I know that, with the contributions of myself and others, I’ve thrown a lot at you in the past couple of months, mock draft-wise. I just want to take a minute to thank everyone who reads the site, the mocks, and everything else. Sometimes running this ship isn’t easy, especially when behind-the-scenes technical issues spring up – but over a couple of years now we’ve carved out a nice base of knowledgeable, thoughtful readers, contributors, and commentors. Just wanted to tell you all that I appreciate you visiting the site. You guys make the hard parts WELL worth it.
Alright, let’s get to the football. Recently, (if you’ve been checking out my new Twitter feature) you saw me point you to this article. The Texans seem like a PRIME candidate for the Giants supposed intentions, and yes, as the article states, they just have too many picks. It would be kind of insane for a team as good as the Giants to draft ten new players. They’re not even in re-tooling mode, much less rebuilding mode.
So, my final seven-round Texans mock draft is based entirely on this supposed trade-up interest the Giants have.
First, let’s go over the traded picks. I’ve said before that I’m no fan of the “Trade Value Chart,” but for the purposes of hypotheticals such as these, I’m going to try and stick fairly close to it.
Texans receive from the Giants:
Rd. 1 (29) Trade Value Chart# (TVC#) 640
Rd. 2 (45) TVC# 450
Total TVC# 1090
Giants receive from the Texans:
Rd. 1 (15) TVC# 1050
Rd. 5 (152) TVC# 31
Total TVC# 1081
So we lose a fifth-rounder to make the numbers match up, but now have three picks in the highly-coved 25-50 range of the draft. The Texans will have two consecutive picks in the middle of round 2.
One additional note – this mock is all about what I think the Texans might do – not what I “hope”* they will do, thus – there is less of an emphasis on a big NT, and less of an emphasis on a center. I’d love to see the team draft both, but I don’t think they have any designs on doing so unless someone slides unexpectedly.
*There are players that I “hope” the team will draft in this mock, but they are players that I think fit the “types” of guys the Texans covet.
So let’s start with the first round, and I’ll release the rest as the week goes on:
ROUND 1, #29 (from the Giants) – SEAN SMITH – CB/S – UTAH
Despite the fact that he won’t be a first-year starter, this was an easy pick. I think Smith is the real deal. He’s both big and fast – and he also projects as a safety. That kind of versatility is what made this pick so easy. With the multitude of questions surrounding our secondary, Smith is a perfect fit. When If Dunta leaves, he could be the new starter opposite Fred Bennett or Jacques Reeves. If it turns out he can’t hack it as a corner, perhaps he takes over for Eugene Wilson in a few years. Either way, his size and ability to jump around in the secondary is a very attractive quality.
ROUND 2, #45 (from the Giants) – CLINT SINTIM – OLB – VIRGINIA
Hear me out on this one. We need a strongside linebacker. Sure, Cushing or Matthews could be that guy – but what do we need even more than a strongside linebacker? More than a safety? More than a nose tackle? We need a PASS RUSH. Sure, Sintim might have coverage problems, but he’s LIGHT YEARS better as a pass rusher than any other LB we could get in this draft not named Aaron Curry. I’ll put my faith in the coaches and in Sintim’s ability and say that I’ll take his rushing ability now, and hope the coverage improves enough to come later.
I mean, really – think about it. It’s a passing down. Mario’s on one side. Antonio Smith moves inside, and our to-be-drafted DE anchors the other side. Now Clint freaking Sintim – all 6-3, 256 pounds of him – creeps up to the line. Come on. How can that not get you excited?
Sintim is now going in the second in almost every mock I can find, so I have no problem having him slip to #45. I never would have thought that possible a couple of months ago, but it looks to be the reality of the situation. If we got these two players with our first two picks – I would be thrilled.
I’ll continue with the final mock draft tomorrow. For now, though – levy your criticisms for taking a non-starter with the first pick, and a guy who’s a better 3-4 fit with the second.
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Apr 20, 2009 at 07:44:44
I’m not sure Sintim won’t actually be better in a 4-3 because the coverage responsibilities are less. My only problem with that pick is that I think he won’t be there at 45, but that’s just me. Good job with the Giants trade, I hadn’t thought of that angle.
Apr 20, 2009 at 09:41:09
That’s an interesting scenario you’ve got there Chris. In this scenario, who do you see us taking with the following pick? With Safety and OLB scratched off, do you see us grabbing someone like Brace or Hood? Or maybe we go ahead and grab that complementary back?
Apr 20, 2009 at 09:58:37
Chris, thanks for keeping us entertained.
I like this possiblity but I’m afraid the Giants will use the extra picks on Edwards or Boldin. I like the Smith pick but don’t Sinton just doesn’t do muck for me. Although with June (our cover LB) I can see them going that direction at some point.
Now at this point trade #46 and one of our 4th’s for a late 2 and 3rd. Then take your RB, DE (Krueger if available), OL. Not necessarily in that order although my priority would be RB because in the late second, unless one of the top 3 interior OL are available, you should have pretty much your choice of the second/third tier RB’s that have been discussed.
I place a higher priority on RB because while Slaton is great. He is undersize and if something happens to him we have nothing behind him at all.
Look forward to the rext.
