The Houston Texans come off of a season where their offense was even more productive than ever, with the development of Arian Foster into the league rushing champion. Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson continued to shine, but once again the defense let them down, and the result was a 6-10 finish.
The defense was the focus going into the 2011 NFL Draft, and the Texans hit on all three levels. The first round brought J.J. Watt, the defensive end from Wisconsin. Watt has the size, speed, strength and motor to excel in Houston's new 3-4 scheme, and along with Mario Williams he should be an anchor on the defense for years.
Round 2 brought a pass rushing linebacker in Brooks Reed from Arizona. Reed is an outside speed rusher that many saw as a late first round pick. Reed should move into an outside linebacker position, and it looks as if Williams may line up on the opposite side. With one of the leagues premier pass rushers on the opposite side of the field, opportunities to rush the quarterback should present themselves for Reed.
The defensive secondary got help in Round 3 with the selection of Brandon Harris, a cornerback out of Miami. Harris may be a bit undersized by NFL standards, but he is a big hitter and tackler, and has the speed to cover down the field. Harris was seen as a 1st Round pick on many mock drafts, and the Texans got a steal in the third round.
Two late round sleepers look to be Rashad Carmichael and Shiloh Keo, defensive backs selected in rounds 4 and 5, respectively. The Texans secondary was one of the worst in the NFL, and along with Harris both players have a chance to rebuild the defensive backfield.
Draft Grade: B+
No comments:
Post a Comment