2011 Houston Texans Draft Needs
Written by Steve Janus
After finishing with their first winning season in 2009 (9-7), the Texans came into the 2010 season expecting to make a strong push for their first playoff appearance. Houston got off to a strong start winning four of their first six, but were unable to overcome having one of the worst defenses in the league. The Texans tied for last place in the AFC South with the Tennessee Titans at 6-10.
Houston drafted corner Kareem Jackson with their first round pick in 2010. Jackson finished with two interceptions, but was a liability in coverage. The rest of the draft class failed to produce much of anything to be excited about.
Houston has seven picks total in the 2011 draft, including the No. 11 pick in the first round. Don’t expect to see many offensive players taken in this year’s draft by the Texans, as they have a ton of needs on the defensive side of the ball. Here is a look at the five positions I feel the Texans need to address. Find out who we have the Texans taking in the first round in our 2011 NFL Mock draft.
Cornerback: While Jackson figures to get better as he matures, the Texans still need help at the other corner spot. Glover Quinn’s production dropped last season. Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara is the logical choice for the Texans if he is still available at No. 11, but they could also wait and take shot on Colorado’s Jimmy Smith in the second or Curtis Brown of Texas in the third.
Outside Linebaker: The Texans are making the switch to a 3-4 this year, and need to find an outside linebacker who can get to the quarterback. Akeem Ayers would be a steal if he fell to them in the second, but he will likely be off the board. If Ayers isn’t available, look for them to take a shot on Georgia’s Justin Houston.
Nose Tackle: The Texans don’t exactly have a defensive tackle who is suited to play nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme. Nose tackles don’t usually go that early in the draft. That should allow Houston to wait and use their third round pick on someone like Kendrick Ellis out of Hampton.
Safety: The Texans starting safety duo of Bernard Pollard and Eugene Wilson wasn’t good at all last year. Houston desperately needs to add someone who can compete right away and help this team improve in coverage. I look for them to address this need with their fourth round pick on someone like Iowa’s Tyler Sash or Clemson’s DeAndre McDanial. Don’t be surprised if the Texans make multiple picks at safety to ensure they find someone who can help them in 2011.
Wide Receiver/Return Specialist: The Texans didn’t get much of anything in their return game in 2010. They ranked 29th on punt returns and 27th on kickoff returns. Grabbing a return specialist that can also help out in the passing game would really help this team. The biggest needs come on the defensive side of the ball, so don’t expect them to worry about this until later in the draft. One player that really sticks out here is TCU’s Jeremy Kerley.
Individual NFL Team Mock Drafts
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