2014 NFL Draft Grade: Houston Texans
Notable Picks
1st Overall: DE Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina)
The Texans deserve some credit for not overthinking this one. Clowney doesn’t fill a glaring need for Houston, but he is easily the most talented prospect of this draft class. With Watt and Clowney on the same team, the Texans might now possess one of the all-time greatest defensive lines.
33rd Overall: OG Xavier Su’a Filo (UCLA)
Su’a Filo was a steal in the second round; he should have gone to the Dolphins at the 19th overall selection rather than JaWuan James, who would have been there for the Dolphins in the second round. Su’a Filo is an instant starter, and the Texans walk away from this draft with the best pass rusher and also the best offensive guard.
83rd Overall: DT Louis Nix (Notre Dame)
Most of the talking heads had Nix pegged as a first or early second round pick. As they did with Su’a Filo, the Texans again secured a lineman with excellent value in relation to his draft position. Expect Nix to start immediately as a nose tackle in Houston’s 3 – 4 defense.
135th Overall: QB Tom Savage (Pittsburgh)
The Texans waited until late in the draft to address their desperate need at the quarterback position. Savage has a big arm, but he is lacking in just about every other skill you look for in a quarterback: he is inaccurate, does not handle pressure well, and consistently displays questionable decision-making. The competition between Savage and incumbent Case Keenum is likely to produce disappointing results for Houston.
Final Grade: B
The Texans did an excellent job improving the lines on both sides of the ball, adding a potential Hall of Fame candidate in Clowney and what should turn out to be high-quality starters in Su’a Filo and Nix. What keeps this grade below an A is that the starting quarterback for Houston will be either Case Keenum or Tom Savage, two players who will be lucky to be backups in the future.
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