Post Draft Ben Tate Edition

Pure Texans Bull
Post Draft Edition – Part II
May 7, 2010

2nd Round Pick - RB Ben Tate from Auburn
At the top of the Texans draft board sat Fresno St. running back Ryan Matthews. San Diego outmaneuvered the Texans and selected Matthews. The Texans addressed another need with cornerback Kareem Jackson.

If reports are believed, the Texans were angling for Toby Gerhart of Stanford until they traded down and Minnesota snapped him up. In what I believe a panic move, the Texans then traded up in order take the next back on their board in Ben Tate.

In my biased opinion, I think Tate will be a better fit for the Texans than Gerhart. I’d rather have a hard running back from the Southeast Conference than a Pac-10 one. I’m just not a fan of Pac-10 runners. There is a definite top and second division in the Pac-10. The top division of Pac-10 probably can’t compete in the SEC. Just about every week in SEC contest it’s a war. Add to the fact that Tate played under three different systems at Auburn and I give him another huge edge over Gerhart.

The Tate Scouting Report
Outside of C.J. Spiller or Matthews, I don’t think the Texans could have made a better pick. Several backs were rated higher than Tate but the Texans weren’t necessarily looking for qualities others were.

Tate is a good sized back with speed to burn. Standing 5’ 11” and 220 lbs, Tate runs a reported 4.43 40 but some say he has been clocked at 4.38. Gerhart is about the same size but runs a 4.56 40 and Matthews is similar in all measurables. All things considered, I’m surprised the Texans were targeting Gerhart before Tate.

Tate brings size and speed to a run game that ranked 30th in the NFL. Rookie phenomenon Steve Slaton’s production fell off his second year.

The Good
He is solid and can follow his blocks. One report I read knocks his patients and doesn’t hit the line full speed. In the limited game film I saw, I didn’t see the impatience. Auburn uses a lot of pulling linemen and Tate excelled at following blocks and waiting for plays to develop. I’ll reiterate what I’ve said before about game film clips, they can be cherry picked to show what the creator wants you to see.

Tate says he isn’t afraid of contact and stated “If I can’t run past you, I’ll run you over.” While I don’t think Slaton feared contact, I don’t think he had the linebacker mentality that Tate seems to have. Down at the goal line and short yardage, you need that toughness to get the yards to extend the drive or get the points.

The Bad
One scout said Tate doesn’t play up to his full speed until in the open field. Another report stated that he isn’t a good pass catching back. If those are his downsides, I don’t care. Though Tate was brought in partially because of his speed, his first task will be to get those tough inside yards and then look for the homerun yardage. On the second point, Houston didn’t draft Tate to catch passes. If healthy, that will be Steve Slaton’s job.

The Skinny
The Chris Brown Project was a failure and a costly one too. Not in the terms of finances but in terms of losses. Brown fumbled twice at the goal line and threw an ill advised half back option in another. Not wanting to go the retread route like Brown or Ahman Green, the Texans decided to bring in a rookie to mold in their image. The Texans will give Tate every chance to take the starting job and contribute right away. If Slaton returns to health and rookie form, the Texans could sport one of the more exciting backfields in the NFL.

Tate could give the power inside running game that is sorely lacking while Slaton could provide the homerun threat catching the football out of the back field and on screens. Both players are extremely quick. Mix in the potential game breaking speed of both players and the Texans will be a threat to score on almost every carry. The potential is there but a lot of work and some luck need to fall in place.

Pure Texans Bull - Post Draft Edition

Pure Texans Bull
100% Houston Texans Bullsite
Inaugural Issue – Post Draft Edition Part 1
April 28, 2010

Once again I changed the name of the blog. I believe this is the third name but I like this one better than the previous titles. I changed up the colors a few weeks ago to actually match the steel blue and battle red of the Texans. I added a background to the title banner of a picture I actually took myself. So I thought it fitting that a name change would be appropriate.

What a better time for change than at the draft? New players breed new hope for teams looking to build, improve and look for another piece to a hopeful championship campaign.

