philba101

Multiple sources anticipate the Texans opting to go with a defensive end instead of Stroud with those opinions echoed throughout the past month and this week. One league source noted Wednesday night that the Texans have conducted significant due diligence in recent days and weeks about Stroud and have debated the merits of potentially drafting him. They have also discussed, should they not pick Stroud, how they might obtain a quarterback in the draft or via a trade given the wide gamut of opinions on Stroud, a tall, strong-armed pocket passer who showed some ability to go off-script during an impressive performance against Georgia’s elite defense. If the Texans were to draft Stroud, sources emphasized, it would be considered a major surprise at this point and a departure from the direction they’ve been headed in during the latter stages of the draft process. Not drafting Stroud is not expected to have anything to do with him being represented by David Mulugheta, former Texans Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson’s Austin-based agent. It would simply be a football decision based on Stroud’s ability to process on the fly, read defenses and run the Kyle Shanahan-Gary Kubiak offense being installed by offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. https://www.click2houston.com/sports/2023/04/27/nfl-sources-texans-most-likely-draft-scenarios-focus-on-will-anderson-tyree-wilson-and-why-they-may-pass-on-qb/ Even on draft day. Things are as clear as mud.

This would not surprise me. They fired their GM 3/4 of the way through the year last season and he had a good record. The way they finished the season losing their final 7 games did not sit well with ownership (remember when the Colts lost their final two and missed playoffs). This team is ready for change and I think Vrabel is jut bold enough to swing for the fences to do it.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has heard Kentucky QB Will Levis had a positive meeting with the Texans and his personality meshed well with GM Nick Caserio. However, the rest of the league still guesses the Texans will go defense with the No. 2 pick if they can’t trade down, which they aren’t expected to be able to. Houston has kept a pretty tight lid on their plans. One NFC exec told Fowler: “No one knows what they are doing.”

He has no more likelihood of busting than the other three.

Me too, but I doubt anybody will be moving up too far for Levis.

Not likely to happen unless it is true. Because if it is not true, the GM and Coach will want to save face for missing their guy. Also, if you drafted a QB who was not your 1st choice, it won't exactly help the QB to hear that.

It will be really sickening if it is the Titans who jump us. Of course, when Ballard selects at #4 we will get the "this is the guy we wanted the whole time" speech whether it is true or not.

True. Ballard may have an agreement with Arizona that says if you get an offer for #3, will you let us know to give us a chance to beat or match it? But even that is tricky with only 10 minutes to talk to both or (multiple) teams. If there is no offer coming to Arizona then there is really no reason to move up.

It could be Seattle at #5 as well as it seemed like Carroll bonded with AR. They also did a lot of due diligence on the QB's.

Why would the Cardinals agree on this deal with the Colts early? If Stroud or Richardson is the players teams are wanting to trade up for, the Cardinals would wait to see if that actually happens as someone trading below the Colts would have to give up more capital to move to #3. If that trade never materializes then they can always do a trade with the Colts. The problem is, the Colts won't be offering anything to move up. Remember, both Irsay and Ballard have shouted from the mountaintops how elated they are to have the #4 pick. If you are going to draft the best player in the draft at #4 then there is no need to move up.

What you are saying is probably true, but if Ballard fails to get a franchise QB this year or next the last part of your post will still hold true.

Unfortunately, I think your first sentence remains to be seen. I didn't say that Ballard has given out poor contracts or that he is a terrible GM. But, at the end of the day he has to put the personnel together to get this team moving in the opposite direction that it has been going the last two years. If Irsay doesn't see that happening then he is more than justified to move on from Ballard. Like it or not, the QB is the most important position in the NFL right now. Ballard can change the whole trajectory of this team by picking the right QB (with Irsay and Steichen's input). But if he fails to do that again, it will be hard to continue to make excuses for him going forward. There is simply too much at stake to miss on this again.

At some level I think these draft analysts and reporters get asked every day who the Colts are going to pick, if they don't know because they haven't been able to glean any real information from the Colts organization during this process, then they start projecting who they think the Colts will pick instead. Otherwise, they look silly when they are supposed to be insiders and all they can ever say is I don't know who the Colts like. Anybody can get on TV and do that, so they try to get attention by predicting a likely choice instead.

Even with undue influence from Reich, Irsay, or whomever, at the end of the day the GM makes the transactions for his team. It is part of Ballard's record like it or not. Ballard's #1 priority should have been to draft or acquire a franchise QB the second Luck walked out the door. The fact that we are still waiting for this four years later is part of Ballard's legacy whether he listened to Reich or not. If he fails to somehow get the job done yet again, he will be fired sooner rather than later. I think most people will agree that after six years under Ballard we assumed the franchise would be in a stronger position then where we landed at the end last year's dismal season. Even Irsay has stated the following within the past few months: “Everyone knows when you’re going in the right direction, even if you’re 6-11, you can tell,” (That was not the feeling at the end of last season) Irsay recently said from the league owners’ meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer. “That’s what we wanna see and feel.” “Everyone has to be successful to keep their job, if you’re a general manager or head coach,” Irsay added. “I really feel that he’s not on some quick, hot seat. But the expectations are there.”

If the reports are true and after all this time the Colts have no consensus on a QB they like, that could very well mean they aren't taking one at #4. This was always a possibility with Ballard still at the helm.

The Colts might have a consensus favorite but what they don't know is if that player will be there when they pick at #4. Since that is not likely to change (their draft position), then they have contingency plans should the guy they want no longer be available when they pick. It is very risky for sure

Exactly. But Young's camp also knows he is going in the top 5. At some point excessive workouts are only risky and don't benefit a player who is expecting to go high. If your QB client is just trying to make a team in the NFL then it might be different.

That actually makes some sense since the Carolina GM denied that they asked him to cancel visits and they hadn't guaranteed him they would take him at that point. I have also thought that at some point as an agent you have to tell teams they need to be satisfied with what your QB has put on tape, and in private workouts and meetings. There is too much risk doing continued workouts for every team when you know your client is expected to go in the top 5.

Yeah, I think if you could trade down and still get Stroud you would have to be pleased with that. I did hear that the Raiders were not interested in any QB except Stroud or Young so I would want a confirmation if trading with them that the weren't moving up to get Stroud.

If Richardson and Stroud are both available at #4 and we go with Richardson, I would have to believe that Steichen preferred him in that case. Of course we don't know who Steichen likes. We only know that he values accuracy and he wants to throw the ball to score points, and run the ball to win.

I bet you could get some good odds on that prediction.

Possibly, they should know Ballard by now. He is not spending significant draft capital to move up. It is not going to happen.

SPOILER ALERT! Levis? Levis? Levis? My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Levis at 31 Flavors last night. He says he is going #1. I guess he was pretty serious. Thank you, Simone. images.jfif

Wow! I was just joking around about Reich. Is he really considering taking Levis?

I apologize if someone else already posted this: Interesting draft note I heard today. Anyone know who the last QB was to be selected with the #4 overall pick? Philip Rivers