Texans Times Illustrated
Post Draft Edition
May 2009
Yawn!
That’s my shoot from the hip evaluation of the Houston Texans 2009 draft class. Other than outside linebacker (Brian Cushing) and offensive line depth (Antione Caldwell), the Texans didn’t address any of the other team needs. They took two cornerbacks, two tight ends, a back up safety and a raw project.
Here’s my evaluation, starting from the bottom up.
Troy Nolan SS Arizona St. 7th Round
They definitely needed a safety. Starting quality would have been preferable. Nolan needs some work and weight. Also is a bit flat footed for a safety. He clocked in at 4.64 40 and benched 225 lbs 12 times at the combine.
Nolan does have some play making ability. He returned four interceptions for TDs in two seasons. He’s also athletic. He played basketball, track and field and soccer in high school.
What the scouting report I have says is that sometimes it was more a case of him being in the right place at the right time. He’s heavy footed and his skills aren’t particularly suited for the pro game. He’s rated as a solid back up but nothing more. He grades out as a late round prospect or priority free agent.
My Grade picking Nolan: C+, solid back up.
Brice McCain CB ??? 6th Round
I have no idea. I can’t find a scouting report as of yet. I can’t find him on a depth chart. Nice pick Texans.
McCain update: Apparently he's really fast. In an Al Davis fit, Smithiak took McCain.
My grade on McCain: Incomplete
James Casey TE/HB Rice 5th Round
Casey is a good pick who might pay off. He’s athletic and versatile. He’s probably too small and definitely not strong enough to play tight end. On the other hand he probably makes a great NFL halfback.
The scouting report for him is full of praise. Whoever wrote it likes his athleticism, pass catching ability, a knack for finding an open field, work ethic, eye-hand coordination and upper body strength.
The only knocks are his arm length and lower body strength. The scout thinks the short arms limits his ability to stretch out for balls and his lower body isn’t strong enough to be an inline blocker. The only other knock is his age due to four years of minor league baseball. I don’t have a problem with his age. It’s not like he took the beating of a lineman or running back over those four years.
Overall I think Casey will be a great value pick and add some a couple more dimensions to the offense. I also expect he will contribute on special teams.
My grade on Casey: B+, great value and versatility
Anthony Hill TE North Carolina St. 4th Round
I’m not sure I really understand this pick.
Hill gets glowing praise for size, blocking ability off the snap and ability to find the open seam in zone coverage. His size makes him hard to bring down and he also boasts a great work ethic.
The big downside to Hill is his injuries. Questions about his durability abound. Also his ability to learn a pro playbook is in question.
He probably makes the team as third TE or second on passing downs. I doubt he contributes to special teams due to his injury history.
My grade for Hill: C-, where’s the back up running back?
Glover Quin FS-CB New Mexico 4th Round
Well I take back what I said earlier about not drafting a safety. Quin was listed in the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain’s draft day blog as a cornerback. He plays both positions.
After reading his scouting report, I must say this is a nice pick up. On the plus side of the ledger, he can react well to plays. He can adjust to the ball when it is thrown and he can read defenses and recognize run plays. He attacks the run well. Overall he has good instincts and is a great tackler. Supposedly he only missed five tackles last season. He’s also one tough S.O.B.
There isn’t much negative about him. There are some questions about his injuries and can he stay health if he were to play safety full time. There is also a knock on the competition he faced.
I like what Quin brings to the Texans. He’s a tough sure handed tackler who can sniff out a play. Definitely what I want in a free safety.
I can understand the worries about his injuries but I don’t see anything that can cause long term problems for the Texans. He broke his arm in JUCO in 04, played every game in 06, missed two games with groin injury in 07 and second half against BYU and he started every game in 08. He played through pain and injury. He also had off season knee surgery. I don’t think there is much to worry about though.
He might turn out to be a steal for the Texans.
