I’m not going to break down any mock drafts this week, so apologies if you’re looking for that. I know there are a lot of readers searching for mocks, but they're tending to read very monotonously (as in, Robert Quinn is getting the mock selection in nearly every one). This isn't a great sign considering that a mock is usually considered good-to-great when someone gets seven picks correctly. While mock drafting is a fun exercise, it's ultimately rather pointless and incorrect (which is why I'll never pay for ESPN Insider to read a bunch of Mel Kiper Jr's and Todd McShay's mock drafts).
Why am I saying this? Well, all thoughts on the Texans mock picks read something like this: "The Texans are definitely looking to upgrade their front seven" or "The Texans defense was bad, so the picks go defensively" or "The Texans have to stop Peyton Manning." I've read mocks claim that the Texans are head over heels for a certain prospect and I laugh.
How do these mockers know that? The Texans give away no hints on prospects. Heck, they rarely even talk to anyone their interested in (example: Kareem Jackson never talked to
The point being that these sure-fire picks aren't sure-fire. The Texans will spring surprises on NFL Draft weekend as they typically have because they tend to avoid players whose names have been associated with them. No one should assume these picks are going to be all defensive and don't assume that they'll be the "brand" names. The Texans have repeatedly shown that they draft to the beat of their own drum, and many mockers continue to ignore the traits of a Texan draft pick. For those fans dreaming/dreading Robert Quinn in
Speaking of traits of a Texan draft pick, it’s just about time to enter the mind of Rick Smith as we are 34 days away from the 2011 NFL Draft.