[ESPN Insider] Todd McShay Mock 3.0

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLA?src=hash">#UCLA</a> and Seven Lakes Caleb Benenoch to visit the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a>. <a href="https://t.co/0diSt0l1Ts">https://t.co/0diSt0l1Ts</a> <a href="https://t.co/MFzopeuJbl">pic.twitter.com/MFzopeuJbl</a></p>&mdash; PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/717731045454528512">April 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLA?src=hash">#UCLA</a> OL Caleb Benenoch is on a predraft visit to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Steelers?src=hash">#Steelers</a>. Also has <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lions?src=hash">#Lions</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Titans?src=hash">#Titans</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a> on his schedule. Athletic OL projects 2nd rd</p>&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/717718043955183616">April 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
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No big deal in starting a rookie at safety. They did it with Swearingen.

It depends on how they view the centers in the draft. A number of recent centers have started as rookies. Are they willing to put a 4th round pick who played tackle in college, and guard up until last year under their new $70M QB.

 

PFF new mock draft:

 

Ya a safety rookie wouldn't be as big of a deal, but not sure Swearinger is that great of an example.

And we'll just have to wait and see with Bergstrom. Like I said, they brought him in to play Center and paid him starter's money. Don't think they would have done that if they weren't willing to put him under Osweiler. How he ultimately pans out remains to be seen but this signing doesn't make any sense if they weren't.

 

Lol. PFF mocking guys based on their made up parameters, and putting people where they are not valued by anyone.

 

Sucky mock sucks.

 

I think DL at 22 just became the pick. Though, I think Covington could be pretty great.

 

Just an example that contrary to what you said, the team is willing to start a rookie at the safety position. I'm not saying it was or will be a good decision, just saying I think it is likely.

Bergstrom's money was like $2.5 mil a year, right? It's not like they have to stick to that. Not to mention they only have 3 guards on the roster (XSF, Allen, and Aboushi). Bergstrom could be competing more with XSF for all we know.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise visits Texans <a href="https://t.co/h6IO3Zbz6g">https://t.co/h6IO3Zbz6g</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonChron">@HoustonChron</a></p>&mdash; Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/718076145959198721">April 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Never said they wouldn't start a rookie safety. I actually agreed they would but not all positions are created equal. Starting a rookie Safety, especially a SS, is completely different from starting a rookie Center or QB.

The Swearinger example is not a good one for a few reasons. One being that he started under Kubiak and not BoB. Second that Swearinger was pretty terrible.

Ya the money isn't a huge deal but he was still paid starting center money and was brought in to play center. So while he could be competing with XSF, nothing from the Texans side or Bergstrom indicates that. Just conjecture on your part really. Also, we currently have 5 guards on the roster, not 3.

 

I just re-read your post and see you were talking about Bergstrom and Mancz; I thought you were talking the safety and center positions. Never mind.

I can name other rookies that were slated to start for BOB i.e. XSF and CJF.

Has anyone from the Texans organization said that Bergstrom is the new starting center? I remember when he was signed, the Texans media were asking him what position he would prefer to play like it wasn't set in stone.

Who am I missing? Allen, XSF, Aboushi. Mancz is a center. I didn't count Bergstrom because you said he was the center.

 

XSF only started 1 game his rookie year. Some of that might have been due to injury but he is a good example of a rookie who wasn't ready to play right away despite being a higher pick. I don't believe he started all the games he played in this season as well.

Rookies can absolutely start and can have an immediate impact. But like I said, not all positions are created equal. I'm not saying a rookie center can't start but just have to wonder if there would be concern.

BoB hasn't named any starters and he probably won't until he absolutely needs to, but all of this was in response to your comment that we don't have a starting center. We don't have a starting center named if that's what you meant.

Missing Barton and Slade at guards.

 

Its happening?:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sterling Shepard has worked out for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash">#Texans</a>.</p>&mdash; PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/718503154204192768">April 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Texans tried everything to land a slot wide receiver last draft. Maybe this one they can.</p>&mdash; PDS (@PatDStat) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatDStat/status/718504650610241536">April 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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From various sources, here are the WR's that the Texans have met with. I've broken it down into two lists: one with listed. And the other for people taller than 6'. For people invited to the combine I used their combine weight/height. For the ones who weren't I had to use whatever height and weight I could find. The people who weren't invited to the combine have a star before their name. I left guys like Devon Cajuste off the list who are really being looked at at another position. Cajuste, for instance, is a move tight end.

6'and over
*Jeremy Corneilus WR Lockhaven 6'2" 213
Geronimo Allison WR Illinois 6'3" 196
*Kyle Washington WR Angelo State 6'5" 205
Rashard Higgins WR Colorado State 6'1" 196

Under 6'
Sterling Shepard WR Oklahoma 5'10" 194
Bralon Addison WR Oregon 5'9" 197
Demarcus Ayers WR Houston 5'9" 182
*Shane Williams-Rhodes WR Boise State 5'6" 157
D.J. Foster WR Arizona State 5'10" 193
Corey Coleman WR Baylor 5'11" 194


The point? The Texans have met with at least 10 wide receivers. Six of the ten are 5'11" or shorter. In today's NFL that skews way outside the normal population rates. Also, on the list of taller guys, only one name is projected to potentially have his name called before day 3 - Rashard Higgins. The rest of the taller guys are more projects. Kyle Washington, for instance, actually played QB at Angelo St.

So either the Texans are intrested in slot recivers much more than recievers in general, or they want people to think that they do.

They are also skewed in terms of whom they've met with much more towards OT's than interior linemen, and they are also skewed towards "move" or "joker" tight ends than big hulking inline guys.

 

Thanks for putting this together. Should be noted that a lot of top slot guys the past 2 seasons have included tall receivers. Fitzgerald, Boldin, Jordan Matthews, Decker, Colston all played in the slot majority of the time.

 

TE Tyler Higbee arrested; knock him off your draft boards

 

Walterfootball rumors:

 

Fits with what I've said.

-They need an offensive tackle badly to replace Duane Brown sooner rather than later
-While they may need a WR, they aren't moving on from Strong as WR2. Instead they are looking for a slot guy and a special teams guy.

 

Allison is intriguing, but he's a possession guy, and not a deep threat at all. Interesting we're linked to him.

 

According to LZ on twitter, he can’t get separation, not a deep threat, and has drop rate of over 11%.

I guess they see him as a project guy or UDFA; CBS has him as a projected 6th round pick.