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2011 Texans Off -season thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter coolnerd
- Start date
coolnerd
Footballguy
I think my problem is that for the most part this is my reaction every year.
Getinthemix
Footballguy
Watt is an OK pick. Coolnerd is right in that Houston has absolutely no depth behind Mario and Mr Personal Foul. Watt is quite athletic and not just a "try hard" guy. Wade's D is built around the front 7, so this was needed. I hope Jabaal Sheard or Brooks Reed is there in the 2nd. Still really need to get a pass rushing OLB. I am almost hoping they change their mind and line up Cushing outside, as there is at least some depth at ILB on the team. Right now there is Barwin (who we have no idea how he will do on his feet in space) and who??? Solid pick that helps the DLine depth and keeps Mario more fresh later in the game, which has been a huge problem.
Same here. It's a very "Texans" pick. A safe, solid contributor. I think it also says a lot to what I've been worried about since we hired Wade... they really don't know how these guys are gonna transition or take to their new roles in the 3-4. So they are drafting insurance and depth in case guys struggle or we end up having to cut or trade guys like Okoye/Smith, etc.My guess for our 2nd pick is an OLB pass rusher to add more depth to the front 7. I'm hoping Akeem Ayers is still on the board. DB's will be addressed with some later picks and some mid-level free agent's.I normally don't like spending big in FA, but I would gladly welcome money-whipping Aso to come join us.
Heh. It's funny to see Watt get called "not-athletic" because he's white.
Just because he's not a starter doesn't mean he's not at a position of need. He will be integral in the rotation this year and will become evermore important when we have to make a decision whether to spend a ton of money on Mario after this season.
The only person I wanted more coming into this draft that was available at our pick was Cam Jordan. After all the talk of Aldon Smith, I'm elated with this pick. I feel like the 49'ers are the Lions and just saved the Texans from taking Charles Rogers all over again.
Just because he's not a starter doesn't mean he's not at a position of need. He will be integral in the rotation this year and will become evermore important when we have to make a decision whether to spend a ton of money on Mario after this season.
The only person I wanted more coming into this draft that was available at our pick was Cam Jordan. After all the talk of Aldon Smith, I'm elated with this pick. I feel like the 49'ers are the Lions and just saved the Texans from taking Charles Rogers all over again.
Getinthemix
Footballguy
The JJ Watt pick was needed. You cannot run a good 3-4 D with 2 DE's. You need depth. You need to rotate and if you don't you will have what Houston had last year, a winded Mario being the only guy with a remote chance of doing anything on the DLine. Watt will get a lot of playing time and will help tremendously.
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
I was off base calling him non-athletic; what I meant was I thought we needed to take a shot on a speed-rusher like Quinn, not another DE/DL when what we need most is a pain in a## coming off the corner. I've been griping for years about this team--we NEVER get the fast guy off the edge. If we were going to go 3-4 DE I would have preferred Jordan. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt since we now have a proven d-coordinator, but I'm sick of being optimistic about this team just to get kicked in the ####s again...
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/With-the-42nd-pick-the-Houston-Texans-select.html
An undersized pass rusher who plays 100 miles per hour on every down. Exhibits a good first step off the snap, gets off the ball quickly, keeps his pad level down and is consistently one of the first defensive linemen moving off the line. Has the ability to threaten the edge and get into offensive tackles quickly. Looks comfortable keeping his pad level down into contact, extending his arms and can create a bit of a surge on his bull rush. Plays with good leverage and can be a bit more physical than his frame would suggest.
However, lacks balance and body control at this stage and really struggles when asked to change directions, keep his feet under him and break off any type of counter move. Also seems to routinely overextend into blocks and doesn't have the type of coordination to drop his shoulder and really accelerate around the corner. Is a real linear pass rusher at this stage who hasn't figured out how to maintain his balance off his initial rush.
Isn't a guy who can stack and shed vs. the run game at the next level, but does play with good leverage when run at and will chase the football in pursuit. Works very hard, fights and scraps for every inch and can work his way into the backfield toward the football, but fails to disengage consistently.
Impression: Plays hard and at least has the explosion to be a threat as a pass rusher at the next level. However, his ability to develop a counter move and become more than a one-trick pony off the edge is key. Looks more like a nickel rusher or potential 3-4 OLB prospect who I would take a shot on because of his initial burst and overall work rate on the field.[empty]
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2.42 Brooks Reed OLB Arizona
An undersized pass rusher who plays 100 miles per hour on every down. Exhibits a good first step off the snap, gets off the ball quickly, keeps his pad level down and is consistently one of the first defensive linemen moving off the line. Has the ability to threaten the edge and get into offensive tackles quickly. Looks comfortable keeping his pad level down into contact, extending his arms and can create a bit of a surge on his bull rush. Plays with good leverage and can be a bit more physical than his frame would suggest.
