I wasn’t really sold on North Carolina defensive end/outside linebacker Robert Quinn early on in the draft process, but I think he very well may find a home in Houston now. Texas A&M’s Von Miller is sure to go before the Texans pick, and Quinn is probably the best 3-4 OLB available after that. It may come down to him or Missouri’s Aldon Smith, and if they’re both gone along with Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara, the Texans might just trade down since they aren’t filling any needs. WalterFootball’s latest update has the Texans picking Quinn at #11:
- Houston Texans: Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina
With the shift to Wade Phillips’ 3-4, Houston will need a nose tackle to pair with ends Mario Williams and Antonio Smith. DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing would play inside linebacker, while the outside pass rushers would be Connor Barwin and… umm… Robert Quinn.Quinn missed the 2010 season because the NCAA is ridiculously stupid, hypocritical and tyrannical. If he had played, he’d probably be a consensus top-five prospect, so Houston is getting major value with this selection.
The Texans also nab Miami cornerback Brandon Harris in the second round, Mississippi nose tackle Jerrell Powe in the third, and North Carolina safety Deunta Williams in the fourth round. That would be a pretty stellar draft class, all things considered. I would prefer UCLA safety Rahim Moore in the second, but he goes six picks before the Texans get on the board in Walterfootball’s mock.
The key to the Texans draft very well may be how far the 3-4 OLB’s fall, because if they’re all off the board at #11, it could signal that it’s time for a trade down.