Andre Branch OLB Clemson

[HPF Bob]

If the Texans are going OLB in the first round, Nick Perry of USC seems to be the consensus choice but I can see Wade Phillips looking at Clemson DE Andre Branch as a possible replacement for Mario Williams if Perry is gone.

Perry (6-3, 271, 4.64 40) has added 10 pounds and says he wants to be a DE. He has more polished pass rush skills than Branch but has very little experience as a stand-up defender (didn't bother Barwin any to become an OLB).

Branch (6-4, 256, 4.70 40) is a straight edge-rusher who was an MLB in high school before he outgrew the position. He has a big wingspan to swat down passes. Although he had 11 sacks and 17 TFLs last year, he has more raw skill now than actual pass-rushing savvy. I presume the Texans could teach him a lot more and, with Barwin and Reed already there at OLB, Branch doesn't need to have an immediate impact. He can rotate in and out of the lineup as he learns the position.

Knowing Smith often is quiet about who the Texans truly want to draft, don't be surprised if the noise is about Perry but that Branch could be their actual target. He could be star material in 2-3 years just as the Texans are deciding how much to pay Barwin and Reed. Unlike some of the other candidates, Branch also has the frame to convert into a DE as he ages.

I would not be shocked at all if the Texans think they can still find a quality #2 receiver in the second round and use their first for a position with fewer suitable options on the board.