However, lacks balance and body control at this stage and really struggles when asked to change directions, keep his feet under him and break off any type of counter move. Also seems to routinely overextend into blocks and doesn't have the type of coordination to drop his shoulder and really accelerate around the corner. Is a real linear pass rusher at this stage who hasn't figured out how to maintain his balance off his initial rush.
Isn't a guy who can stack and shed vs. the run game at the next level, but does play with good leverage when run at and will chase the football in pursuit. Works very hard, fights and scraps for every inch and can work his way into the backfield toward the football, but fails to disengage consistently.
Impression: Plays hard and at least has the explosion to be a threat as a pass rusher at the next level. However, his ability to develop a counter move and become more than a one-trick pony off the edge is key. Looks more like a nickel rusher or potential 3-4 OLB prospect who I would take a shot on because of his initial burst and overall work rate on the field.[empty]
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2.42 Brooks Reed OLB Arizona
Getinthemix
Footballguy
Loving the draft so far. As has been stated, a 3-4 DE was greatly needed and the pick of Brooks Reed is best case for a mid 2, IMO.
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
Well there's my speed rusher. I hate to get optimistic but it looks better now as a whole. Reed was a nice grab there...
Getinthemix
Footballguy
Great trade, IMO. Big drop off after Harris. Mayock agreed as well. Getting some playmakers here. Really liking the draft so far. Plus they still have their 4.
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=76629
tall, good-looking cornerback prospect who possesses a long set of arms, good coordination and knows how to go up and make a play on the football. Looks more natural as an off/zone corner. Possesses natural bend when asked to sit into his stance and is much more patient with his footwork when asked to play off the line. Does a better job keeping his feet under him and cleanly getting in and out of his breaks. Isn't as technically sound up close to the line of scrimmage. Gets too impatient on his punch and at times loses balance into contact, can easily be stroked off the line and is forced to play from behind. Also, doesn't trust his backpedal as much either, has a tendency to play a bit upright and overextended at times when trying to change directions vertically down the field. However, possesses good fluidity in the hips and has a second gear to make up for a false step and track the football vertically.
Exhibits good closing speed down the field and has impressive click and close ability when asked to sit on routes. Lacks ideal strength in jump ball situations and at times can be overwhelmed by bigger receivers, but for the most part does a nice job keeping his feet under him, maintaining his balance and going up to high point the play. Snaps his head around quickly, locates the football well and displays natural body control when asked to go make a play. Also, has some toughness in the run game. Is a willing tackler who will throw his body around and has some natural power as a striker. Doesn't wrap up well in pursuit, but when asked to break down in space, shoots well into tackles, wraps up and has had success bringing down some physical receivers one-on-one in space.
Impression: Needs to polish up his footwork a bit, especially closer to the line of scrimmage. But the natural fluidity, body control and make-up speed is there for him to mature into a very good starting corner in the NFL. [empty]
The Texans have added a player at all three levels.
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tall, good-looking cornerback prospect who possesses a long set of arms, good coordination and knows how to go up and make a play on the football. Looks more natural as an off/zone corner. Possesses natural bend when asked to sit into his stance and is much more patient with his footwork when asked to play off the line. Does a better job keeping his feet under him and cleanly getting in and out of his breaks. Isn't as technically sound up close to the line of scrimmage. Gets too impatient on his punch and at times loses balance into contact, can easily be stroked off the line and is forced to play from behind. Also, doesn't trust his backpedal as much either, has a tendency to play a bit upright and overextended at times when trying to change directions vertically down the field. However, possesses good fluidity in the hips and has a second gear to make up for a false step and track the football vertically.
Exhibits good closing speed down the field and has impressive click and close ability when asked to sit on routes. Lacks ideal strength in jump ball situations and at times can be overwhelmed by bigger receivers, but for the most part does a nice job keeping his feet under him, maintaining his balance and going up to high point the play. Snaps his head around quickly, locates the football well and displays natural body control when asked to go make a play. Also, has some toughness in the run game. Is a willing tackler who will throw his body around and has some natural power as a striker. Doesn't wrap up well in pursuit, but when asked to break down in space, shoots well into tackles, wraps up and has had success bringing down some physical receivers one-on-one in space.
Impression: Needs to polish up his footwork a bit, especially closer to the line of scrimmage. But the natural fluidity, body control and make-up speed is there for him to mature into a very good starting corner in the NFL. [empty]
The Texans have added a player at all three levels.
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jsharlan
Footballguy
I'm guessing you mean they gave their 3rd and 5th for the 2nd? I love the pick, day two has been a A+ in my book.