H-town
Apr 20, 2009 at 10:26:15
NY Giants GM Reese had this to say about their picks:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2009/04/19/2009-04-19_giants_interest_in_braylon_edwards_and_.html
Apr 20, 2009 at 14:21:00
I wouldn’t except to see the Giants part with a second rounder only to get a fifth right back; they’d end up with the same amount of total picks. They would have the same problem of having more draft picks than spots on the team. I would instead expect to see them trade to someone who is willing to be “burdened” with two more picks, by ditching their day two picks when they can. In fact, they are probably more likely to hang on to their second rounder, because while they want to ditch picks, the picks they keep they want to be fairly high.
After all, there’s no sense in ditching extra picks if the ones you keep are the guys you expect to cut anyway.
Apr 20, 2009 at 14:24:20
“…he’s LIGHT YEARS better as a pass rusher than any other LB we could get in this draft not named Aaron Curry.”
Actually, the big knock against Curry is that he has never rushed the passer much, and is “just” a really good regular linebacker.
Apr 20, 2009 at 14:27:31
I should have added in to post #4 the following: “I wouldn’t be surprised if they used their day two picks to move up a few spots in the second round to catch a player they like who seems to be falling.”
Apr 20, 2009 at 14:37:03
I am not a big fan of Smith. In fact, I don’t want him at all. Strikes me as career average to below average talent when talent translated to NFL level. Don’t think he is or will ever be the impact player that Kubiak alluded to. I prefer Matthews first, and will settle for Sintim as we have to, but only if we can pick up a Sidbury and say an Andre Brown to go with him. That to me, would be a productive first day.
Apr 20, 2009 at 15:37:28
do – I don’t know if you’ve seen Matt’s argument for Sean Smith, but I can’t really find any holes in it. He was a standout FS in college. He faced more pass offenses than Malcolm Jenkins, a guy a lot of people are promoting for FS. And he’s an exceptional athlete.
At the best, we get a big corner who played safety in college but turns into a stud corner in the league – like Nnamdi Asomugha. But realistically, you’ll get a better than average free safety – a player who could be the best available player on the board, right at a position of need. I’d be ecstatic to get him at #29.
Apr 20, 2009 at 20:56:33
Not that I consider myself an expert on rating players but I have not seen one mock that has Sean Smith going in the first round. I would be shocked if he is not available at 29. I get that Smith fills a need, and is not a reach if he is off the board at 45. NFLdraftscout.com has him ranked 46, WalterFootball.com has him #35, nfl.com mock 6.0 by Pat Kirwan has him going #48 to Denver,
DraftTek has him going #45 to the Giants. I like gambling that he will be there at 45 and use #29 on Ayers, Hood, Brace, M. Johnson, Mack or Unger.
I like the idea of trading down and picking up an extra 2, but as socctty pointed out if the Giants are looking to dump picks because they have no room for ten rookies, then that trade does not seem to benefit them very much.
Apr 20, 2009 at 21:39:26
oiler-texan-diehard – How many mocks did you see with Duane Brown in the first last year? My point being that if you pick at #29 and you like a guy who you expect will be drafted 35th overall, you take him. 40 is a little dicey, but the worst that will happen between now and the season starting is that someone will accuse you of making a reach.
If the choice is between Brace and Sean Smith at 29, though… that’s pretty tough. Do you bet on the #2 NT lasting longer than a guy who possibly could play FS or CB? Tough call…
Apr 20, 2009 at 22:01:00
I feel like the bust factor is REALLY high with Brace. Raji was such a wrecking ball on that line that’s it’s tough to gage what he can do at the next level.
Smith on the other hand – I just don’t see many negatives – PLUS he’s versatile at two positions that we need help at. For me, if it’s Smith vs Brace in the second round, that’s a no-brainer. I go Smith.
Regarding Sintim – I never thought he’d last to the second previously – but from a lot of what I read, it’s a real possibility now. I think he’s far more realistic to fall to 46 than Smith is.
Apr 20, 2009 at 22:39:23
Have no qualms about any of those players, though admittedly I know little about Levitre. Either way, great mock. It’s much more interesting reading these than the typical “Matthews, Jenkins, Moreno (why?), and uh, Sanchez (damn you McShay)” mocks. Musta taken a while to put together and I’d love for the draft to play out this way, though I’m not sold on Sintim being a three down OLB in a 4-3… though that’s just me and I’m no NFL scout.
Apr 21, 2009 at 00:59:16
I think you’re right about Brace. So many times there are defensive line teammates who people draft high, and it turns out only one was really worth a damn. The only ones that worked out that I can think of immediately are John Henderson and Albert Haynesworth. Both went in the top 15.
Apr 21, 2009 at 17:37:21
It’s the dynamics that make the draft so interesting. No way to tell if a player you covet but pass on in round 1 will still be there in round 2. There are always surprises and sometimes one surprise pick triggers another or a run on a position. Smith is a solid player. No doubt. If he is our first pick, I really hope that we have traded down at least 10-12 spots. This year’s draft looks solid in rounds 2-4, and Smith has shown he can turn those picks into quality starters. I would like to get an edge rusher in addition to a CB/S. Perhaps Smith and Sintim fill this bill. I would prefer a highly ranked DE or DT to be among the 1st 2 picks though. Just my opinion.
Apr 21, 2009 at 19:03:05
Chris, great 1st 3 picks, we get great starters and/or back-ups at the positions we need the most and before the 3rd RD. Great point about the Giants having all those picks and not really needing them. Have you thought about New England being in the same situation? They have 3 2nd RD picks and would draft before the Giants in the 1st RD? We all know they are a playoff team and not in a rebuilding mode. If we could swap 1st RD w/ them and still pick up a 2nd RD, that could be interesting, your thoughts?