Like many other Texans fans, I'll be heading out to the Texans Draft Day Party at Reliant Stadium on Saturday to watch the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
The Texans have always done a nice job of hosting these draft day events. It's a good time to go out and mix and mingle with other fans after the long offseason. You can watch the draft day proceedings on one of the multiple television screens set up in the Verizon West Club area, you can take a locker room tour, you can get players' autographs or you can simply enjoy the camaraderie of fellow Texans fans and cheer their first choice of the draft – hopefully. It's worth checking out if you haven't attended one of these events.
This draft has a different feel to it and I'm hoping it's because of this new era we're entering as opposed to the uneasiness I'm trying to suppress because of the mixed results on past Day One's.
It's hard to believe this is the sixth Texans draft. I remember sitting on the turf with a group of 7th graders at the Astrodome in 2002 watching as the Texans made their first pick in franchise history – and now those same kids are graduating from high school next month.
I remember the following year, milling around in what's now called the Methodist Training Center, a.k.a. "The Bubble," watching as the Texans drafted Andre Johnson.
I recall in 2004, the first year the Texans had the draft party at the Verizon Club at Reliant, when the Texans chose Dunta Robinson. I also recall the 'surprise' when I got home, turned on ESPN and heard Chris Mortensen say that the Texans had traded several picks to the Titans to move back into the first round to draft Jason Babin.
I recall in 2005 watching from my guest seat in the media room downstairs at Reliant as the Texans traded down, deciding that Travis Johnson was a better option than Jammal Brown or Derrick Johnson.
Then there was last year, when the draft day event took on a bit of a surreal tone when the Texans shocked everyone the night before by announcing they would select Mario Williams with the first pick overall.
Aside from the outright shock of the first pick, the Texans draft in '06 was very good. People seem to forget about DeMeco Ryans, Charles Spencer, Eric Winston, and Owen Daniels. And who knows – now that Mario will be playing one position, and one position only - this could be his breakout year.
I hope the Texans never pick first again, or in the top 10 for that matter. And I have a feeling that Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak are just the guys to make that not happen. I sense that we've finally stopped digging.
Another reason I'm glad draft day is here is because in a few short days, sports talk radio will get back to semi-normal – with Monday Morning GM's replacing a relentless group of Preposterous Trade Suggesters who thankfully will be sent back into hibernation for another year.
"Hi guys, first-time caller - long-time listener, the previous caller stole my thunder, but can we trade our No.10 and Sage Rosenfels to the Browns for the No.3 overall so we can draft Calvin Johnson or Adrian Peterson? I'll hang up and listen."
And yes that was an actual call to SportsRadio610.
In more important matters, if you're asking me what the Texans will do with the No.10 pick overall on Saturday, I can unequivocally tell you that...I have no idea.
I don't pay much attention to the mock drafts like I used to – is there anyone out there who doesn't have one? But like many of you, I do pay attention to the various Top 100 lists and study talent and team needs, trying to piece together the various fits.
The story of the draft for the Texans is not having second-round picks for the next two years due to the trade for Matt Schaub.
I'm very interested in recouping at least one of the second rounders, even at the expense of dropping down 10 spots or so. That is, if the Texans can find a willing trade partner.
And there's the rub. In order to find a willing trade partner, there needs to be a player who is still there at No. 10 that has perceived 'high value.' If through some miracle LaRon Landry, Adrian Peterson, or Gaines Adams are still on the board at No. 10, I don't want to be in the building if the Texans decide to pass. But that's probably what it's going to take to find a willing trade down partner.
The best thing that could happen is for Brady Quinn to still be on the board at No.10. The Texans won't be drafting a QB in the first round this year, but there will undoubtedly be any number of teams wanting to trade up a few spots to get Quinn in the unlikely event he falls that far.
If there's a guy at No.10 that the Texans really like, they'll probably take him and we should all be happy with the pick. Just make sure you have something to do for the next 3-4 hours because, count 'em, *62 *first-, second- and third-rounders will go off the board before the Texans pick again.
Currently, the Texans have the No.10 (first round) and No.73 (third round) picks overall. In a trade down scenario, it's possible that the Texans could pick up another draft choice in the No.50 neighborhood by moving down to around No.20.
Moving into the No.20 neighborhood means getting someone like OT Joe Staley, CB Chris Houston, or maybe even WR Robert Meacham, while recouping a second-rounder in the process.
In a recent radio interview on SportsRadio 610, Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said don't be surprised if the Texans draft one or two WRs in this draft. It's a deep WR draft and there will definitely be some WR talent still on the board in the late second round.
So which would you rather have, No.10 and No.73, or No.20, No.50, and No.73?
I like the latter because then it would be possible for the Texans to come out of Day One with a left tackle, a wide receiver, and a defensive back in the top 73 picks. But again, that would most likely mean that the Texans are leaving a seriously good prospect on the board at No.10 - at least in the eyes of a few teams and more than a few fans.
Let me hear your thoughts.
You can email Alan Burge at: ajtexans@yahoo.com
