Categories
NFL

2014 NFL Draft Handicapping Tips – Houston Texans

Houston Texans

2014 Draft Preview

The Houston Texans were a hot mess last year, but they are reaping the benefits come 2014 Draft Day. Houston’s 11 picks is the most it has possessed since 2002, when the Texans selected a dozen players.

Picks

Draft picks (by round)

  • 1st round #1 Pick
  • 2nd round 1
  • 3rd round 1
  • 4th round 1
  • 5th round 1
  • 6th round 1
  • 7th round 1

Texans 2014 NFL Draft Predictions

Houston has stated that they will draft a quarterback at some point, but with the first overall pick there is a pretty strong consensus on who should be selected.

First Round: #1 overall: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina

This is a deep QB class this year, and though surely the tires have been kicked on in-state hero Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and other QB prospects, Houston would be crazy not to pick the best pass-rushing prospect in years.

CLICK TO GRAB OUR Expert sports picks for 2014 Betting!

A combination of Clowney and J.J. Watt would be damn near unstoppable.

The only scenario where you could see Houston trading down is if they get a massive haul from another team, like what Washington did to acquire Robert Griffin III a couple seasons ago. That seems unlikely in this draft. Clowney will almost certainly go #1 overall to the Texans.

Second Round: #33 overall: Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame
[soliloquy id=”82219″]
Houston’s second-rounder could also quite possibly be a QB. Yet with so much depth at that position in this draft, and with so many recent warning beacons in selecting a pivot early (Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder, Jake Locker, etc.) Houston might fill a need here and wait just a little longer to nab a signal-caller. Nix is a stout, wide-bodied nose tackle and the Texans have no one effective like that on their roster. Grabbing Nix – who is a first-round talent – would fill a huge need for the Houston defense.

Third Round: #65 overall: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

With all the analysis and over-analysis of every prospect, it’s amazing how certain players can rise and fall. You’d be considered insane if you said Bridgewater would be a third-rounder a few months ago, but his unimpressive size, his choice to not work out at the Combine and then having a poor Pro Day really hurt his stock.

Still, Bridgewater has an excellent college CV, and his intangibles are excellent. If he is given the right tools and tutelage around him, he should be successful. He could definitely go in Round 2 somewhere, I just think that Houston won’t resist grabbing some of the first-round spillover at the start of Round 2 with the likelihood that a truly respectable QB prospect (like Bridgewater) will still be there at the start of Round 3.

Fourth Round: #101 overall: Tre Mason, RB, Auburn

Ben Tate signed with the Browns in the off-season, so Houston needs a Plan B at running back behind the nicked-up Arian Foster. If Houston can grab Mason at the start of the fourth round, that would be a steal.

Other possibilities for the Texans: Antonio Richardson (OT, Tennessee), Jaylen Watkins (CB, Florida)

The 2014/15 NFL futures betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. CappersPicks.com has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well.

Eventually the online sportsbooks will post NFL Win Total Lines & Futures. When they do we suggest you check out BOVADA.

By James Hayes

James has been naming every player on the EA Sports video game rosters for half a decade now, he’s finally putting his knowledge to better use writing for us here at CappersPicks.com. Your comments are welcome below…Give Us Your Take!