What a difference one year makes.
This time last season, the Houston Texans were on their third coach in three years and coming off another three-win campaign. Fast forward 12 months, the former AFC bottom-dwellers sit atop most conference contender rankings heading into offseason workouts.
Houston was active in building a contender, making marquee signings like Danielle Hunter and Azeez Al-Shaair. The Texans also shifted around the draft order by trading multiple picks for running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
With the NFL draft rapidly approaching NFL.com’s Chad Reuter attempted to name two ideal prospects for each team come selection. Houston owns nine picks over six rounds, including two selections in Round 2 (No. 42 and No. 59) and another pair in Round 4 (No. 123, 126).
Texans remaining starter needs: CB
The state of every team ahead of the NFL Draft ⤵️https://t.co/Vz2tkbmmxQ
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) April 10, 2024
For Houston, Reuter penciled in Notre Dame cornerback Cam Hart at pick No. 42. Seventeen picks later, he believes Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper is the ideal option for the second-level of the defense.
Derek Stingley Jr. looked every bit of a future All-Pro cornerback last season, but the opposite of him remains a question mark. Houston agreed to low-risk, high-reward signings with former first-rounders Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson.
Hart is built in DeMeco Ryans’ image for what he covets in corners. At 6-foot-3, 203 pounds with 33-inch arms, Hart’s a springy athlete despite the large frame.
Last month at the combine, Hart posted a 39.5-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 10-foot-10 inches.
Top 10 Most Athletic CB Draft Prospects based on in-game athleticism🚨
Cam Hart
TJ Tampa
Kamari Lassiter
Quinyon Mitchell
Josh Newton
Johnny Dixon
Mike Sainristil
Nate Wiggins
Kalen King
Renardo GreenAbout us: https://t.co/eQpG3v2547 pic.twitter.com/mAJbztNtKH
— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) April 3, 2024
Hart allowed a 67.1 passer rating when targeted and displayed a nose for the end zone at Notre Dame. He returned five turnovers for touchdowns during his time in South Bend.
In 682 snaps, Hart played on the outside in 73% (500 snaps) of plays, according to Pro Football Focus. General manager Nick Caserio also drafted a defensive back in two of his three drafts since taking over for Bill O’Brien
A Pro Bowl linebacker under Gary Kubiak, Ryans grabs one of the draft’s most athletic in Cooper. Last month in Indianapolis, he posted the third-fastest 40-time among linebackers at 4.51 seconds.
Cooper uses his speed to get downhill quickly, beating blockers to the spot and bringing down ball carriers. He was a consensus first-team All-American last season, recording 84 tackles, 17 for loss, 8.0 sacks and two forced fumbles.
A three-year starter in the SEC, Cooper should adapt to the league promptly. The Texans’ recent draft selections suggest they’ll likely target players from prominent conferences to help with the progression to the pros.
Edgerrin Cooper brings a lot to the table. Run defender, coverage, blitzer, QB spy, etc.
34 in arms with 4.5 speed. Cooper has the game of an impact linebacker at the next level! #NFLDraft2024 pic.twitter.com/WoMTSlHpNB
— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) April 13, 2024
Cooper shows good instincts when dropping into zone coverage and possesses the body type to cover running backs and tight ends in the slot.
The addition of Cooper seems surprising after Christian Harris’ breakout year and the Al-Shaair signing. However, the Texans played primarily in nickel coverage due to injuries and inconsistent play.
The smaller front seven plagued Houston in its AFC Divisional Round loss to Baltimore, in which the Ravens repeatedly drove the ball down the field for long periods. Bringing in a linebacker with Cooper’s versatility adds to what Ryans can call.
I mentioned a while back that the Texans were a 4-2-5 defense in 2023, running it over 78% of the time@OurladsFootball have these teams listed as 4-2-5 base w/ this # of LBs on current roster:
BUF (5)
CIN (5)
DAL (6)
THAT (5)
LV (6)
NYG (6)
NYJ (6)— Jayson Braddock (@JaysonBraddock) April 6, 2024
Caserio hit on several draft picks during his tenure, which helped the Texans quickly turn around in 2023. One more solid draft may elevate them into the league’s upper echelon.
2024-04-13 23:02:00
#NFL.com #names #Texans #ideal #draft #picks