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
rapidly changing my mind about this draft
Getinthemix
Footballguy
Loving this draft. My big question is with the stay granted, can the day 2 and 3 guys get playbooks? I really hope so
coolnerd
Footballguy
oops yes
coolnerd
Footballguy
Yeah, They are attempting to fill need with big school dudes who have a record of production.
Houston turmOiler
Footballguy
yeah, despite my initial disappointment it looks much better today. 3 contributors on d at each level makes it look better as a whole. any chance there's a speedy wr next?
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Vance-Joseph-second-round-press-conference/e3fa90a8-1164-4216-a80e-5ee035ff17b9
Texans defensive backs coach Vance Joseph
(on what he thinks about CB Brandon Harris) “He is a good football player, first of all. He’s a very smart guy. He’s played a lot. He’s been productive. He fits our mold: smart, tough and athletic. That’s what we’re looking for.”
(on if he was surprised that Harris was still on the board and if that facilitated the trade up) “Not really. He’s probably a second-round pick talent. He was a slot player most of his career. It’s hard to say. Where guys get drafted doesn’t mean what kind of player they’re going to be. Obviously, he was evaluated as a second-round pick and that’s where he went. I’m fine with that.”
(on what jumps off the film about Harris) “When you watch this kid play, he plays like a five- or six-year NFL vet. His route recognition, his football IQ, was very, very high. When you meet the kid, he’s energetic. He’s a pro already. He’s going to fit right in. This kid, I’m excited about his future because his pro-ready from a mindset point of view. He’s played a lot of football. He’s played in the slot. He’s played outside. He’s played against top competition, so I don’t see a problem for him coming here and playing.”
(on how impressed he is with Harris’ confidence) “Confidence for a corner is everything. He is obviously a confident guy. When you guys meet him, you’re going to say he’s confident. That’s important for a corner, because it’s a hard spot to play in the NFL. Bad things happen all the time. Every game, something bad is going to happen, but you’ve got to be resilient and come back from it. He’s that kind of guy.”
(on what he means by calling Harris already a pro) “His mindset. How he handles himself, his football conversation. He wants to be great. He talks about being great, about going to Pro Bowls. That’s the kid’s mindset. He wants to be a pro. He wants to be a great pro. He studies the game. He knows the history of the game. That’s important for a young guy coming into the NFL.”
(on if they were looking for players with great mindset this draft) “Well sure. Smart players win games. In this league, the team who makes the least mistakes, they win games. We’ve drafted three players who are smart, good football players, who want to work every day. Probably less flash than some other guys that we could’ve drafted, but we’ve got three good, solid football players that are going to be the same every Sunday and that’s important.”
(on if there was a large gap between Harris and other corners that might have been available in the third round) “Not really. We had some guys in the lower two and earlier three. With corners, it’s always hard because most corners go higher than their evaluated draft position because corner is an important position. It’s hard to say who’s a second and who’s a third. It’s kind of like, as they go, that’s where they’re supposed to go. Corner is hard to evaluate and it’s so important that most corners get pushed up a little bit more than most positions.”
(on if he likes Harris inside or outside) “When you watch the film, he’s playing inside a lot. So obviously, I like him inside. He has the ability to play outside. College ball is more of a one-back spread game. The best corner usually goes in the slot in college, so it’s hard to say where we like him, but obviously he’s played a lot of nickel and he’s played outside. He’s a corner. We’ll see where he fits.”
(on if he would describe Harris as a playmaker or just a solid player) “He’s made some plays. A year ago, he had a bunch of PBU’s (pass breakups), so he has the ability to make plays. Opportunity, sometimes, prevents that but he has good hands. He has good quicks. He has good eyes. He’s got great route recognition and so he can make plays. I’m fine with that.”
(on if his production tailed off last year from 2009) “Numbers tell you that, but when you watch the kid play, he’s a really, really bright, smart, tough football player. Sometimes when you have a reputation like that in college, most teams avoid you. So it’s hard to say if he had a better or a lesser year, but he’s a good player.”
(on what he’s seen from the secondary and what he can do to improve it) “First of all, our first two draft picks, that’s going to make us better. In San Francisco, we were in a very similar defense. The key to our pass defense on first and second down was our run defense. The front seven stopped the run for us so we rarely played with a middle field close safety on early downs. That protects everyone. That’s first of all. The better you are up front, the better you’re going to be in the back end.
“Second of all, we’ve got to play better team secondary defense. It’s hard to play isolated secondary defense. That is a bunch of cover-three, a bunch of ones. That’s tough to play in this league because the receivers are so good and the quarterbacks are so good. The rules don’t allow you to bang guys down field so you’ve got to play really good team secondary defense. Disguising, knowing where you’re help is, those things are important and when you’re that young in the back end, those things are hard to accomplish. As you get more experience and guys play more, those things happen faster.”
