Snap Judgment on Texans Picks (Rounds 1-3)

Anyone who knows the NFL is fully aware that a draft cannot accurately be graded until at least three years following draft day. That said, we are going to give our opinion on each of the Texans picks.

First round (#15 overall)- Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

Initial thoughts: We like the pick a lot. Cushing is the second-best linebacker in the draft, and he should make a good Texans linebacking unit much better.

Value: B- Brian Cushing is by no means a steal at pick #15, as that is where he figured to go. He was a guy that the Texans were seemingly linked to for quite a while.

After further review: Good, solid pick, not a fantastic value. Cushing should be great next to DeMeco Ryans and across from either Zac Diles or Xavier Adibi. This also gives the Texans an opportunity to play a little hybrid 3-4 from time to time.

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Second round (#46 overall)- Connor Barwin, OLB/TE, Cincinnati

Initial thoughts: We really liked the pick. Barwin is a prenominal athlete who can really rush the passer, something the Texans struggled mightily with a year ago. He can also help out in the red zone on offense, which could help remedy another area of need.

Value: B+ Barwin darted up draft boards over the past three months and some had him going as high as the late first round. This wasn’t a steal, but it was far from a reach.

After further review: We are very intrigued by the pick. I believe Barwin was the best player available and I’m curious to see if he can be a dominant athlete at the NFL level.

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Third round (#77 overall)- Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama

Initial thoughts: Liked the pick a lot, as Caldwell can play all over the interior of the line. He should be able to compete for a starting job somewhere on the interior.

Value: B Very solid value for the Texans, as Caldwell may be the fourth-best center in the best draft for the center position in recent memory.

After further review: Good, solid base-hit type of pick. Caldwell should be a contributor right away, and he could sure up the weakest part of the Houston line.

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Charlie Bernstein is the Editor-in-Chief of Sports Media Interactive, covering multiple teams in the National Football League, NCAA, and National Basketball Association. Charlie is a regular syndicated contributor to FoxSports and Sirius NFL Radio, and has been featured on the NFL Network. Charlie is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Feel free to contact him -HERE- with questions or comments.

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