Currently the Texans are 6-3.They¡¯re hanging around and
waiting until next Sunday when they play the Redskins. Since there isn¡¯t a game
to talk and think about this
week
J.J. Watt
Jersey , let¡¯s instead decompress and review what¡¯s happened so far,
starting with the offense. The Texans have scored 214 points, which is 14th in
the league.They are averaging 24 points a game. They are 24th in offensive DVOA
at -6.7%, 12th in pass offense DVOA at 20.4%, and 28th in run offense DVOA at
-18.6%. Deshaun Watson has completed 64.9% of his passes, has a touchdown rate
of 6%, has thrown 17 touchdowns to 7 interceptions, and is averaging 8.5 yards
an attempt. He¡¯s also been sacked 30 times and slithered out of thousands more,
bringing his net yards per attempt down to 7.09. DeAndre Hopkins has 63 catches
on 90 targets for 894 yards and 7 touchdowns, numbers that most receivers aspire
to for in an entire season. Lamar Miller is averaging 4.2 yards a carry, a yard
more than Alfred Blue. Keke Coutee, despite playing in only four games, is third
on the team in receiving yards and receptions. I¡¯m not here to give my opinion.
I want to hear yours. What grade would you give the Texans¡¯ offense through the
first nine games of the season? It¡¯s time for Players #7-5"WhiteFanposts
Fanshots Texans StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Texans NewsYahoo Texans Team
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Texans PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub �019 NFL
Draft2019 Houston Texans Offseason2019 NFL Draft: Ranking The Offensive Tackle
Prospects (Part III)New,30commentsIt¡¯s time for Players
#7-5CDTShareTweetShareShare2019 NFL Draft: Ranking The Offensive Tackle
Prospects (Part III)Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY SportsThe Texans need an offensive
tackle. The 2019 NFL Draft is just about here. The journey started yesterday
where I, as your pilot, began to wade this wagon through the ¡®Top 15¡¯ available
offensive linemen of this year¡¯s draft. Here¡¯s Part One if you missed it. Here¡¯s
Part Two if you missed that one as well. And below are the fifteen sites to
see.7.) Yodny Cajuste (Left Tackle¡ªWest Virginia)Cajuste rolled up to the
combine weighing 312 pounds, unfurled his 34¡± arms, and popped 225 off his chest
32 times. When the professional bucket hat NFL man asked him to run or jump, he
said, lol nah man, I ain¡¯t doing that and left. I love rolling up to the combine
tossing 32 reps and gloating on out of there. Well, this is what I imagined at
least. The real story is that Cajuste had quad surgery and is out for three
months. He¡¯s had lower leg injuries before. He missed the majority of his first
two seasons at West Virginia because of knee injuries. At least he was
productive during his recovery and bench pressed a lot instead of waking up one
day and wondering where it all went. Cajuste needed to do something ridiculous
like this to help his draft stock. On the field he¡¯s hulking and in tatters. He
looks the part of a big bench presser. He doesn¡¯t play with the same strength
though. In pass protection his punch is fairly weak. There¡¯s no greater
disparity in film and tangibles in this year¡¯s tackle class than Cajuste¡¯s punch
and combine performance. This block especially hurts. Cajuste is playing NFL
football here. He¡¯s in control. The set is perfect. Then he makes contact and
caresses the defensive end. Oh. Ok then. His weak punch almost allows Will Grier
to get sacked as he runs across Cajuste.via GfycatThe set is lovely. There¡¯s no
aggression
DeAndre
Hopkins Jersey , power, or strength when he makes contact. He¡¯s a holder,
not a striker. This can be seen again and again and again when Cajuste
protects.via GfycatThe lack of punch mangles the entirety of his game.
Bullrushes aren¡¯t the only move that can beat him. Rushers can rip around him,
and inside moves are fruitful since a decimating punch doesn¡¯t punish an open
chest either. Here he strikes early. The defender gets wide to rush around him
after he goes for it. The missed punch leaves him bent over, and the rusher
turns the corner around him. NFL rushers are particular good at swatting hands
away, and attacking the lulls in the offensive lineman¡¯s punch. Cajuste needs to
learn how to time his punch correctly, and use limp hand shakes as decoys.
Additionally, not only is he bent over when he bites at this cowboy¡¯s boots, but
he stops his feet. He doesn¡¯t give himself the chance to chase and recover.via
GfycatThis inside rush squashed West Virginia¡¯s comeback chances. Cajuste is
callused and his skin struggles to stretch. When the defender comes inside he
doesn¡¯t mirror, squeeze down, and evaporate light. He stops his feet, and wraps
his hands around defender¡¯s waist. Pelted by yellow. It¡¯s an endzone holding
penalty. A quick slide step inside and a vicious punch would have evaporated a
whatever rush.via GfycatIt¡¯s not only in the pass game either. In the run game
he has the same strength issues. When he throws his hips nothing happens.
Usually this is a jolt on the gas pedal. He rarely creates vertical movement.
Even on this run block when the pad level is fine at first, his arms are locked
out, and he outweighs the defender by sixteen stone, the block stalls once he
starts pumping.via GfycatOr here he climbs up to the second level, and a
defensive back spears him the chest and wallops him. His body is a crumpled heap
of rotten laundry in the corner of a teenage bedroom.via GfycatThere¡¯s also a
general lack of feel in the run game. The Mountaineers are running outside zone
left. Cajuste and the left guard have a play-side double team. Cajuste is
supposed to pop the outside shoulder, turn the defensive end inside to allow the
guard overtake the double team, and then roll up to the second level. The
outside linebacker comes blitzing down. Cajuste panics. He hangs around the
first level and provides nothing, then allows the linebacker to scream freely.
