I haven’t been Jadeveon Clowney’s biggest supporter but he still is the number 1 draft pick and the pairing with J.J. Watt as his counterpart at the other end – that’s not ceiling to reach, that’s through the roof. Both players projected with double digits sacks in the 2014 season. To say the least, it will be interesting to see.
And who falls into your lap in the 3rd round – and, yes, Houston should be ashamed for this kind of ‘stealing’ – Louis Nix, III. Tell me you’re kidding. Louis Nix lasts to the third round. Get out of town, please. The Texas defense no longer has to worry about the 0, 1 or 2 hole. He is now your enforcer in the middle. I remember when the Bears would try to run up the middle on Kevin and Pat Williams the pair of DTs on Minnesota. You would watch a few tries and quickly conclude – that is not going to happen. Could holler “Go Bears” all I would like. Vince Wilfork and many other DTs come to mind in this scenario. Certain of these tackles or tackle pairings dominate the middle of the field game after game. And now Texas, with its already stout defense, ‘owns’ the middle of the field. I’ll predict Louis gets 5 + sacks, also. Get some of your Sumo wrestling fans to watch this guy play.
Usually that 1st guard taken in the draft has very good odds of becoming a solid, if not, terrific pick. The position is usually picked first somewhere late 1st or early second round. But, the player oft times has top ten talent; plain and simple, how the draft and the NFL work. Does not mean the player isn’t exceptional/elite. Xavier Su’a-Filo is the 1st guard of this draft and comes with a pretty high pedigree. I heard some mention about his weight – doesn’t look overweight to me. Could use a little more conditioning, maybe. Looks like a lock. Maybe a ‘steal’ at the top of the second round.
C J Fiedorwisc can’t run a lick like the wide receiver types – many of them playing TE in the NF L. But that’s good. He is valued as a blocker and it is better, then, that he is the stout and powerful type. For his type of tight end he is fast enough; gets to his breaks, his spot, quickly. He is a very nice ‘catcher’ of the ball and he palms the ball when he has it in a way that grabs the eye. Possession receiver? Yes. But if C J catches the ball 40 times a year he can become one of your most valuable offensive players. His value as both a cog on the offensive line and a talented, productive receiver – got to like that potential. Let’s see what the coaching staff does with this pick.
Yeh, that 4th pick – steal. Again. One more time.
If I had to pick among the active QB’s to start an expansion team and age or injury played no factor in the decision, I would probably go with Ben Roethlisberger (by an eyelash over Drew Brees). Yes, I would be very happy if you sent one of the other elite QBs as a consolation prize. But Ol’ Ben brings something additional to the game. It is fitting that he is like the Jerome Bettis of QBs. Sure makes the offensive line players look better. I’m sure the Steeler’s fans would like to see him go down a little quicker. Not known as a running QB, in part, because he usually has 2 or 3 guys hanging over him when he is passing. The Bears played the Steelers last year – not one of Ben’s better games. He was still ‘scary good’. Tom Savage is not known as a running QB either. Great for Houston fans. He was one of my early picks (among the QBs). He has a nice pocket presence and you can sense that he is focused on the passing first effort. Has a nice read for the field and stays concentrated on his receivers. Something to be said for staying as long as you can in the pocket while you are facing an NFL defense. Nice value for the 4th round. Might be a steal -- but it is so difficult to predict the fate of these QB draftees.
Just not up on the rest of Houston’s draft -- rare that all the players stick in any team’s draft. Except, that is for the 6th round pick of Alfred Blue. This has to be the draft year of the Running Back. Lache Seastrunk and Blue in the 6th round? Amazing that Blue didn’t start at LSU continuously. Is that how stocked football is with RBs? There was a ton of RB talent available in the later rounds. I am in love with the Bears’ pick of Ka’Deem Carey in the 4th round. Alfred Blue stood out (and that is saying a lot) for having such a ‘bowling ball’ impact against the tacklers. Saw him ‘knocking down the pins’ on some of his goal line runs. Looked very good as a blocker the few times I saw that part of his game. Very solid 3rd round pick (maybe higher) in the sixth. Join the club Houston, a lot of teams got rich this year with their drafted RB’s.
Yeh, it is all projection at this point but Houston’s draft here in 2014 probably has the highest level of potential. Wait, I think I hear a lot of fans hollering in St Louis and other cities. Let the games begin.