(on what he thinks about moving CB Glover Quin to safety) “I like Quin. He’s a solid football player. Again, a smart guy, tough guy, with some cover skills. We’re going to play the best guys. If he’s a better fit at safety, that’s where we’re going to play him. We’re going to find four to five guys who we can go out and compete with every Sunday and be successful. If he’s a better fit at safety, that’s where he goes.”
(on what he’s looking for out of his safeties and his expectations of them) “It’s a split safety defense, so we really want two twins. We want two guys who can tackles. We want two guys who are smart. We want two guys who can cover and have range over top of the zone. Once we find that, that’s the solution. I think, Quin, he can do those things. Being an ex-corner, he’s going to have better cover skills than most safeties. Those traits he does have. We need to find one more.”
Texans defensive backs coach Vance Joseph
(on what he thinks about CB Brandon Harris) “He is a good football player, first of all. He’s a very smart guy. He’s played a lot. He’s been productive. He fits our mold: smart, tough and athletic. That’s what we’re looking for.”
(on if he was surprised that Harris was still on the board and if that facilitated the trade up) “Not really. He’s probably a second-round pick talent. He was a slot player most of his career. It’s hard to say. Where guys get drafted doesn’t mean what kind of player they’re going to be. Obviously, he was evaluated as a second-round pick and that’s where he went. I’m fine with that.”
(on what jumps off the film about Harris) “When you watch this kid play, he plays like a five- or six-year NFL vet. His route recognition, his football IQ, was very, very high. When you meet the kid, he’s energetic. He’s a pro already. He’s going to fit right in. This kid, I’m excited about his future because his pro-ready from a mindset point of view. He’s played a lot of football. He’s played in the slot. He’s played outside. He’s played against top competition, so I don’t see a problem for him coming here and playing.”
(on how impressed he is with Harris’ confidence) “Confidence for a corner is everything. He is obviously a confident guy. When you guys meet him, you’re going to say he’s confident. That’s important for a corner, because it’s a hard spot to play in the NFL. Bad things happen all the time. Every game, something bad is going to happen, but you’ve got to be resilient and come back from it. He’s that kind of guy.”
(on what he means by calling Harris already a pro) “His mindset. How he handles himself, his football conversation. He wants to be great. He talks about being great, about going to Pro Bowls. That’s the kid’s mindset. He wants to be a pro. He wants to be a great pro. He studies the game. He knows the history of the game. That’s important for a young guy coming into the NFL.”
(on if they were looking for players with great mindset this draft) “Well sure. Smart players win games. In this league, the team who makes the least mistakes, they win games. We’ve drafted three players who are smart, good football players, who want to work every day. Probably less flash than some other guys that we could’ve drafted, but we’ve got three good, solid football players that are going to be the same every Sunday and that’s important.”
(on if there was a large gap between Harris and other corners that might have been available in the third round) “Not really. We had some guys in the lower two and earlier three. With corners, it’s always hard because most corners go higher than their evaluated draft position because corner is an important position. It’s hard to say who’s a second and who’s a third. It’s kind of like, as they go, that’s where they’re supposed to go. Corner is hard to evaluate and it’s so important that most corners get pushed up a little bit more than most positions.”
(on if he likes Harris inside or outside) “When you watch the film, he’s playing inside a lot. So obviously, I like him inside. He has the ability to play outside. College ball is more of a one-back spread game. The best corner usually goes in the slot in college, so it’s hard to say where we like him, but obviously he’s played a lot of nickel and he’s played outside. He’s a corner. We’ll see where he fits.”
(on if he would describe Harris as a playmaker or just a solid player) “He’s made some plays. A year ago, he had a bunch of PBU’s (pass breakups), so he has the ability to make plays. Opportunity, sometimes, prevents that but he has good hands. He has good quicks. He has good eyes. He’s got great route recognition and so he can make plays. I’m fine with that.”
(on if his production tailed off last year from 2009) “Numbers tell you that, but when you watch the kid play, he’s a really, really bright, smart, tough football player. Sometimes when you have a reputation like that in college, most teams avoid you. So it’s hard to say if he had a better or a lesser year, but he’s a good player.”
(on what he’s seen from the secondary and what he can do to improve it) “First of all, our first two draft picks, that’s going to make us better. In San Francisco, we were in a very similar defense. The key to our pass defense on first and second down was our run defense. The front seven stopped the run for us so we rarely played with a middle field close safety on early downs. That protects everyone. That’s first of all. The better you are up front, the better you’re going to be in the back end.
“Second of all, we’ve got to play better team secondary defense. It’s hard to play isolated secondary defense. That is a bunch of cover-three, a bunch of ones. That’s tough to play in this league because the receivers are so good and the quarterbacks are so good. The rules don’t allow you to bang guys down field so you’ve got to play really good team secondary defense. Disguising, knowing where you’re help is, those things are important and when you’re that young in the back end, those things are hard to accomplish. As you get more experience and guys play more, those things happen faster.”
