On Monday, I sat down with coach Gary Kubiak in our first Draft Pass segment to evaluate the Texans' 2009 draft class and talk about how the top picks will contribute next season. The player that intrigues me most is defensive end Connor Barwin, a defensive end who converted from a tight end.
Barwin finished last season with 12 sacks and had a virtual highlight reel for Cincinnati. He explodes off the ball and allows the Texans to get creative with their defensive linemen. Here's what Kubiak had to say:
"We see him (Barwin) with his hand down, playing defensive end. But what he does, he gives us flexibility. It's third down and you move him to one end and you move Mario (Williams) wherever you want to put Mario. Antonio (Smith) can go inside and rush the passer, which he has done very well. That does give us some flexibility. But, basically, you start with his athleticism and what he adds to our defense."
