2008 Houston Texans Draft Report

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The Houston Texans have yet to win a Super Bowl, a conference championship or even a divisional title. Then again, you also have to remember that the Houston Texans have a relatively short history, first being formed in 2002. This team’s creation gave Texas a second reason to be proud, besides the Dallas Cowboys. Or at least, it would have in theory had the Houston Texans actually won football games. This has been a problem for quite some time, though if you analyze the history, you will see that the Texans are getting consistently better. In fact, 2007 marked the first season that the Texans did not turn in a losing season. What are experts predicting for the Texans, particularly stemming from the franchise’s involvement with the NFL Draft?

The team had seven picks in the 2008 Draft, though they originally had five after trading their 2nd round pick to the Atlanta Falcons and their 6th round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for some top level talent. (Namely quarterback Matt Schaub and center Chris Myers) After this, the Texans traded their first-round pick with the Baltimore Ravens for their third and sixth-round selections and first-round pick. The game was well negotiated and the Houston Texans managed to get seven impressive draft choices.

The team ended up with the following players: (Some acquired from the Ravens): offensive tackle Duane Brown from Virginia Tech, cornerback Antwaun Molden from Western Kentucky, running back Steve Slaton from West Virginia, linebacker Xavier Adibi from Virginia Tech, defensive tackle Frank Okam from Texas, safety Dominique Barber from Minnesota and quarterback Alex Brink from Washington State.

How did the media and Houston fans react to these draft picks? Feelings were optimistic throughout the city and especially around the Reliant Stadium. Duane Brown was the most popular choice and not coincidentally the first round pick. The team’s coach went on to say that the team had kept their eye on Brown for quite a while, as he seemed to fit in well with the team strategy. Not only did the Texans score some heavy talent this year, they also filled some needs that have been lacking in the way of left tackle, cornerback and running back positions. Antwaun Molden and Steve Slaton were also fan favorites as they boosted the team’s athleticism, Slaton in particular targeted for “big plays.”

Xavier Adibi has also turned some heads by scoring 115 tackles, with three sacks and 12 tackles for loss; then he impressed the Texans ever further with his pro day performance, running the big 40 in less than 5 seconds. Naturally, management was keen on Adibi’s athletic ability, quickness and ability to easily change directions. Okam must have been a sentimental victory, as this player was already in Texas playing for the Longhorns. His size, impressive at 6’5 and over 300 pounds, certainly brings a defensive advantage that the team previously lacked.

Barber was also listed as a favorite thanks to his natural ability, perhaps genetically gifted since he is the brother of Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowler Marion Barber and son of Marion Barber Jr. a former New York Jets running back.

Texans have every reason to be excited as the year begins as they hope to make this season their best yet.

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write by wilson