(on what he thinks about moving CB Glover Quin to safety) “I like Quin. He’s a solid football player. Again, a smart guy, tough guy, with some cover skills. We’re going to play the best guys. If he’s a better fit at safety, that’s where we’re going to play him. We’re going to find four to five guys who we can go out and compete with every Sunday and be successful. If he’s a better fit at safety, that’s where he goes.”
(on what he’s looking for out of his safeties and his expectations of them) “It’s a split safety defense, so we really want two twins. We want two guys who can tackles. We want two guys who are smart. We want two guys who can cover and have range over top of the zone. Once we find that, that’s the solution. I think, Quin, he can do those things. Being an ex-corner, he’s going to have better cover skills than most safeties. Those traits he does have. We need to find one more.”
coolnerd
Footballguy
Texans linebackers coach Reggie Herring
(on whether he expects a nonstop motor from Brooks Reed) “I think it’s pretty much his trademark. What we saw in Brooks Reed and in trying to make the transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4, you have to start with your front. There are some changes that need to be made. What he does is gives us somebody that has exceptional play strength, exceptional play speed. He’s a mature, physical player at this level right now. In the NFL transition from college, play strength and play speed is probably the biggest adjustment. What he possesses right now, along with the fact of what you mentioned with a great motor and great work ethic, he gives you a chance early to make that transition.
“As we build this defense from a 4-3 and transition to a 3-4, with the taking of (DE J.J.) Watt inside and now Brooks Reed, who we thought was the next best available outside backer prospect, we really feel, along with the nucleus we have here, that we have a tremendous amount of young up and coming talent that has speed. You have speed all over the field. Brooks Reed is 263 pounds and runs a 4.6. There aren’t many ‘backer types like that out there. (Akeem) Ayers got taken in front of him and he’s about two tenths faster than Ayers and about 10 pounds heavier.
“When you talk about Brooks Reed, you need to talk about his get-off and ten yards. He was faster than Von Miller at the combine for the first 10 yards. The first 10 yards in this game is what makes or breaks you off the edge. He has incredible get off, incredible twitch and burst. Once again, I’ll say this, his tenacity, his play speed, his play strength—he carries himself like a pro. To make this transition and to make it quick, a kind of not now right now mentality, that’s what we’ve got to have out of the guys we take and we see it with both of these guys. We’re very excited about the future.”
(on whether having short arms is on their list of concerns for guys like Reed) “I think every player has holes in them when you look and evaluate players. When you call holes, we say that everybody has a little something that makes them not the perfect type in that position. I would say that the first thing I would tell him on day one when he comes in the meeting is, ‘You win with your feet and son, you’ve got the fastest feet in this draft, and you win with your feet.’ Your feet put you into position to win battles in the front and he has as quick of feet as anybody in this draft. When you look at some of the corners’ times in the first 10 yards, he’s faster than some of the corners in the first 10 yards. That’s what separates him from average.
“The arm length is, if you were going to say a negative for him, yeah, his arms are not as long as somebody else. Two inches. The arm length comes in as an advantage, as a perk. If you have long arms, that helps you on the pass rush. Now, it all starts with the get-off when coaching outside ‘backers and presenting pressure on the quarterback. It’s all about the get-off and presenting anxiety within an offensive tackle and when you’ve got the get off and the speed that he has, he can compensate for his lack of arm length by making that guy over setting or overreaching, worried about getting beat around the edge.
“It goes back to Von Miller. When you look at him and I refer to him because he’s exceptional and he was the gauge going into this things. Measurable-wise, with the exception of Von Miller’s 4.4 which was just faster than everybody, there’s not much difference in the arm length and things of that nature. That’s something that I think he has his other attributes that will compensate for that.
“That’s not going to keep him from playing on a tight end for us in our SAM position, shocking a tight end, releasing. He’s very strong at the point of attack. Half the battle is the mental (aspect). This guy, what he brings to this defense now, is you want to complement a (LB Brian) Cushing, a (LB) DeMeco Ryans, an (DE) Antonio Smith and I’m talking about a get-after-it attitude. That’s what Watt and Reed bring to the table. They bring you locker room presence day one. They bring you practice presence day one. They bring you intensity, into the meeting room and onto the practice field. They will set the stage. They are the type of guys who are not going to look around to see who to follow. They’re going to lead. That’s the intangible parts and the things that they bring extra to the table for this defense.
“That’s what, to me, is what is exciting, when you surround these young guys that we’re taking with a Cushing, a DeMeco, a Connor Barwin, a young Connor Barwin. You throw in all the guys. You throw in (DE) Mario Williams, who I had when he was a sophomore (at North Carolina State) and he still looks the same. He still has a baby smile on his face. He’s a big baby.
