Back to the mailbag for another week. Here are some questions that I couldn't get to, including one on the most polarizing prospects in this draft.
Q: @purotejasBBQ - Do you think Bob McNair would allow Rick Smith to draft Joe Mixon if available in the later rounds? Or are we zero tolerance as New England?
A: There's a simple answer to this, combine with a much more complicated reality. Let me explain. For those that don't know who Joe Mixon is, he's a brilliant running back prospect from Oklahoma. 6-1, 226 lb. with sweet moves, speed and incredible hands out of the backfield. He's a complete three-down back who produced tremendous numbers alongside fellow NFL prospect Samaje Perine.
Mixon also sat out his true freshman season in 2014 because he punched a woman in a restaurant in Norman, Oklahoma. The video was released in late 2016 and it became a lightning rod for a number of different topics, including, as it pertains to the question, should Mixon be drafted, and if so, where?
There's almost too much nuance to this situation, but I'll put it this way, 32 unique teams will have different thoughts and theories on the situation. Only one has publicly commented on it - Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
"While I believe in second chances and giving players an opportunity for redemption, I also believe that playing in the NFL is a privilege, not a right. For me, personally, I believe that privilege is lost for men who have a history of abusing women," Kraft told the Boston Herald.
My gut tells me that McNair, Smith, O'Brien and the rest of the Texans building feel the same way. It's been a long standing belief that character concerns and off the field problem children are not fits for this organization and the Mixon situation is well beyond either of those.
As I said, there many layers to this situation and many scouts have said that Mixon isn't a bad guy in the slightest. He just happened to make a horrid mistake that'll haunt him forever. There have been other draft prospects that were brought up on domestic violence charges, then drafted by an NFL team, but never in Houston.
A team will draft Mixon and he should have a long productive career. It is my educated guess that it won't be in Houston.
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Q: @Sean_E… - Are you going to do a Dream mock draft? And then a realistic one?**
A: "Dream mock draft" got me thinking. I woke up from a dream one night thinking about a prospect... which leads me to this question.
Q: @Jeff… - Draft Temple linebacker Haason Reddick to be a cover linebacker, would that work?
A: I'm a huge fan of Reddick and woke up from my slumber a few weeks ago and his name popped directly into my head. Let's you know what I think about when I sleep, but I digress.
I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Reddick is held in high regard by this and many other teams. He can play nearly any linebacker position on the field in any scheme. He can definitely stay on the field for all three downs and he's one of the best overall athletes in this draft.
That combination of skills, though, may not allow him to "fall" to the Texans at No. 25. In fact, I'd be surprised if he's on the board at No. 25.
That said, I'd love a defense that featured a front seven/six of Jadeveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus, Brian Cushing, Benardrick McKinney, D.J. Reader up front, throw in a healthy J.J. Watt and young jedi knight Reddick. I don't know if Reddick's into Star Wars, but I see all Texans defensive players as padawans, as Antonio Smith once called Reader.
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Q: @big… (Marc) - What quarterback would you take: Colin Kaepernick or Jay Cutler?**
A: Do I have to? Okay, if forced to do so, I'd go Cutler just barely over Kaepernick.
Q: @klr… - D'Onta Foreman? Round? Any chance a Texan?
A: Foreman didn't work out at the combine, as we has still getting himself back together after a ton of carries in 2016. He then ran 4.45 at 233 lb. at his pro day a few days ago. That, to me, locked up a 2nd round slot for Foreman. He's faster than the guy many think is the best back in this draft, Leonard Fournette. Foreman isn't a train like Fournette and actually has really good feet for a big back. I think he's gone by the second round, so the Texans may not even have a shot at him in the second, but if still there, I wouldn't hate it, that's for sure.
That said, there are more significant needs and some capable backs to examine in later rounds when it might make more sense to take a running back.
Q: @big… (Marc) - Marcus Williams out of Utah - second round?
A: Yes sir. I really like Williams - tremendous range and ball skills, wow. He's definitely a second rounder in this draft. That round could see a run on safeties for sure - Josh Jones (NC State), Justin Evans (Texas A&M), Budda Baker (Washington) among others.
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Q: @raybiz… - Who do you think Texans Defensive Coordinator Mike Vrabel was watching at Florida Pro Day.**
A: I have a feeling I know, but if I told you, well, you know. #Classified
Q: Marc - What do you think of Washington's safety King? He would be huge for the Texans.
A: Agreed. Except Kevin King is a cornerback. He played safety for a year in 2014, then transitioned over to cornerback opposite Sidney Jones a year later. At 6-3, 200 lb., running in the 4.4 range, with nearly 33-inch arms? He's the type of size, length and speed teams want out of a cornerback. Look at how Jalen Ramsey helped transform the Jacksonville Jaguars defense. King is no Ramsey, then again who is? But, King can play and it helps that he's played safety, but he's going to be a perimeter cornerback.
Q: Ian - What do you think of Brad Seaton as a Texan?
A: Seaton was Villanova's left tackle and a mauler. He wants to physically punish and embarrass defenders. Now, there's some stuff he gets away with because he faced FCS Patriot League defensive ends. He's not picking up Justin Houston and body slamming him anytime soon. That said, he has the perfect mentality and strength to be an NFL lineman in the future. Is he a starter as a rookie? Probably not, but at 6-8, long arms and with an undertaker's mentality, he has a chance down the road.
Ian followed up with a great comment "I like him. He is a bully."
Yep. Good way to finish the mailbag. Thanks for reading, everyone.
