Everybody seemingly has a stance on what the Houston Texans should do with the first overall pick in May’s NFL Draft, including 12-year NFL quarterback Kurt Warner. The quarterback-turned-analyst told HoustonTexans.com that he considers Johnny Manziel the most intriguing quarterback, but Jadeveon Clowney the most intriguing prospect.
“Now without that quarterback position, I think I’m more intrigued,” Warner said. “I think Johnny Manziel is the guy that intrigues me the most but I think Clowney is such a rare, physical specimen, a guy that you’re not going to see very often in this business, and because I have a few questions about the quarterback position, I’d probably go that direction.”
This debate boils down to whether the Texans need to address the quarterback position right away or draft who they consider the best player available, then wait to nab their future signal-caller until Round 2 or later. It’s a conundrum that is much-discussed and will continue to be up until commissioner Roger Goodell stands up at the podium in Radio City Music Hall to announce the pick.
While we have an inkling of how the Texans may proceed come May, there is less certainty regarding the San Francisco 49ers picking 30th overall. The Niners have needs in the secondary, defensive line, and at wide receiver, and perhaps the team is considering making a splash.
According to NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, San Fran could target a wide receiver like Oregon State’s Brandin Cooks at No. 30, but given that the team has six picks in the first three rounds, the team could put together a package to move up in the draft. If the team moves up, it could go after Clemson’s Sammy Watkins, who is expected to be a top-10 pick.
“If they have a player they want to target, they could go up and get a real difference maker,” Jeremiah said. “Maybe a player like Sammy Watkins starts to slide closer to that 10th overall pick. If you’re (49ers general manager) Trent Baalke, maybe you say, ‘Let’s go all in and grab a difference maker.'”
Sticking with the theme of receivers, Marqise Lee is making a trip to the Baltimore Ravens this week, The Baltimore Sun reported.
The former USC standout was the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore and previously won the Biletnikoff Award, given the nation’s best wide receiver. Lee is currently projected to fall to the New York Jets at No. 18 in the XN Sports Mock Draft 1.0, pending if the team acquires DeSean Jackson, but the Ravens will have the edge with the No. 17 pick ahead of New York.
“I liked talking with the Ravens,” Lee told the Sun at the NFL Scouting Combine. “That was a fun, good meeting. We’ll see if they pick me in May, you never know.”
