Put it in the bank: Mohamed Sanu

[cland]

There's only two paragraphs you need to read here.......: CBS draft profile

Blocking: Takes his role as a blocker seriously. Shows good strength and very good effort blocking downfield, locking up the corner and working to seal his opponent from the action. Often sent in motion so he can provide a crack back block on an unsuspecting defensive end and looks to peel back and knock out the trailing defender when a teammate has a chance for a big play.

Intangibles: A selfless player who head coach Greg Schiano raved about when Sanu announced that he was leaving early. ?He?s meant a ton to this program,? Schiano said. ?He?s the guy who does everything. He?ll be very hard to replace. I don?t know if you ever replace him. You?ll just have to have a few guys do his thing.? Played all three years he was at Rutgers but will turn 23 early in his rookie season due to the fact that he turned 19 a week before his senior season of high school football began and he was ruled ineligible …

......to be convinced that he's taken by the Texans. Need? Yes. Blocks as a WR? Yes. Quality guy? Yes.

Welcome to the team Sanu, glad to have you in Houston....

[HPF Bob]

Gotta say he's versatile. He's thrown four touchdown passes at Rutgers, ran back kicks and even punted so he can be the emergency backup in a few spots. Didn't really watch Rutgers this year so I haven't seen him. Don't forget the Broncos pick right in front of us and have several similar needs.

[edo783]

From everything I have read about him, it would seem to fit the profile of what the Texans would likely be looking for. Question is, just how likely will he be there at 26. If he has a pretty good combine, I doubt he falls that far. Just does too many things well and teams look for those kinds of guys.

[nunusguy]

I think the Texans will go BPA with their top choice, especially if they sign a
WR in FA as I expect they will, so I wouldn't assume that a receiver or any position is gonna be their top priority with the #1.

[HPF Bob]

Kubiak and Smith don't give themselves away too much. Casserly became easier to figure after a few years. I still have no clue who these guys are going to draft other than its never who I think it will be.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Kubiak and Smith don't give themselves away too much.

If you mean by their first round pick, perhaps last year was a surprise but maybe that was the Wade factor ? Prior to that their top picks of Kareem, Cushing, Duane Brown were expected wern't they ?

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

If you mean by their first round pick, perhaps last year was a surprise but maybe that was the Wade factor ? Prior to that their top picks of Kareem, Cushing, Duane Brown were expected wern't they ?

Yes and no. A position was identified but not that particular player. The buzz at the time was that the Texans would take Matthews, the teammate of Cushing, in the draft. We took Duane Brown after a run on first-round OTs left us with just Brown as the only one of the board they thought was worthy. Brown's name didn't come up at all until he was taken because many draftniks had Brown projected as a second or third round guy. Kareem was probably the guy most predictable although many wanted Rogers-Cromartie.

And even Mario Williams wasn't a slam dunk because there was such an uproar over whether to choose Reggie Bush or Vince Young that Mario only appeared on the radar in the final week or two.

So the Texans might go WR in Round One but it might be somebody none of us is considering or putting in mocks.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Yes and no. A position was identified but not that particular player. The buzz at the time was that the Texans would take Matthews, the teammate of Cushing, in the draft. We took Duane Brown after a run on first-round OTs left us with just Brown as the only one of the board they thought was worthy. Brown's name didn't come up at all until he was taken because many draftniks had Brown projected as a second or third round guy. Kareem was probably the guy most predictable although many wanted Rogers-Cromartie.

And even Mario Williams wasn't a slam dunk because there was such an uproar over whether to choose Reggie Bush or Vince Young that Mario only appeared on the radar in the final week or two.

So the Texans might go WR in Round One but it might be somebody none of us is considering or putting in mocks.

Other then correcting the CBs that were expected, Devin McCourty or Kyle Wilson, I have to agree with Bob's explanation here.

Rick Smith has been known for his picks that nobody in Houston had on their radars.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

Yes and no. A position was identified but not that particular player. The buzz at the time was that the Texans would take Matthews, the teammate of Cushing, in the draft. We took Duane Brown after a run on first-round OTs left us with just Brown as the only one of the board they thought was worthy. Brown's name didn't come up at all until he was taken because many draftniks had Brown projected as a second or third round guy. Kareem was probably the guy most predictable although many wanted Rogers-Cromartie.

And even Mario Williams wasn't a slam dunk because there was such an uproar over whether to choose Reggie Bush or Vince Young that Mario only appeared on the radar in the final week or two.

So the Texans might go WR in Round One but it might be somebody none of us is considering or putting in mocks.

