Obviously, Texas A&M OLB Von Miller, who we all assume would be the Texans most-coveted pick, is going to be long gone by the time Houston picks at #11.
I know North Carolina OLB Robert Quinn is the projected Texans pick according to my own Texans Mock Draft Tracker, but I think he’s going to be gone as well. I just think there’s too much talent there, and someone is going to snap him up.
Missouri’s Aldon Smith, another OLB who figures into the first-round mix, may very well be in Houston’s first-round crosshairs. I however, think he’s a reach at #11, and for the purposes of this entry I’m going to assume the Texans agree (though Smith in a trade-down situation might be somewhat more agreeable).
So if it plays out the way I think it might, and the Texans pass on Smith – no OLB in the first round. We’ll be looking at a guy like CB Prince Amukamara, DEs Cameron Jordan or JJ Watt, or someone else.
If no shiny new pass-rushing OLB is to be delivered in the first round, you would have to think the Texans would be an almost sure-thing to draft one in the 2nd. But who’s out there? Maybe these guys:
Akeem Ayers, UCLA
Ayers was a first round lock for the longest time, but his disappointing performance at the Combine (specifically, his 4.8 40 time) has him on the slide. I’m not buying it, though. Ayers may not have “tested” well, but I think he plays faster than 4.8. I still think he goes late first, early second at the LATEST. If they pass on an OLB in the first and Ayers is there when the Texans pick at 42, it would be tough to pass.
Brooks Reed, Arizona
Reed is raw and lacks a lot of rushing moves, but he is a high-effort player who is said to be very coachable. He has top-end leadership abilities and character. (ALERT! HIGH CHARACTER PLAYER! ALERT!) You know the Texans are intrigued.
Dontay Moch, Nevada
This is the hot non-first round OLB name right now. Moch made himself some money at the Combine, where he ran a ridiculous 4.4 40. I’m a little concerned that he may take longer to develop than the Texans can afford to allow, but his speed is freakish. I have seen the dreaded “Vernon Gholston comparison” associated with Moch, and have also seen the tag “great athlete, not a great football player.” Still, he may be hard to pass up for the Texans depending on how the draft board shakes out.
Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh
Sheard played DE in college, but is thought by some to be a guy who can play OLB in a 3-4. He’s a playmaker, and racked up a ton of tackles-for-loss in college. He is said to be inconsistent, and I’ve read that his motor is strong, but is not a player you’d describe as a “high motor” guy. What’s that? He was arrested for assault? Never mind.
Other OLB names thought to be 2-3 round prospects:
Sam Acho, Texas
Bruce Carter, North Carolina
Chris Carter, Fresno State
Mar 15, 2011 at 23:17:00
I think Ayers could last in the 2nd and could be a steal even if we get the pass rusher in the 1st. He is the opposite of Moch in that he can play but not test well and play every position which we need depth at OLB with all the uncertainties. Sam Acho and Brooks look like good pass rushers who could turn into pro bowlers. I’ve also heard of Martez Wilson being a person of interest which is interesting since he could be there in the 2nd and could be a good convert to a pass rusher since he has the intangibles of Von but without the instincts which he doesn’t need as much as a OLB pass rusher.
Mar 15, 2011 at 23:28:04
Gah! I forgot to include Martez Wilson! Will fix tomorrow!
Mar 16, 2011 at 00:08:05
Martez is more of an inside backer. I do not see that being the pick. i have seen some mocks give us ayers in the 2nd. That would be great value. I am really high on brooks reed. I want him as our pass rusher!The guy I want with our first round pick is Jimmy Smith.I think he is going to be a stud in the future. I would love to trade back and get him.
Mar 16, 2011 at 09:08:49
Over the past couple of weeks, i’ve liked jimmy smith more and more so i would love for texans to trade back. Yea he’s had character issues, but with a lockeroom that the texans have with clean players, i dont think he would step out of line. The guy is a freak, and when he wants to play, he is better than Prince, in my opnion. And his SIZE is so damn legit its not even funny. I know its risky to take someone who has issues, but damnit does this guy have ridiculous talent! And if Ayers is there in the 2nd, You CANNOT pass on that guy, unless for some reason or another, Phil Taylor is still sitting there. Moch is a very intriguing pick. That 4.4 Speed has my mouth watering, but like u said Chris, he’s a work in progress and considered an athlete and not a football player. And for that, I can see them passing on him, but the Texans NEED starters, for the first 2 rounds maybe 3, NOT “work in progress” type of player.
Mar 16, 2011 at 09:09:39
Over the past couple of weeks, i’ve liked jimmy smith more and more so i would love for texans to trade back. Yea he’s had character issues, but with a lockeroom that the texans have with clean players, i dont think he would step out of line. The guy is a freak, and when he wants to play, he is better than Prince, in my opnion. And his SIZE is so damn legit its not even funny. I know its risky to take someone who has issues, but damnit does this guy have ridiculous talent! And if Ayers is there in the 2nd, You CANNOT pass on that guy, unless for some reason or another, Phil Taylor is still sitting there. Moch is a very intriguing pick. That 4.4 Speed has my mouth watering, but like u said Chris, he’s a work in progress and considered an athlete and not a football player. And for that, I can see them passing on him, because the Texans NEED starters, for the first 2 rounds maybe 3, NOT “work in progress” type of player.
