The War Room | HoustonProFootball.com 
February 19, 2006
Pressure Cookers
by Warren DeLuca
HoustonProFootball.com
Note: This is ninth in a series of college prospect profiles in preparation for the 2006 NFL Draft next April. This time we take a look at the top five pass rushing prospects.
One of the greatest failures of the Dom Capers/Vic Fangio defensive regime in Houston was its inability to acquire or develop a pass rusher capable of racking up big sack totals each season. When Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Lamar Lathon, and Tony Brackens were knocking down quarterbacks with regularity in units run by Capers and/or Fangio, the defenses as a whole flourished.
The high-water mark for sacks in a season by a Texan defender is only eight, by Jeff Posey in 2002. While the Texans finished 2005 with, surprisingly, a respectable 37 sacks, they still lack a pass rusher for whom opposing offenses must gameplan to stop.
As the team moves to a base 4-3 defense, most of their outside linebackers will compete for roster spots as weakside defensive end. Shantee Orr led the team in sacks last season with seven, but at only six feet tall, is better suited to be a linebacker. New linebacker coach Johnny Holland wants to keep Antwan Peek at linebacker, but he would seem to benefit the most from a move to end with a simplified job description: get the quarterback. Jason Babin, Charlie Anderson, and Kenneth Pettway have each made little or no impact so far, but could improve in a new scheme.
So while weakside end does not appear to be a major need position from a numbers standpoint, the Texans would gladly welcome an edge rusher who could upgrade the team’s ability to pressure the quarterback. This year’s draft class includes an intriguing group of tweeners. Speedy Tamba Hali of Penn State is relentless. Boston College’s Mathias Kiwanuka’s stock has slipped recently, but he has great size and speed. Manny Lawson of North Carolina State is a physical freak. Kamerion Wimbley could develop into a better player in the NFL than he was at Florida State. Darryl Tapp of Virginia Tech doesn’t have the physical tools of some of the others, but he makes up for it with instincts and effort.
A few more pass rushers to remember:
Mark Anderson, Alabama
Elvis Dumervil, Louisville
Ray Edwards, Purdue
Stanley McClover, Auburn
Quentin Moses, Georgia
Tamba Hali Home
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