On the 2008 draft, it was the worst kept secret in town that they wanted an
OLT, but yea Brown was the last one left on the Board when the Texans picked and he was thought to be no where near a first-round value at the time. I'm thinkin another reason we "reached" for Brown in the first round was that he was the guy that Alex Gibbs wanted ?
&&
Re the 2009 pick, I thought Matthews was always viewed as a 3-4 guy because of his potential as an edge-rusher and therefor not a fit here since we operated out of the 4-3 at that time. On the other hand Cushing was "the" 4-3 strongside OLB they wanted to play in their 4-3 "Under" ?
I do seem to recall they were very interested in Ohio State DB Malcolm Jenkins, but he was gone before the Texans came up to bat.
&&
2010 Draft: everybody thought corner which of course is where they went, but I thought they'd take Kyle Wilson and not Kareem ? Also, don't think there was a "Rogers-Cromartie" in the Kareem Draft ?
&&
And the Draft of Drafts ? I was always confidant they wouldn't take VY because they still seemed to think David Carr was their guy, but I was stunned when they passed on Bush ?

[popanot]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

?

Man, nunu... You really need to check that keyboard of yours. Funky characters all over the place on that post.

[HPF Bob]

And let's not forget the Texans were thought to be looking DT last April and we chose Watt but that wasn't the name people expected. Brooks Reed was also a choice few people expected. Smith seems good at being quiet about the guys he really wants.

[Joshua]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

And let's not forget the Texans were thought to be looking DT last April and we chose Watt but that wasn't the name people expected. Brooks Reed was also a choice few people expected. Smith seems good at being quiet about the guys he really wants.

It does seem like since Smith arrived the Texans have generally gone with the expected position in the 1st round, but the actual player has been a surprise.

[NBT]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

And let's not forget the Texans were thought to be looking DT last April and we chose Watt but that wasn't the name people expected. Brooks Reed was also a choice few people expected. Smith seems good at being quiet about the guys he really wants.

Watt & Reed are more to Wade's crdit than Smith I would wager. As well as the two FA pickups that so helped our defense.

[NBT]

Originally Posted by Joshua

It does seem like since Smith arrived the Texans have generally gone with the expected position in the 1st round, but the actual player has been a surprise.

The expected position, but not the exact player. A lot of people are experts before the Draft, but actual events usually prove them wrong. Furthermore, the position was due to the fact that we were woeful in so many areas. We have now reached the luxury of drafting exactly whoever is the best player available when it comes our time to draft.

[Nconroe]

Next week will be the NFL combine so then we get to see who's star is rising and who's isn't. more to talk about atleast as combine progresses.

[NBT]

And likely, Sanu will up his draft prospects at the Combine, and he will be nowhere near where we will be drafting, unless we trade up. I hope the scouts really do their homwork, beause now that we are drafting up there with the big boys we are really going to have to mine for the "Diamonds in the Dirt".

.......On the other hand NFL network Mike Mayock is saying that Sanu may not get separation in the NFL because the DBs are so much bigger and faster, and stronger. He thinks Sanu will last to the second round.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

Next week will be the NFL combine so then we get to see who's star is rising and who's isn't. more to talk about atleast as combine progresses.

That always cracks me up....A guys stock can/will rise and fall based on what he does in a t-shirt and shorts.

[edo783]

Originally Posted by WMH

That always cracks me up....A guys stock can/will rise and fall based on what he does in a t-shirt and shorts.

Yup, I don't understand why they don't put them in full gear and then run the same tests. That would at least have some sort of connection to what they will be doing on the job.

[NBT]

You put on pads to block and tackle, right? Isn't there a league rule against that until they are signed?

I don't see the big deal. They will show in their dexterity, foot speed, bending ability, route running, etc., what they are capable of doing, so what the hell would be the benefit of putting them in pads?

[WMH]

Originally Posted by NBT

You put on pads to block and tackle, right? Isn't there a league rule against that until they are signed?

I don't see the big deal. They will show in their dexterity, foot speed, bending ability, route running, etc., what they are capable of doing, so what the hell would be the benefit of putting them in pads?

What's the benefit of them running in shorts and T-shirts for 40 yards in a straight line? IMO, not much, yet these kids are absolutely scrutinzed for the difference between a 4.49 and a 4.50 forty.

Some of the other drills make perfect sense, but I've never understood the whole 40 thing. Do we need to know how fast he is....absolutely. Can you tell me the difference between a "4.4" and a "4.5" guy? Doubtful. And when will they run in a straight line for 40 yards?

But, that's the way its always been......

Just an amusing observation to me.