Texans Prefer Mahomes, Watson?

[HPF Bob]

According to USA Today, the Texans did not attend the pro days of any of the top quarterbacks but held private workouts with Clemson QB Deshaun Watson and Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes with comments after about how O'Brien is totally impressed with Mahomes.

A smokescreen? Maybe. Only because O'Brien allegedly prefers tall drop-back passers and, of the top 5 quarterbacks, these are the two you'd least likely classify as tall (both are 6-2) drop-back passers. Kizer and Webb are both 6-5, Trubisky is also 6-2. Another key factor is that, at #25, there may only be one or two still left on the board to choose from.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly recently said Kizer would have benefitted from another year in school. He seems to be falling in mocks the most with Mahomes and Webb climbing steadily. But who knows?

[Nconroe]

I read that as well.

I think Smith and OBrien love the smoke screen.

But who knows how things will develop in about 10 more days.

[Joshua]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

A smokescreen? Maybe. Only because O'Brien allegedly prefers tall drop-back passers and, of the top 5 quarterbacks, these are the two you'd least likely classify as tall (both are 6-2) drop-back passers. Kizer and Webb are both 6-5, Trubisky is also 6-2. Another key factor is that, at #25, there may only be one or two still left on the board to choose from.

Serious question, is there a coach in the NFL that doesn't prefer tall, drop back QBs? Don't you think Carroll probably preferred a tall, drop back passer when he turned in the card to draft Russell Wilson? Seems like these are universal qualities that all coaches prefer and unless there is some indication that O'Brien literally takes guys off the board unless they possess them, not sure this tells us much.

[nunusguy]

Wonder if there's any chance the Texans would make a really big move, like what the Eagles did recently to move up in the Draft to take QB Carson Wentz, by bundling multiple picks including this year and next years first round pick or maybe including a front line player in a trade like Mercilus or Hopkins ?
Of course that would probably be highly unlikely but if they really want one of these two QBs it might be the only path they 've got.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

According to USA Today, the Texans did not attend the pro days of any of the top quarterbacks but held private workouts with Clemson QB Deshaun Watson and Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes with comments after about how O'Brien is totally impressed with Mahomes.

A smokescreen? Maybe. Only because O'Brien allegedly prefers tall drop-back passers and, of the top 5 quarterbacks, these are the two you'd least likely classify as tall (both are 6-2) drop-back passers. Kizer and Webb are both 6-5, Trubisky is also 6-2. Another key factor is that, at #25, there may only be one or two still left on the board to choose from.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly recently said Kizer would have benefitted from another year in school. He seems to be falling in mocks the most with Mahomes and Webb climbing steadily. But who knows?

We signed our last QB without the coach ever meeting him so...

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by barrett

We signed our last QB without the coach ever meeting him so...

Perhaps the only reason O'Brien didn't walk last winter was an ultimatum to get rid of Osweiler and give him his choice of QBs with their first pick in this draft.

Regardless, whomever the Texans pick will be "who we wanted all along" but I have the least confidence in Mahomes out of any of them. Unless the thinking is he'll be running for his life all year behind our shitty offensive line so we need someone who is used to throwing on the run.

[Nconroe]

Here is a good writeup on Mahomes rising in draft. Very accurate throws and 78 yards in the air ain't bad.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.sbnat...xans-cardinals

[Warren]

I don’t buy the report about O’Brien being in love with Mahomes. Scouting reports consistently describe Mahomes as a gunslinger who makes some terrible decisions and is at his best when he’s winging it rather than functioning within the system. O’Brien seems to want a guy who is going to execute the offense and who understands the value of taking what’s there and not forcing something. While O’Brien may recognize Mahomes’ talent and potential I’d think he also see him as someone who’s going to need a lot of reining in and work to break his bad habits, seemingly more than the typical rookie.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

Wonder if there's any chance the Texans would make a really big move, like what the Eagles did recently to move up in the Draft to take QB Carson Wentz, by bundling multiple picks including this year and next years first round pick or maybe including a front line player in a trade like Mercilus or Hopkins ?
Of course that would probably be highly unlikely but if they really want one of these two QBs it might be the only path they 've got.

The NY Jets, Cleveland and Arizona are the teams some are projecting to go after a QB within the first 13 picks. So, it's possible Mahomes/Trubisky/Watson are all gone after Arizona picks at #13.

To work up a deal with say, #11 New Orleans would be very costly and I think, too costly. But, you never know....

I think Savage starts the season, anyway, so development of the new guy (whomever that is) is gonna happen. If the Texans move up, then there will be added (fan) pressure to see what the new guy looks like if Savage struggles....

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Warren

I don’t buy the report about O’Brien being in love with Mahomes. Scouting reports consistently describe Mahomes as a gunslinger who makes some terrible decisions and is at his best when he’s winging it rather than functioning within the system. O’Brien seems to want a guy who is going to execute the offense and who understands the value of taking what’s there and not forcing something. While O’Brien may recognize Mahomes’ talent and potential I’d think he also see him as someone who’s going to need a lot of reining in and work to break his bad habits, seemingly more than the typical rookie.