Mar 16, 2011 at 09:35:55
Martez just played ILB. with his skill set, he could EASILY play on the outside. If it was my team, i would try and get this guy, and have him and cush compete and see who makes the better pass rusher and who is better in coverage
Mar 16, 2011 at 11:24:50
Ayers is a good pick. I know he didnt run well but like you stated Chris: He plays faster. If you watched him play, people would know that. Acho isnt a bad pick either.
Mar 16, 2011 at 13:52:35
i think he does play ALOT faster, as does one of my boys…
jeremy beal.
i would love to take a flyer on beal in round 6 and see what he can do. guy was a starter as a freshman, and IMO is one of the better defensive players in OU history, and that saying something
Mar 16, 2011 at 15:09:05
I would not mind taking a flyer on Beal. I think he will be one of those players we look back on and wonder why he got drafted so late. Part of what hurts Ayers is also that we do not know what position he can play. If we draft an inside backer I want Casey matthews.I like ayers because he can cover. I really want brooks reed
Mar 16, 2011 at 15:33:02
@Curtis
I also think that Smith will be the better player. Scouts have Prince rated higher but when I read Smith’s scouting report I salavate. they went against the same competition, one was torn apart by the elite competition without Suh and the other only had 11 passes completed on him in two years and never had a beast such as Ndamukong Suh.He has issues. I know it is not popular opinion over here to draft another rookie corner. However if you sign a veteran and move Quin to safety Kareem is still going to be the #2 and I have a problem with that. I think a rookie Smith is an improvement over a 2nd year Kareem.
I am interested to know what cowboys we can get. I believe terrance newman will be cut and Marcus Spears is a free agent. Since we got the coach of dallas it is not a stretch to think that one of them could be a Texan.I would love the Texans to sign to veteran corners and I would not mind if we signed Newman and moved him to safety and signed another veteran to start at corner. I just dont want Kareem starting.
Mar 16, 2011 at 23:05:40
Jimmy smith showed of his elite height weight and speed unfortunatly he showed poor change of direction which will make him get torched at the next level against fast good route runners like every colt receiver. The only player with more boom or bust then Smith is Newton and we need more certainty than a guy with poor character issue who will probably take his first round money and run… We need a Vet at CB
Mar 17, 2011 at 08:55:55
@Truth I agree with everything you just said.
@Jd, we need more than just a Vet at CB….getting one CB total before the season isnt going to cut it, especially if Glover is being moved to safety. you bring in vet which is what we need, but i’ll be damned if Kareem is starting on the opposite side. I would take Smith to start over Kareem anyday. Even Kiper and McShay said he has top 15 talent. Kareem needs to be moved to nickel. He lacks size,speed, and most impt, elite talent( I’m still sour over drafting kareem in the 1st round last yr). It cannot get ANY WORSE than what we saw from him last season. And plus, since we dont know how the free agency is going to turn out with this whole lockout business, it feels more crucial than ever to get another CB in the draft. And I have a hard time believing that Smith would not be an upgrade to our already piss poor secondary
Mar 17, 2011 at 09:40:21
i disagree
a CB group of jackson, allen, FA like jon joseph, mccain, and a 2-4th round pick, assuming you get another vet to play SS next to quin, can be fine.
actually after re-reading what i just wrote, your right.
thats really TERRIBLE
Mar 17, 2011 at 09:42:31
Smith could be a shutdown corner but it’s hard to fix this backfield in one year and to have a rookie come in and succed with all these problems would be hard. With that said I will agree Curtis Smith would be an upgrade over Kareem. I don’t know what that pick was about and it obviously set us back and they need to suck up their pride and have him fight for his spot. I personally like the ball skills Brown and Harris posses and we might be able to get one in the second.
Mar 17, 2011 at 15:16:12
lol @ AllenOU
@ Jd, I agree with not being able to fix our backfield in one year and especially with a notorious secondary like ours, it mite take a couple of years to do so. If we are able to get an OLB in the first round and get someone like Harris in the 2nd then I wouldnt have a problem with that, but I’m lil bit scared that if we pass up on a CB in the first round, then we might lose out on someone like Harris in the 2nd, because with teams drafting needs more so then the “best available player” due to the lockout, then Harris could very well be off the board before we can get our hands on him. After Harris, I think there is a huge drop off in talent at the CB position, in my opnion, compared to the OLB class which is very deep this year.
Mar 18, 2011 at 07:28:48
Kareem is gonna play, so us as Texans fans just have to live with that. Our best bet is to be very agressive in Free Agency (whenever it happens, but it will happen) and draft a 2nd or 3rd Rd CB.
Mar 18, 2011 at 21:36:36
I still have a sneaky suspicion that Mark Anderson is the other starting OLB. A second round tender shows they value him, and most draftees would be conversion guys anyway. Anderson is a little more “known” to the Texans. Which all leads to maybe a best player pick in Rd 1 like Julio Jones or a DE like Jordan/Watt, then LB/CB/S depth in the second.
Mar 22, 2011 at 08:24:58
I know everyone wants to “fix” the Texans d in one year, but I’m afraid that it’s just going to take longer than that. I’d love for the Texans to trade down around 16-20, and snag Aldon Smith. Then, move back into the bottom of the first and snag Wilkerson for DT. Still, we need Quality Vets for SS and CR, and I just don’t see that happening. If Brooks Reed is available in the second, they should get him even if they’ve drafted an OLB. That guy looks intense.