The War Room | HoustonProFootball.com 
April 30, 2005
The Rang Review
by Warren DeLuca
HoustonProFootball.com
Did the Texans make the right moves on draft day, and have they added enough talent to make the jump from also-ran to a team to be reckoned with? Only time will tell, but the speculation is well underway among the Houston faithful. Not wanting to be left out, we asked Rob “Boomer” Rang of NFLDraftScout.com for his thoughts on the Texans’ fourth draft and other recent moves as they gear up for what they hope will be their first run at the playoffs.
HPF: The Texans’ draft started a few days early when they traded two picks to for CB Philip Buchanon. How do you assess the team’s cornerback situation now with Buchanon but minus Aaron Glenn?
Rang: Obviously it is a more athletically gifted group with Buchanon on the roster. That said, Buchanon hasn’t been the picture of consistency for the Raiders since being drafted in the first round. You have to like the fact that the Texans targeted a veteran who is used to being opposite a true shutdown corner, as Buchanon has played his entire career opposite Charles Woodson. Dunta Robinson certainly showed that kind of ability as a rookie and appears poised to become one of the top cornerbacks in the entire league. The Texans have experience at the nickel and dime positions, but cornerback, after Robinson and Buchanon, cannot be considered a team strength.
HPF: Charley Casserly surprised many Texan fans by trading down with Derrick Johnson still on the board, and then created a stir again when he took Travis Johnson over Marcus Spears. What do you think of those moves?
Rang: Trading away from Derrick Johnson wasn’t a big surprise to us, as we had heard the Texans had several players higher on their board than the former Longhorn. Adding collegiate defensive tackle Travis Johnson over the seemingly classic 3-4 defensive end Marcus Spears, however, is a decision that could define the Texans 2005 draft. No one is denying Johnson’s talent. He proved to be the nation’s most unstoppable defensive tackle last season and has the athleticism and size to make the transition to the 3-4 defensive end or remain inside at nose tackle. Most teams had Spears ranked higher than Johnson. That said, Charley Casserly is among the top talent scouts in this business. Most teams had DeAngelo Hall ranked higher than Dunta Robinson, too.
HPF: What qualities does Johnson add to the Houston defensive line rotation? Do you see him as a nose tackle, end, or both?
Rang: Johnson’s quickness off the snap is one of the more intriguing qualities he possesses. He also shows good strength at the point of attack and is athletic enough to locate the ball and pursue the action. Johnson might project best to the outside in the 3-4 because of this athleticism, but his quick, strong hands and burst make him a possibility to remain on the center, as he did for much of his career with the Seminoles. This versatility very well may have been the deciding factor in the Texans choosing Johnson over Spears, who is best served remaining at end.
HPF: Dom Capers has said that RB Vernand Morency has a running style similar to that of Domanick Davis. How is Morency different than Davis?
Rang: Morency is a slightly bigger back and isn’t the natural receiver, but as Capers mentioned, is an eerily similar prospect to Davis. Both play faster than their timed speed and can make defenders miss in the open field. There were plenty of bigger backs the Texans could have added if they were looking for a compliment to Davis. Morency, a player capable of surprising if given the opportunity, may have been added as a virtual Davis clone should the former LSU Tiger miss extended time.
HPF: Do you think Morency could challenge Davis for his starting job at some point?
Rang: Possibly. Morency is a talented back who fits this offense nicely. That said, Davis’ ability as a receiver could be the deciding factor which keeps Morency on the sideline.
HPF: WR Jerome Mathis showed his big-play ability in college and blazing speed at the combine. How hard is it going to be for him to adjust from the I-AA Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to the NFL?
Rang: It is going to be difficult. Not only is Mathis making the transition from the MEAC, he is a prospect who has been able to dominate his level of competition with just his physical abilities. Mathis is a prospect who needs considerable work in his route-running, and he drops more passes than he should as well. There is no denying his instant impact ability or potential to develop into a star, but he’s got a lot of work to do still.
HPF: The Texans were impressed with C/G Drew Hodgdon’s play against top competition such as Luis Castillo, Mike Patterson, and Shaun Cody. Why was Hodgdon a fifth-rounder and not an early pick like those guys?
Rang: Hodgdon lacks the size potential and pure athleticism of the higher ranked center prospects. His best attributes are his quickness, consistency, and technique. He lacks great strength at the point of attack and is more of a wall-off blocker than a dominator. That said, I like Hodgdon’s tenacity and work ethic and could seem him enjoying a long career in the league.
HPF: What are safety C.C. Brown’s strengths and weaknesses?
Rang: C.C. Brown is the classic in-the-box strong safety prospect. He is a physical safety who likes to hit and is at his best playing the run and the short to medium passing game. He lacks the great agility and speed for deep coverage and obviously has to answer questions about his level of competition in coming from Louisiana-Lafayette.
HPF: Does Kenneth Pettway have the athletic ability to have a chance to eventually develop into a quality 3-4 outside linebacker?
Rang: I certainly believe so, as does NFLDraftScout.com’s renowned biographer, Dave Te Thomas. For those that aren’t members to NFLDraftScout.com, you can read dozens of Dave Te’s profiles for free at NFL.com. Dave Te lists Pettway as one of the more underrated prospects in the entire draft. Pettway’s natural position would appear to be weakside linebacker in the 3-4. He is a terrific athlete with instincts and burst. He can be physical, but he struggles some releasing from blocks and, while athletic, is at his best rushing the passer rather than playing in coverage. Interestingly enough, Dave Te compares Pettway to another player the Texans are familiar with, Jason Babin.
HPF: In your opinion, will the Texans enter the 2005 season as legitimate playoff contenders?
Rang: Contenders, yes. Guaranteed, certainly not. Pittsburgh has a chance to fall off a bit, I believe. Plaxico Burress gave the club a legitimate downfield threat and he might be might be harder to replace than his mediocre statistics reflect. Jacksonville is a team I am quite high on, mostly because I see their defensive line and quarterback making big improvements in 2005. Tennessee should struggle. Houston has a great deal of talent and a quarterback who I believe is on the verge of developing into the league’s better young signal callers. With the talent at cornerback, the time for the Houston pass rush to spring to life is here. The Texans will only go as far as their pass rush. I anticipate a 9-7 type season, contending for the playoffs into the final weeks.
Rob Rang has built a reputation as one of the top independent scouts in the industry. He recently joined NFLDraftScout.com as a Senior Analyst. His contributions to that organization include player rankings, mock drafts, feature articles, all-star game coverage, and interview requests.
Thanks to Rob Rang once again for his time and insights. 
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