“At the end of the day, it’s all in front of us right now. We started building this foundation by getting a defensive end. We were thrilled to death that this guy was there at our pick. We can’t be happier defensively. We’ve got other holes to fill and that’s why they have other draft rounds and things of that nature.”
(on how LB Connor Barwin fits in with Brooks Reed) “Oh man. You talk about exciting. When you make a transformation from a 4-3 to a 3-4, it’s dramatic now. The outside ‘backer position is totally different than defensive end even though they’ll be dropped to defensive end on third downs and rush. At the end of the day, a Connor Barwin, who I liked when I was at Dallas, the upside and potential that he has, the speed off the edge with the length and the height and the range, he’s oozing with potential and things that hopefully we’ll get to a point that y’all haven’t seen yet out of him. He’s still a puppy in my eyes. He’s still a rookie to me.
“With him on the outside with his speed and burst and you’ve got this guy on the other side with speed and a twitch, it gives us multiple things to do with Mario (Williams). Y’all haven’t even asked the question yet, but at the end of the day, it gives us flexibility and I’ll go ahead and address it. It gives you potential moves within your own core system, which we didn’t have when we first got here three months ago. This is a great start for our foundation in our 3-4. When you throw in the other pieces that we already have, you’ve got a lot of young, speed, anxious, hungry football players that can’t wait to get to work. This is a good start for us. Those two guys outside is a good start.”
(on how many linebackers are needed on game day) “Great question. Excellent question. Guys, when we go into a game, we want to have three inside (linebackers) and three outside. When you start in this league on defense, you want to stop the run, and that’s what we’ll preach day one. That’s building in-house toughness and that starts day one with stopping the run. Then you have to pressure the quarterback. To be in a 3-4, you’ve got to have three guys to rotate to play at a very high level of expectations. We go into the game with three outside rotating and we’ve got three inside rotating to finish the game. This is a good start.”
(on if he envisions Brooks Reed as a starter right away) “I think day one when he comes in, we’re expecting him to play. Whether he’s a starter or not, that’ll be up to him. Same thing we’ve told Connor Barwin and the rest of them, at the end of the day, it’s going to be competitive and we just got extra competitive because the competition level will be raised around here and that makes for more consistency and better players and more effective production out of all of them. I hate all that predicting and coming in and being a starter. I would say that he has a chance to be one just as fast as anyone else because of his maturity, physical and mental play strength and play speed, like I said at the beginning of the meeting, is to me already pro-like, as well as his approach to the game. That’s why I think he’ll play early and right now for us.”
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Reggie-Herring-second-round-press-conference/268adea0-577a-448a-93c0-b1a4bb0b1786
(on whether he expects a nonstop motor from Brooks Reed) “I think it’s pretty much his trademark. What we saw in Brooks Reed and in trying to make the transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4, you have to start with your front. There are some changes that need to be made. What he does is gives us somebody that has exceptional play strength, exceptional play speed. He’s a mature, physical player at this level right now. In the NFL transition from college, play strength and play speed is probably the biggest adjustment. What he possesses right now, along with the fact of what you mentioned with a great motor and great work ethic, he gives you a chance early to make that transition.
“As we build this defense from a 4-3 and transition to a 3-4, with the taking of (DE J.J.) Watt inside and now Brooks Reed, who we thought was the next best available outside backer prospect, we really feel, along with the nucleus we have here, that we have a tremendous amount of young up and coming talent that has speed. You have speed all over the field. Brooks Reed is 263 pounds and runs a 4.6. There aren’t many ‘backer types like that out there. (Akeem) Ayers got taken in front of him and he’s about two tenths faster than Ayers and about 10 pounds heavier.
“When you talk about Brooks Reed, you need to talk about his get-off and ten yards. He was faster than Von Miller at the combine for the first 10 yards. The first 10 yards in this game is what makes or breaks you off the edge. He has incredible get off, incredible twitch and burst. Once again, I’ll say this, his tenacity, his play speed, his play strength—he carries himself like a pro. To make this transition and to make it quick, a kind of not now right now mentality, that’s what we’ve got to have out of the guys we take and we see it with both of these guys. We’re very excited about the future.”
(on whether having short arms is on their list of concerns for guys like Reed) “I think every player has holes in them when you look and evaluate players. When you call holes, we say that everybody has a little something that makes them not the perfect type in that position. I would say that the first thing I would tell him on day one when he comes in the meeting is, ‘You win with your feet and son, you’ve got the fastest feet in this draft, and you win with your feet.’ Your feet put you into position to win battles in the front and he has as quick of feet as anybody in this draft. When you look at some of the corners’ times in the first 10 yards, he’s faster than some of the corners in the first 10 yards. That’s what separates him from average.