It's almost like the guys writing articles have no idea what's going on. The amount of draft coverage cracks me up. More is written on the draft than on the super bowl, and most of it fails to rise above the level of "fan in front of computer with an opinion". We know every GM in the league is currently lying to all of their media contacts and yet we still publish stories because there is such a market to read anything that gets published.

[Arky]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Perhaps the only reason O'Brien didn't walk last winter was an ultimatum to get rid of Osweiler and give him his choice of QBs with their first pick in this draft.

I've heard and read some speculation on that and what you say may not be far from the truth. I think OB was initially on board with Oz but eventually realized he (Oz) just wasn't that good. That, plus the fact he was unhappy he had to release his buddy (Godsey) led to him leveraging the scuttlebutt that several teams were interested in him at the time.

IMO, OB does have "the look" of a head coach. If you were making a Hollywood movie about football, he'd be the guy you'd choose as the head coach of Team A. But, his offense has gone downhill every year since he's got here. The offense has got to show improvement next year or I'd consider it no great shakes if he walked....

[Blitzwood]

I really like the Mahommes kid, more than the others in the first. His dad was an MLB pitcher for a decade, plus his accuracy has been the most impressive out of the bunch. Trubisky , Watson, and Kizer finish my top 4. I have Webb behind Kaaya and Peterman, plus I think Webb is more of a gunslinger than all the others.

My Blackhorse is the Kelly kid out of Old Miss, I would take a flier on him in the 5th or 6th. I know he can be a knucklehead at times and hopefully he's grown up now, maybe if given the chance he could be a good signal caller like his uncle. I think he'd make a nice backup, possibly even a nice trade option if he stays out of trouble.

[chuck]

It was my impression that Osweiler's agent would not let him meet with the Texans because if the team decided they didn't like him, say, if the head coach decided he was a huge pussy, they would lose their leverage. So while I do believe that the FO forced BO on BOB, I do not see anything too spectacularly off about BOB's not talking to him ahead of time. A decent organization would obviously tell the agent to suck it, but what are you going to do?

Mahomes may end up being the Russell Wilson of this draft but it would shock me if BOB likes anything he sees. He looks nothing like an NFL quarterback. Tons of arms strength, decent accuracy in shorts, horrible footwork, takes off running at the first opportunity, on and on. I'm betting on Webb or Peterman. I can't see Watson, Kizer or Trubisky around at 25, and I can't see the Texans giving up picks to move up.

I'm also high on Kelly. (Sorry. I just saw what I did. Not on purpose, I promise.) I would Henson him in the later rounds because he obviously has the talent to play the game, unlike a lot of the guys you're drafting 6 or 7.

[nunusguy]

I certainly have no idea what the Texans are gonna do in this Draft but when it comes to QBs Davis Webb does seem more like the kind of guy O'Brien would prefer.
But given that defensive players represent the best part of this Draft they just might draft a defensive back or LB in the first round and wait to take a QB and some offensive tackle help with their second & mid-round picks.

[HPF Bob]

I would be fine taking something else in the first round or even trading back if I was sure Webb would be available in the second. Since his stock has risen, I think the Texans would need to trade up in the second to get Webb before #57. So if that's the guy the Texans really want, they probably should draft him in the first and not take any chances.

[chuck]

I'm beginning to think two things, one is that Kaaya might be the best fit and if so you could wait on him. Two is that BOB needs to win now and given that he will want to draft someone at 25 that can contribute right away and that won't be a quarterback.

[popanot]

Mahomes in RD1 scares the crap out of me. I'd almost rather take OL and see who's there in RD2. Move up if necessary. I honestly don't see much difference between Mahomes and Kizer and I think Kizer or Davis will be there around our RD2 pick. I'd take Chad Kelly in RD 6 or 7.

[HPF Bob]

CBS Sports' six-reporter mocks have three taking Davis Webb in Round 1 then one each for Watson, Bolles and Lamp. Just sayin'.

[Warren]

FWIW, I heard an interview with Mahomes and in response to a question about his gunslinger reputation he basically said that's how you have to play to have a chance in those Big 12 shootouts and he understands the NFL is a different game.

The thing about Kelly is that he's had repeated incidents of knuckleheadedness, rather than a lapse or two in judgment. I get the idea of taking a flyer on him late based on talent, but you have to wonder if he hasn't shown by now that he is who he is and he's not going to turn it around.

I also heard an interview with former Eagles and Browns personnel guy Joe Banner who said that they've done studies of what traits in a QB most often lead to NFL success and the top three are accuracy, intelligence, and leadership. That's consistent with what Keith pointed out O'Brien has said was important and I know I've heard of at least one similar study by a team where they found that accuracy, intelligence, and toughness were most important.

[bikerack]

The buzz inside NRG today is that if Watson makes it past Arizona at 13, the Texans will start trying to move up to get him.