Getting Closer to Draft Weekend Mock

[chuck]

Andre Hal retired suddenly this week so that may affect the team's perception of need.

[HPF Bob]

It certainly changes mine. Shame. He was a good one.

[HPF Bob]

I made one major difference. I normally choose the "classic" difficulty setting but, today, I used the "difficult" setting. What it says is that good players don't fall as far and trades will be harder to make. Well, we'll see. I could not do my normal swap of 2-23 to the Cowboys for 2-26 and 4-26 but I was still able to craft a deal with the Evil Patriots:

TRADE PARTNER:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
SENT:
ROUND: 2 PICK: 23

RECEIVED:
ROUND: 2 PICK: 32
ROUND: 4 PICK: 32

I still got the guy I wanted at 2-23 and added a pick in the fourth.

When it was time for my third-round pick, I wasn't fond of the options and Atlanta showed up with a nice offer:

TRADE PARTNER:
ATLANTA FALCONS
SENT:
ROUND: 3 PICK: 22

RECEIVED:
ROUND: 4 PICK: 15
ROUND: 4 PICK: 35
ROUND: 5 PICK: 14
ROUND: 7 PICK: 16

Now I had an abundance of fourth-round picks so I traded back up. I started at 4-1 and kept going until the computer accepted the offer:

TRADE PARTNER:
CINCINNATI BENGALS
SENT:
ROUND: 4 PICK: 15
ROUND: 5 PICK: 14

RECEIVED:
ROUND: 4 PICK: 8

So this left me with a first, two seconds, no thirds, three fourths, a fifth, a sixth and two sevenths. Here's who I selected:

23: R1P23 OT ANDRE DILLARD, WASHINGTON ST.

Considered the best pure LT in the draft. Still needs work on technique.

54: R2P22 G MICHAEL DEITER, WISCONSIN

G/T guy who will fill in the side that Rankin doesn't.

64: R2P32 CB TRAYVON MULLEN, CLEMSON

Should be a great addition.

110: R4P8 DL DAYLON MACK, TEXAS A&M

I love this wide-body to anchor the middle.

134: R4P32 RB BENNY SNELL, KENTUCKY

As mentioned before, three-down feature back at Kentucky.

137: R4P35 WR HUNTER RENFROW, CLEMSON

As mentioned before, has chemistry with Watson from college days.

161: R5P23 S MARVELL TELL III, USC

Not a ballhawk but a thumper.

195: R6P22 EDGE LANDIS DURHAM, TEXAS A&M

Pass-rushing OLB who lost most of last season to injury.

220: R7P6 LB GARY JOHNSON, TEXAS

As previously discussed, smallish ILB who is a big hitter.

230: R7P16 QB BRETT RYPIEN, BOISE ST.

After signing McCarron and Webb, I figure we don't need another QB but when this guy is still around in the seventh, he needed to be taken. Son of former Redskins QB with big arm who can be developed.

So, it looks like the difficult setting wasn't as difficult as I thought.

[painekiller]

23: R1P23 OT ANDRE DILLARD WASHINGTON ST IMO you can teach run blocking
54: R2P22 C ERIK MCCOY TEXAS A&M Not that i have to have a OC but he can push Martin and One of those two can become an OG
55: R2P23 CB AMANI ORUWARIYE PENN STATE
86: R3P22 CB ROCK YA-SIN TEMPLE Two CBs cause they need depth at CB, and youth.
161: R5P23 RB DEXTER WILLIAMS NOTRE DAME Need someone to become the new Blue
195: R6P22 WR HUNTER RENFROW CLEMSON D4 knows the kid and he appears to be a big game player
220: R7P6 S MALIK GANT MARSHALL depth since Hal retired

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by painekiller

23: R1P23 OT ANDRE DILLARD WASHINGTON ST IMO you can teach run blocking
54: R2P22 C ERIK MCCOY TEXAS A&M Not that i have to have a OC but he can push Martin and One of those two can become an OG
55: R2P23 CB AMANI ORUWARIYE PENN STATE
86: R3P22 CB ROCK YA-SIN TEMPLE Two CBs cause they need depth at CB, and youth.
161: R5P23 RB DEXTER WILLIAMS NOTRE DAME Need someone to become the new Blue
195: R6P22 WR HUNTER RENFROW CLEMSON D4 knows the kid and he appears to be a big game player
220: R7P6 S MALIK GANT MARSHALL depth since Hal retired

I would be thrilled. Hard to imagine Ya-Sin falling all the way to the lower third-round but this is otherwise a plausible draft.

[painekiller]

Ok I played trade down and get lots of picks. IMO I have to many picks.
First the trades

TRADE PARTNER:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
TEXANS SENT:
ROUND: 1 PICK: 23

RECEIVED:

ROUND: 2 PICK: 24
ROUND: 2 PICK: 32
ROUND: 3 PICK: 33
ROUND: 3 PICK: 37

TRADE PARTNER:
LA RAMS
TEXANS SENT:
ROUND: 2 PICK: 24

RECEIVED:

ROUND: 3 PICK: 30
ROUND: 3 PICK: 35
ROUND: 4 PICK: 31
ROUND: 5 PICK: 31
ROUND: 6 PICK: 30
ROUND: 7 PICK: 37

Picks

54: R2P22 S JOHNATHAN ABRAM MISS. STATE
55: R2P23 CB JULIAN LOVE NOTRE DAME
64: R2P32 C ELGTON JENKINS MISS. STATE
86: R3P22 CB ISAIAH JOHNSON HOUSTON
94: R3P30 G CONNOR MCGOVERN PENN ST.
97: R3P33 RB DARRELL HENDERSON MEMPHIS
99: R3P35 OT DENNIS DALEY SOUTH CAROLINA
101: R3P37 DL ANTHONY NELSON IOWA
133: R4P31 WR JALEN HURD BAYLOR
161: R5P23 RB BRYCE LOVE STANFORD
169: R5P31 EDGE SHAREEF MILLER PENN ST.
195: R6P22 LB JOE GILES-HARRIS DUKE
203: R6P30 QB GARDNER MINSHEW WASHINGTON STATE
220: R7P6 CB JAMAL PETERS MISS. STATE
251: R7P37 TE CJ CONRAD KENTUCKY

Way to many picks, no way the team can keep 2/3 of the picks. The OTs were gone by the 54th pick, Had to reach for a guy at 99. So I don't like the deep drop trade down, early 2nd might be a better place. I could have traded back up but wanted to see the mock play out.

[painekiller]

Another attempt.

23: R1P23 OT KALEB MCGARY WASHINGTON
54: R2P22 OT YODNY CAJUSTE WEST VIRGINIA
55: R2P23 CB AMANI ORUWARIYE PENN ST.
86: R3P22 CB ISAIAH JOHNSON HOUSTON
161: R5P23 TE ISAAC NAUTA GEORGIA
195: R6P22 G NATE HERBIG STANFORD
220: R7P6 S MALIK GANT MARSHALL

Two big OT might have growing pains but they can push each other. McGary is a big man, and Cajuste is a very strong handed man.
Got two CB, not a fast draft class and was not impressed at the combine with the class of CB, so I took two back to back cause i need young numbers.

I will consider the Texans draft a success if they get 2OL and 2CB in the first 5 picks. They don't have to take the guys I have picked just get some numbers and coach them up.