“The arm length is, if you were going to say a negative for him, yeah, his arms are not as long as somebody else. Two inches. The arm length comes in as an advantage, as a perk. If you have long arms, that helps you on the pass rush. Now, it all starts with the get-off when coaching outside ‘backers and presenting pressure on the quarterback. It’s all about the get-off and presenting anxiety within an offensive tackle and when you’ve got the get off and the speed that he has, he can compensate for his lack of arm length by making that guy over setting or overreaching, worried about getting beat around the edge.
“It goes back to Von Miller. When you look at him and I refer to him because he’s exceptional and he was the gauge going into this things. Measurable-wise, with the exception of Von Miller’s 4.4 which was just faster than everybody, there’s not much difference in the arm length and things of that nature. That’s something that I think he has his other attributes that will compensate for that.
“That’s not going to keep him from playing on a tight end for us in our SAM position, shocking a tight end, releasing. He’s very strong at the point of attack. Half the battle is the mental (aspect). This guy, what he brings to this defense now, is you want to complement a (LB Brian) Cushing, a (LB) DeMeco Ryans, an (DE) Antonio Smith and I’m talking about a get-after-it attitude. That’s what Watt and Reed bring to the table. They bring you locker room presence day one. They bring you practice presence day one. They bring you intensity, into the meeting room and onto the practice field. They will set the stage. They are the type of guys who are not going to look around to see who to follow. They’re going to lead. That’s the intangible parts and the things that they bring extra to the table for this defense.
“That’s what, to me, is what is exciting, when you surround these young guys that we’re taking with a Cushing, a DeMeco, a Connor Barwin, a young Connor Barwin. You throw in all the guys. You throw in (DE) Mario Williams, who I had when he was a sophomore (at North Carolina State) and he still looks the same. He still has a baby smile on his face. He’s a big baby.
“At the end of the day, it’s all in front of us right now. We started building this foundation by getting a defensive end. We were thrilled to death that this guy was there at our pick. We can’t be happier defensively. We’ve got other holes to fill and that’s why they have other draft rounds and things of that nature.”
(on how LB Connor Barwin fits in with Brooks Reed) “Oh man. You talk about exciting. When you make a transformation from a 4-3 to a 3-4, it’s dramatic now. The outside ‘backer position is totally different than defensive end even though they’ll be dropped to defensive end on third downs and rush. At the end of the day, a Connor Barwin, who I liked when I was at Dallas, the upside and potential that he has, the speed off the edge with the length and the height and the range, he’s oozing with potential and things that hopefully we’ll get to a point that y’all haven’t seen yet out of him. He’s still a puppy in my eyes. He’s still a rookie to me.
“With him on the outside with his speed and burst and you’ve got this guy on the other side with speed and a twitch, it gives us multiple things to do with Mario (Williams). Y’all haven’t even asked the question yet, but at the end of the day, it gives us flexibility and I’ll go ahead and address it. It gives you potential moves within your own core system, which we didn’t have when we first got here three months ago. This is a great start for our foundation in our 3-4. When you throw in the other pieces that we already have, you’ve got a lot of young, speed, anxious, hungry football players that can’t wait to get to work. This is a good start for us. Those two guys outside is a good start.”
(on how many linebackers are needed on game day) “Great question. Excellent question. Guys, when we go into a game, we want to have three inside (linebackers) and three outside. When you start in this league on defense, you want to stop the run, and that’s what we’ll preach day one. That’s building in-house toughness and that starts day one with stopping the run. Then you have to pressure the quarterback. To be in a 3-4, you’ve got to have three guys to rotate to play at a very high level of expectations. We go into the game with three outside rotating and we’ve got three inside rotating to finish the game. This is a good start.”
(on if he envisions Brooks Reed as a starter right away) “I think day one when he comes in, we’re expecting him to play. Whether he’s a starter or not, that’ll be up to him. Same thing we’ve told Connor Barwin and the rest of them, at the end of the day, it’s going to be competitive and we just got extra competitive because the competition level will be raised around here and that makes for more consistency and better players and more effective production out of all of them. I hate all that predicting and coming in and being a starter. I would say that he has a chance to be one just as fast as anyone else because of his maturity, physical and mental play strength and play speed, like I said at the beginning of the meeting, is to me already pro-like, as well as his approach to the game. That’s why I think he’ll play early and right now for us.”
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Reggie-Herring-second-round-press-conference/268adea0-577a-448a-93c0-b1a4bb0b1786
coolnerd
Footballguy
4th round pick Rashard Carmichael
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/profiles/rashad-carmichael?id=2495133
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/profiles/rashad-carmichael?id=2495133
GregR_2
Footballguy
I like the trade down in the 4th. Not sure about Carmichael, would have kind of liked a safety with the pick. But I really don't know enough about him to say much.