If he did anything at the first level, the back would have had a cutback
opportunity.via GfycatIt¡¯s not entirely horrendous though. There are momentarily
gasps of perfect play. The type of play that enriches combine results, and
leaves the scouting department scratching. This kick-slide is fairly square. He
punches the end in the chest,
extends
Lamar
Miller Jersey , and the quarterback can take the boat out for the
afternoon.via GfycatThis quick kick-slide is fantastic. He¡¯s on the end right
away. The feet are alright. He could use another step before contact, but it¡¯s
so much better than before. The punch is there. It¡¯s a mass grave. I can dig
it.via GfycatThis is a NFL pass set. If only there was more of it.via GfycatWhat
makes Cajuste so intriguing is that he¡¯s physically strong. He just doesn¡¯t play
strong. Maybe there¡¯s some transcendent meditation, or some pinching and poking,
or bootcamp he can go to that will morph him into a seething, dry wall smashing,
line of scrimmage wasteland creating monster. His major weakness is a
confliction with his body, which even then, is an occasional positive on
professional level blocks. Everything else is here, the feet, pad level, foot
speed, and talent. It all doesn¡¯t fully coalesce often enough for it to be
authentic. 6.) Greg Little (Left Tackle¡ªOle Miss)What do you value? What do you
want? Do you want someone who can more than hold his own in pass protection? Do
you want a ferocious run blocker who will need chips and protection against top
pass rushers? Or are you looking for a combination of both, a player who is a
positive blocker in both aspects of an offense? Depending on what you want will
determine how you feel about Little. I prefer players who can do both, run and
pass block, unless they are spectacular enough at either that you can work with
and deal the rest. If a team needs a pass protecting offensive tackle who will
consistently wall off edge rushers, than Little is a fine option. Little isn¡¯t
an incredible enough pass blocker though to entirely make up for his lack of run
blocking ability. He can do one thing really well. Down blocks are the only
competent run block Little can make well. He can slam down on the defensive
tackle so the pulling blocker will be able to run across freely. When he was
pulling he was a mess. Rarely could he find the second level on any block, and
even when he did, he¡¯d slide down slimy. On one v. one blocks he struggled to
engage the block correctly. Poor head and hand placement would derail him.
Occasional run blocks aren¡¯t why a team will take Little. He¡¯ll be selected in
the first (!) or second round because of his pass blocking. This is an awesome
pass block. I particularly enjoy his base. It¡¯s wide, and quick, and is in
rhythm with his punch.The extension and mirror are nice. I like how he fights
with the pursuing defender, the way he uses his hands to stay on the block, and
the release to protect himself from a holding call.via GfycatLittle doesn¡¯t have
1990s Big Dog strength though. He has enough
strength
Arian
Foster Jersey , but he isn¡¯t bulging enough to dominate pass protection.
This looks nit-picky at first. Little engages the lineman at the stem of the
rush, and he gets the defender off his chest. But the rusher isn¡¯t fully off of
him. Little can¡¯t lock him out. The hands couldn¡¯t be better. He just can¡¯t
fully make it.via GfycatHere he aggressively comes after the inside gap rushing
defensive tackle. Little overruns his mark, and plants his feet. There isn¡¯t a
quick recovery. A stronger offensive tackle could use his cartoonish upper body
to splatter the opened chest and suture the rush. Little doesn¡¯t have it. The
tackle windmills his punch away and scurries to his burrow. The good news is
Little doesn¡¯t give up. He turns on his right foot and slides inside. When the
tackle tries to make a break on the quarterback Little is there to dig him out
and outside the pocket. It makes up for the punch, but it¡¯s required because of
a previous error.via GfycatLittle is an above average pass protector and net
negative in the run game. The pass protection isn¡¯t great enough to make up for
the run game struggles. Even if it never does, Little is a good enough pass
blocker to be a competent professional offensive lineman. This is an alright
find in the second round, but isn¡¯t worth a first round selection. 5.) Cody Ford
(Right Tackle¡ªOklahoma)Take everything said about Little and extrapolate it to
Ford. He¡¯s a plus pass blocker, but usually wins by width and strength, and can
hold his own in pass protection. Ford can¡¯t block the second level, and
struggles at run blocking. The difference is Ford plays right tackle, and even
though he isn¡¯t a great run blocker, he¡¯s good enough at it, and there¡¯s the
potential for it to be a positive in his game. His biggest issue was coming into
the block correctly. Head placement would be wrong. His hands would be in the
incorrect spot. When he did come into the block in good position he could
engage, create movement, time and space. As mentioned with Bobby Evans, Oklahoma
always kept its guard and tackles in a two point stance. It¡¯s difficult to move
the line of scrimmage from this higher vantage point. Ford did complete enough
run blocks to give feelings that there maybe something more here. The steps are
great, same with the pad level and hands. He devours the tackle, and drives him
when he tries to shed and pursue. This is more run blocking than Little
exemplified in college, and because of that, Ford is bumped ahead of him.via
GfycatFord should be a starting right tackle in the pros. He has the frame you
can add strength to. The pass blocking is there. The run blocking should get
better. It¡¯s what a typical second round pick looks like.