The Houston Texans entered the draft with less needs than at any other time in the short history of the franchise. The team is at a point where they look to bolster a few need areas and otherwise draft for depth and special teams. They took care of a cornerback, running back and a passing down defensive tackle. They added to linebacker depth, corner competition, TE fodder, a return specialist, offensive line project and a wide out project.

My gut reaction Monday after the draft was dismay. Two tight ends, one defensive tackle and players expected to be projects or special team contributors led to my angst. I thought they should have taken at least two DTs and one safety.

After digesting the tight end situation, I understand where the thinking. Three of the four TEs on the roster just had off season surgery. Owen Daniels probably won’t fully recover until training camp or preseason. Joel Driessen’s status is unclear at the moment and Anthony Hill is projected to spend start the year on the PUP list or IR. Of the two drafted TEs, only 4th round pick Garrett Graham will get time at TE while Dorin Dickerson will learn under tutelage from Andre Johnson at WR.

For the first round, I figured the Texans would draft a corner or running back while possibly drafting two corners and a running back in the first three rounds. I didn’t think defensive tackle was on the board in the first round.

1st Round – Kareem Jackson CB Alabama
The Texans definitely drafted for the most glaring hole on defense. With the departure of Dunta Robinson, they needed a corner with the ability to step in and start soon. Hopefully Jackson opens the season as the starter. The Texans many corners on the team but most are unproven. Jacquez Reeves, Fred Bennett, Grover Quin, Brice McCain and Antwan Molden currently occupy roster spots. Bennett and Moulden will battle for their Texans careers this off season. The addition of Jackson turns up the heat several degrees.

Depending on whom you ask, Jackson was rated as high as second best corner in the draft. The phrase most often used to describe Jackson is “NFL ready” over the other draftees. In other words, the majority of scouts believe Jackson can walk into camp and claim a starting position. He is considered well coached in college where he learned a complex defensive system under coach Nick Saban. Scouts and coaches love that he played at a top notch SEC school against top notch competition.

My two favorite sources are the Houston Chronicle’s Lance Zierlein and Pro Football Weekly’s scouting reports. I read other reports too just to get a cross section of analysis and reaction.

My Consensus Take on Jackson
For the most part, the reviews and reports speak highly of Jackson. He wasn’t the highest rated corner on anyone’s board but he was rated second highest on many.

Described as well coached and the most “NFL ready” of any of the corners, the Texans, barring catastrophe, will pencil in Jackson as a starter.

The Good
Jackson excels in getting up on receivers and knocking them off their timing. He is described with the ability to read a quarterback and anticipate throws. He is also not afraid to come up in run support and hit the ball carrier. He is a good tackler most of the time.

The Bad
An anonymous scout on PFW claims Jackson is “overrated.” The scout goes on to say Jackson is limited in run support and isn’t as strong as expected. PFW’s scouting report lists arm length and lack of explosiveness as weaknesses. The report goes onto say that Jackson doesn’t cover well in space and can get exposed in open space and will bite on double moves.

The Skinny aka My Conclusion
The Texans took exactly what they needed in Jackson. A team needs “NFL ready” if they expect to contend now rather than later. Some say that Jackson has limited upside when compared to other drafted corners. I’m fine with that. He needs to step in and be ready when he lines up across from Reggie Wayne and Payton Manning twice a season. The Texans need him to contribute early and often not upside for a year or two down the road. My only major concern is his lack of interceptions over his career at Alabama. As a three year starter, he had only five interceptions and only one each in his last two years. He needs to up that number and take possessions away from the opponents.

With The 20th Pick in the Draft...

...the Houston Texans select cornerback Kareem Jackson from Alabama.

I didn't see this pick coming. I was surprised but I have no problem with the pick.

It's late and I actually have to work tomorrow. I'll have more on my thoughts later in the week. Plus why rush it? Two more days of drafting to go.

This Is Why.....

...I put little to no value in so called "draft gurus" or "draft geeks" that post for free on the interwebsnet.