Edit to add: Hmm, Pete Prisco gave the pick an A. I don't follow Prisco enough to know how much credit to give his opinion, but he's given all of the Texans picks an A grade except for the Watts pick which he gave a B.
Edit to add: Hmm, Pete Prisco gave the pick an A. I don't follow Prisco enough to know how much credit to give his opinion, but he's given all of the Texans picks an A grade except for the Watts pick which he gave a B.
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coolnerd
Footballguy
coolnerd
Footballguy
Cheta Ozougwu, DE/OLB, Rice
http://www.profootballweekly.com/prospects/player/cheta-ozougwu-95/
Notes: Last name is pronounced “Oh-ZOO-gwoo.” Also competed in basketball and track as a Houston-area prep. Played in 10 games as a true freshman in 2007, starting the final eight, and recorded 43 tackles, 2½ for loss and zero sacks with one pass batted down. Missed the first two games of the season, as he initially intended to redshirt. Started all 12 games played at right end in ’08, tallying 40-6-3½ with a forced fumble. Did not make the trip to Vanderbilt — opted to stay back with his family as Hurricane Ike threatened the area. Also was bothered by an ankle sprain in September. Started all 24 games at right end his final two seasons — totaled 61-10½-4½ with two batted passes in ’09 and 54-6-3 with two batted passes and three forced fumbles in ’10.
Positives: Athletic and fairly quick off the snap. Chases hard and ranges to make plays. Good feet and lateral movement. Shows burst to close. Strong tackler. Experienced, four-year starter.
Negatives: Raw instincts. Tight in the hips. Short-armed and stays blocked. Does not play with pop or power in his hands. Crumbles against the run. Engulfed by larger linemen and wiped out by double-teams. Does not drop fluidly into coverage or look comfortable moving in reverse. Inconsistent work habits. Average production. Needs to be coddled and does not respond well to hard coaching.
Summary: Undersized, smooth-muscled collegiate rush end who might be too raw, small and heavy-footed to factor — is not long, fast or athletic enough to convert to a stand-up position. Practice-squad candidate who will have to rely on pursuit effort to earn his way.
NFL projection: Priority free agent.
http://www.profootballweekly.com/prospects/player/cheta-ozougwu-95/
Notes: Last name is pronounced “Oh-ZOO-gwoo.” Also competed in basketball and track as a Houston-area prep. Played in 10 games as a true freshman in 2007, starting the final eight, and recorded 43 tackles, 2½ for loss and zero sacks with one pass batted down. Missed the first two games of the season, as he initially intended to redshirt. Started all 12 games played at right end in ’08, tallying 40-6-3½ with a forced fumble. Did not make the trip to Vanderbilt — opted to stay back with his family as Hurricane Ike threatened the area. Also was bothered by an ankle sprain in September. Started all 24 games at right end his final two seasons — totaled 61-10½-4½ with two batted passes in ’09 and 54-6-3 with two batted passes and three forced fumbles in ’10.
Positives: Athletic and fairly quick off the snap. Chases hard and ranges to make plays. Good feet and lateral movement. Shows burst to close. Strong tackler. Experienced, four-year starter.
Negatives: Raw instincts. Tight in the hips. Short-armed and stays blocked. Does not play with pop or power in his hands. Crumbles against the run. Engulfed by larger linemen and wiped out by double-teams. Does not drop fluidly into coverage or look comfortable moving in reverse. Inconsistent work habits. Average production. Needs to be coddled and does not respond well to hard coaching.
Summary: Undersized, smooth-muscled collegiate rush end who might be too raw, small and heavy-footed to factor — is not long, fast or athletic enough to convert to a stand-up position. Practice-squad candidate who will have to rely on pursuit effort to earn his way.
NFL projection: Priority free agent.
coolnerd
Footballguy
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Quotes-Smith-Kubiak-review-draft/e2061182-ce40-491d-9cb0-629b5b68f0b8
Post draft press conference...I find these thing funny. Like the rest of the NFL pre-draft everything is BPA. Post draft everything is we filled bunches of needs.
Post draft press conference...I find these thing funny. Like the rest of the NFL pre-draft everything is BPA. Post draft everything is we filled bunches of needs.
Getinthemix
Footballguy
I know I am in the minority, but I would prefer a run at Jonathan Joseph. Should be cheaper and is 27, not 30.
Part of me would prefer this too, he'll be cheaper and younger and his play is solid. Paying Aso could be worth it like Assante Samuel, but what if he turns out like Nate Clements?
Getinthemix
Footballguy
Plus he is 30. I don't want him. I know I am in the minority, but Joseph will give you more years and is still well above average.
