, 10'6"-Jump, 21-Bench, 9 1/2" Hands 31 3/8" Arms places him heads and shoulders above the other Safeties in this class. So, I would take him over Vannett even though I want a TE. The fall back plan at S includes: Tyvus Powell, TJ Green, or KJ Dillon.