Myron Lewis, who I profiled in a previous post, apparently stunk it up at his Vanderbilt Pro Day according to Sporting News Today.

Yet, according to Tennessean.com, Lewis impressed NFL scouts.

So which is it? Did he leave a steamer on the field or did he impress? Did those who went to the Pro Day really pay attention?

I'll give Sporting News credit. They wrote a glowing report about him earlier but they also printed a source's quotes that he didn't do well. They could have easily glossed over or ignored the quote to make their report look good. They didn't. Which is good journalism...a rarity today in my book.

It also highlights why I put little faith in writers out there and don't charge for it. If they were genuinely good scouts they would be employed by a scouting agency, college team or NFL team.

Case in point brings me to Draft Insiders Digest and this mock draft. For the record, it is widely known the Texans need to upgrade the offensive line, defensive tackle, running back and safety/corner spots. This numb nuts evidently isn't paying attention. He has the Texans taking LB Brandon Spikes with the 20th pick.

First off, if there is a position on the team the Texans don't need help it's at linebacker. You only have one of the best MLBs in DeMeco Ryans. On the strong side is Brian Cushing and his 2009 Rookie of the Year award. On the weak side, Zac Diles isn't to shabby. He was having an outstanding season on the strong side in 2008 and beat Xavior Adibi out on the weak side last season. Adibi would be the first up and Kevin Bentley can also play the weak side (he backs up all three LB spots).

Second, unless you play in a 3-4 defense, you don't draft a weak side linebacker that high.

With so many other areas of great importance on the team, this leaves me to believe that mock drafter Frank Coyle has no clue of what he is doing. Looking at the draft order, ranking the prospects and lining up them across from each other isn't a mock draft. At the very least, look at the team's needs. Some teams, especially top picks, have several needs but as the draft goes lower, you can take a good guess at what teams may be targeting.

I have no clue what Coyle's logic is giving the Texans a linebacker over other places of obvious need. He's not paying attention or is lazy and not doing his homework. Looking at his previous mock draft in February, he again selects a linebacker for the Texans. This is just sloppy lazy research by the self proclaimed "Premier Draft and Free Agency Publication."

I'm sure as I try to figure out the Texans latest moves, which I definitely have no clue about, I'll mock more mock drafts as I run into them.

Texans Draft Wish List: Myron Lewis

Okay, I admit this one is a reach in Vanderbilt cornerback Myron Lewis. Depending on who you read, he's projected from 7th to 4th to 2nd round pick. In other words, no one really knows.

So why am I highlighting him? After the first two or three rounds, part of the draft is finding an undervalued contributor. If the Texans can address running back, defensive tackle and safety in the first three rounds, they might start thinking about looking for quality in the defensive backfield. Lewis just might fit the bill.

His tape measurements look tempting: 6' 1", 209 lbs with a 40 time of 4.48.

The best scouting report I found on him comes from Sporting News. Like my previous write up, I'll try to expand more on Lewis once I renew my Pro Football Weekly subscription.

Based on rankings I've seen on Lewis, the Sporting News report might be a little to glowing of Lewis. None the less, it provides an interesting prospect.

A brief synopsis of the report:

• Good coverage skills man on man and in press coverage.
• Adjusts well from back pedaling to turn and run
• Has good recovery skills and speed from a false step
• Anticipates the ball well and can close in on a play
• Decent in run support, he is willing to slow the runner down and wait for help, not a dominant tackler
• Has the size to cover big receivers and speed to cover fast receivers

Not much negative attributes on Lewis. The report projects him as a second round pick and says he has the potential to start as a rookie later in the season. It goes on to admit he might not be taken where they have him rated but will be a quality pick regardless of where he goes.

Houston Texans Wish List: Jeromy Miles

The loss of cornerback Dunta Robinson opens a hole in the defensive backfield and raises more questions that it solved. Rumor is that Robinson is on the verge of signing with the Dirty Birds of the ATL.

Obviously the Texans need to address cornerback in the draft or free agency. Since they've so far been quiet on the FA side of things, one imagines they will draft a corner this April.

