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Houston Texans 2009 NFL Mock Draft


Written April 2, 2009 by Black Widow

houston-texans-mock-draft-2009-040109The Texans are attracting quite a few fantasy football fans because of their powerful, balanced offense. But their first postseason birth has remained elusive for several reasons. A sub-par defense tops the list, followed by a knack for sloppy play on offense. It’s safe to say that this is a pivotal season for head coach Gary Kubiak and GM Rick Smith. Texans fans and owner Bob McNair have shown considerable patience as the club struggled to find its ways. Now, it’s time to take the next step and produce more wins and results.  Mocking the Draft writes that Houston should go with a cornerback (specifically, Utah cornerback, Sean Smith) in the first round, not bad, but here are my top five needs for the Texans.

1.) Safety - The Texans’ biggest competitors in the AFC South all have Pro Bowl-caliber safeties. The Colts have Bob Sanders, the Jaguars Reggie Nelson and the Titans Chris Hope. The Texans have failed to find a combination that works on the back end of their secondary. Finding a free safety who’s strong against the pass is a bigger priority than finding a strong safety who can play close to the line and stop the run. Houston has not invested in this position in neither free agency nor the draft while their competitors have, and it looms as a glaring weakness as the Texans try to make a charge up the AFC South leaderboard. Good Fits in ‘09 Draft Class: FS Louis Demas (Western Michigan), FS Darcel McBath (Texas Tech).

2.) Cornerback - CB Dunta Robinson has been given the franchise tag, but he’s a little more than a year removed from a serious knee injury. He played unevenly when returning to the lineup last season. Even with him back, they still need to bolster their talent and depth at this position. Ex-Cowboy Jacques Reeves did a decent job in his first season in Houston, but his presence is not going to stop opponents from throwing to his side of the field. Good Fits in ‘09 Draft Class: CB Sean Smith (Utah), CB Morgan Trent (Michigan).

3.) Defensive Tackle – The Texans have tried and tried again to get stronger up the middle, but results have been mixed at best. DT Amobi Okoye, their first-round pick in ‘07, has regressed after getting off to a fast start as a rookie, and the Texans desperately need him to start playing up to his potential. Travis Johnson, whom the Texans Selected as a first-round choice in ‘05, has been inconsistent. They actually traded down 3 spots to get him, passing up on OT Jamaal Brown in the process. Good Fits in ‘09 Draft Class: DT Peria Jerry (Ole Miss).

4.) Defensive End - Houston really needs a pass rushing presence to compliment DRE Mario Williams, who routinely faced double-teams and got none of his 12 sacks in four games last season. If there were another pass rusher capable of scaring opponents, the Texans wouldn’t be forced to move Williams around so much to try and find clear paths to the quarterback. DLE Anthony Weaver was solid against the run, but not a legitimate pass rusher and thus he was cut in the offseason. The Texans did sign DE Shaun Cody from the Lions, but he only made 4 starts last year. They also signed DE Antonio Smith from Arizona, who has started 23 games over the past 2 seasons in Arizona while recording a respectable 9 sacks in all. But still, they need a more consistent sack threat and could get one via draft. Good Fits in ‘09 Draft Class: DT-DE Robert Ayers (Tennessee).

5.) Running Back – Steve Slaton was one of the best breakout stars in ‘08 with a brilliant rookie season. But he’s one of the smaller running backs in the NFL, and the Texans couldn’t afford to spell him much down the stretch because of their lack of depth at this position. A big, bruising compliment to Slaton would seem to fit the Texans’ offense perfectly. Ahman Green was cut in the offseason, so this could be a more pressing need now with him gone. Good Fits in ‘09 Draft Class: RB Percey Harvin (Florida), RB Rashad Jennings (Liberty), RB Adrian Foster (Tennessee).

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2 Responses to “Houston Texans 2009 NFL Mock Draft”

  1. Texans Tickets on April 7th, 2009 4:26 pm

    Defense Should Take First Priority! With Schaub (Wahoowa!) shaping up to be a QB for the long-haul (barring continued injuries), we’re desperate for some new blood to spark our defense. We’re also waiting on Okoye to live up to the hype as much as Williams has. Can we get a decent defensive line that can support our not-too-shabby offense in leading Houston to finally get over the .500 season hump? Hope the 09 draft doesn’t disappoint. Regardless, as a diehard fan, I’ll still be filling a seat at Reliant Stadium! Texans Tickets

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  2. Black Widow on April 16th, 2009 1:14 pm

    Appreciate your comments and good luck to you and your Texans this season! I feel they will get over the hump and make a better run at the playoffs this year, but the Draft is very important if that is to happen. Defense, Defense, Defense!

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