My grade on Quin: A-, potential future starter
Antoine Caldwell G/C Alabama 3rd Round
I was geeked up about Caldwell when he was first selected. As I read the scouting report, my opinion dropped a spot or two about him.
The best that can be said of Caldwell is he’s instinctive; blocks well at the line and can make calls at the line. Don’t ask him to do much more.
Beyond that he’s pretty average. He’s not strong off the snap, doesn’t move side to side well, doesn’t knock defenders back and can’t move to pick up the blitz. In other words, don’t ask him to move. To quote the scouting report, “Could become a functional pivot (back up guard and center) in the pros if he is protected and not asked to pull or travel far.” Yup, Big Guy, just stand there and get in someone’s way.
My grade on Caldwell: D+, the guy just can’t move in any direction
Connor Barwin DRE-OLB-TE Cincinnati 2nd Round
I want to know who spiked the Texans punch while making this selection. Barwin has a lot of upside and potential but is quiet a reach in the 2nd round. The Texans had more pressing needs than a raw project at right end.
Barwin shot up the boards during the combine. He registered the best times in several of the drills. He is a great athlete and is quick off the ball.
The downside is his upside. He needs coaching. A lot of coaching. He has little in the way of moves, can’t shed blockers, doesn’t attack blockers well and doesn’t read or react to plays very well. He only played defense one year in college. The scouting report I have on him says he needs a few years to develop and grades him out as a mid-round talent.
I don’t have a problem with the Texans taking Barwin. I have a problem with them taking him in the 2nd round. The need at safety and back up running back were a higher priority. With the win now mentality of the Texans, they could ill afford to waste a draft pick on Barwin this high.
My grade on Barwin: C+, great prospect taken way too early.
Brian Cushing OLB USC 1st Round
The Texans were going to take either Brian Cushing or Clay Matthews with the first pick. There was a distinct possibility that they were going to trade down in the draft. Regardless, they wasted no time in taking the linebacker that was at the top of their board.
Cushing will be expected to step in right away and contribute. He may not start initially but his role will expand during the season.
The good? He’s a beast. He eats puppies and small animals for breakfast. For lunch he eats chains and craps nails. Cushing is a monster. He’s the only person known to have been called “Sir” by Chuck Norris.
On the football field, he is a menace to life. He plays hard and can shed blockers. Cushing doesn’t mind attacking the lead blocker. He has no hesitation in administering a hit and leading the point of attack.
The downside? His aggressiveness can be used against him. Misdirections can catch him flat footed. He can overrun a play and take himself out of position to make plays. He’s a little high strung too. Some think he’s too muscular and that his size hinders him sometimes. This caught me by surprise: as a pass rusher, Cushing skills are limited. He often came off the field on third downs. The injury bug is also a big concern.
My take on Cushing is that he’s a solid pick. Matthews may have been a better selection though. Matthews moves better to the ball and is a three down player. Cushing can be a three down player but it will take some work and good coaching. Other than injury concerns, his negatives appear to be correctable if he wants to learn and the coaches teach him techniques and how not to take himself out of plays. That may require him to tone down the intensity a notch or two. He does bring the nastiness of right tackle Eric Winston to the defensive side of the ball. Attitude and nastiness are definitely missing from the Texans defense.
My grade on Cushing: A-, brings attitude and hard hits to defense
Overall I have to say this is a disappointing draft for the Texans. They needed to shore up the defense and build some depth. They get the linebacker they needed in Cushing and a potential starter in Quin. Barwin may contribute but I don’t think he’s ready for the pros yet. The Texans would have been better served by selecting another defensive tackle. Despite what a friend of mine thinks, Shaun Cody isn’t the answer.
Offensively they literally dropped the ball. They picked up a slow footed lineman in the third and an oft injured TE in the fourth. Casey will be an exciting player and special teamer. They also failed to draft a capable back up for Steve Slaton.
Overall Grade on Texans Draft: C-
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