Last year the Texans filled a glaring need at safety with Bernard Pollard but you can never have too many good defensive backs.

One player I like at safety is Jeromy Miles from UMass. The Sporting News Daily profile on Miles projects him as a second round pick.

A quick run down on Miles from Sporting News profile:

1. Excellent cover skills off the line man on man. Can watch a quarterbacks eyes and track the ball. Breaks quickly on a pass.
2. Very physical in run support and in coverage.
3. Not explosive with elite speed but makes up for in with great range and instinct
4. Big hitter who can force the ball loose.
5. Excellent tackler
6. Projected to go in the second round
7. Should be an instant starter in the NFL

He started his career at Navy but transferred to UMass. Even though he left Navy that he played for them is telling. You can't be an academic slouch and enter the Naval Academy. According to his NFL Draft Bible player profile, Miles left the Academy because he felt the military life wasn't for him. He preferred to enter the civilian life instead.

So the transfer from Navy doesn't appear to be a red flag. It was just a person making a choice in life for what he thought best. Can't blame a young man for that. Personally I admire the maturity and responsibility he had to make the decision.

One caveat to my report. Apparently only Sporting News is high on him. Everybody else has him as a late pick to an undrafted free agent. That just goes to show the unpredictability of the draft and scouting reports. For what it's worth, most free sites don't really have a clue.

My Analysis: Scouts know more than I do. Todd McShay and Mel Kiper don't know dick. Most draft sites don't know crap.

I just highlighted Miles due to what I read in Sporting News.

So am I hearing what I want to hear from the Sporting News profile? No. I'm just looking at one report. I have more faith in Pro Football Weekly's reports than any other publication. I just haven't updated my subscription yet.

Anyway, if Miles is as good as Sporting News advertises and he falls, the Texans or any other team has a potential great value pick.

Texans Early Draft and Free Agency Edition

So I slacked off at the end of the season keeping up the blog. I had a post mortem written for the season but never published it.

These Shoes Were Made For Walking
The club made their first major move of the off season by not franchising cornerback Dunta Robinson.

Last year's rumor mill insisted that the Texans offered Robinson around $24 million per year range money. It would have made Robinson one of the top three paid CBs in the league, if I remember correctly. I'm not so sure about the rumor being true. The Texans never wage salary battles in public and never gave any indication of the money D-Rob was offered. Robinson and his agent never said anything either. Robinson was upset over getting the franchise tag not the money offered. I think the $24 million price tag has been repeated enough in the local media and blogosphere that it's taken as fact.

Either way, it changed the dynamics of free agency and the draft. Despite what you may think of him, Robinson was the number one corner on the team and now needs to be replaced. Does the team already have the next starter on the roster with second year player Grover Quin? Does that bump Frenchy up to number one? Or do the Texans make a run at a free agent to start or a high draft pick? Does Fred Bennett come up for air once the team digs him up from underneath the bench? Is Brice McCain ready to move to the nickle slot?

The LT Dream and Other Cast Offs
Some fans live in a fantasy world. Some are clamoring for the Texans to sign future Hall of Famer Ladanian Thomlinson. Forget it. It's not happening.

I have a friend that wants to sign every cast off free agent for the Texans. His football knowledge is that of a newly arrived immigrant who has never seen the game before. My friend's choices would collectively add five or more years to the Texans average age.

Owner Bob McNair publicly stated the Texans free agent policy for this year. He has mandated that the Texans not sign any old veterans on the downside of their careers. He wants young players that improve the team now and for years beyond.

So my friend and other fans can clamor all they want. McNair signs the checks. What he says goes.

Future Features
I'm about to enter a project at work that may take up to six weeks. I'm blocking out March 1 to April 15 and possibly beyond.

What I plan to do on my little bit of down time is feature a potential draft pick I think the Texans could take a look at.

Alan Burge, of the Houston Examiner, is running a feature on his blog called Texans Draft Watch. I don't plan on featuring any players he highlights unless I can add to Burge's take.

Until next time...