Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com recently weighed in with his thoughts on overrated/underrated NFL players.
First, Prisco's thoughts on underrated guard Wade Smith:
The Texans got him last season as a free agent to compete for a job and he ended up being one of their best players. Smith is a big reason why Arian Foster led the league in rushing.
Also a big reason for Foster's success - Arian Foster. Oh and Vonta Leach, the rest of the offensive line, etc. But yes, Prisco is right in that Smith was a very solid signing and performed at a high level for the Texans last year. He basically put Kasey Studdard out of a job, and was able to hold off Mike Brisiel, who ended up alternating with right guard Antoine Caldwell at times last year.
Prisco's pick for an overrated Texan was Brian Cushing:
After an impressive rookie season, which earned him NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, he missed four weeks in 2010 for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. When he returned, he wasn't the same player he was as a rookie.
See, this one I don't agree with. Not because I think Cushing played well, but because I don't think ANYONE - even locally - was pumping Brian Cushing as being a great player in 2010. I think Cushing was "rated" just about where he should be - as mediocre at best last year, and frighteningly bad at worst. Of course the suspension, playing out of position, and not having DeMeco Ryans certainly played a part, but those are the things you have to deal with in the NFL. For many fans, Cushing has 2011 and 2011 only to redeem himself, or that player/fan relationship is going to get stormy in a hurry.
A better overrated choice may have been Eric Winston, whose pass protection seemed to take a rather significant step backward last year. I could go into detail, but let's just say that Jason Babin made him look silly a couple of times. Ugh. Jason Babin.