The War Room | HoustonProFootball.com 
April 28-29, 2007
Along for Rick’s First Ride
by Keith Weiland
HoustonProFootball.com
General manager Rick Smith might be leading his first rodeo as the top man at the Texans’ ranch, but he had to be cool in the saddle selecting defensive tackle Amobi Okoye with the tenth overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Smith said he worked though all of his mock scenarios before the Texans found themselves on the clock with the tenth pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, but the Dolphins apparently threw him a curve when they selected receiver and punt returner Ted Ginn, Jr. with the ninth pick.
Okoye, from Louisville, will be entering the season as the league’s youngest player at just 19 years old. Known as an intelligent player with plenty of upside, Pro Football Weekly reported days before the draft that Okoye had admitted to teams he had tried marijuana. The Texans, with an image-conscious owner in Bob McNair, apparently appreciated Okoye’s honesty.
Okoye becomes the team’s fourth first round selection on the defensive line since 2004. Last year, the team made defensive end Mario Williams the first overall pick in the draft following selections of Travis Johnson and Jason Babin in 2005 and 2004, respectively.
How exactly Okoye fits into the defensive line rotation this fall remains to be seen. The team signed Anthony Weaver to a huge free agent contract a year ago, and he might play either end or tackle along with Williams and Johnson. Smith also found success finding defensive tackles late in the year, as names such as Thomas Johnson and Anthony Maddox made significant contributions.
Smith rounded out his first day as head honco in the Texans war room by selecting wide receiver Jacoby Jones of Lane College. Jones, with his enviable size of 6’3" and 210 pounds, was a multi-sport star at a small school. On the football field, he set a school record with 5,380 all-purpose yards, as he returned punts and kicks in addition to his 200 career receptions as a wideout.
On the second day of the draft, the Texans traded down sixteen spots and selected South Carolina cornerback Fred Bennett. Hailing from the same school as owner Bob McNair (and fellow corner Dunta Robinson), Smith is certain to bring a smile to his boss’ face with this Gamecock. Tall at 6’1", Bennett is aggressive in coverage and knocked for being light as a run defender.
With their first selection in the fifth round, the Texans continued to bolster their secondardy in picking up safety Brandon Harrison. Splitting his time between cornerback and safety last season, Harrison (6’2" 225) will push C.C. Brown and Glenn Earl as the starters on the Texans. A three-year starter for Stanford, Harrison was known for being a smart player and team captain.
The Texans must have liked Brandons in the fifth round, because they went for another one in tackle Brandon Frye, using the pick acquired from the Saints after trading down in the fourth round. Frye lacks experience – he started only 11 times for Virginia Tech, but he is very quick (he’s run a sub-5.0 forty) for a man his size (6’4" 302).
In the sixth round, the Texans stayed a bit closer to home, drafting guard Kasey Studdard of the Longhorns. Studdard (6’2" 307) comes from Bronco lineage, his father Dave having played ten seasons in Denver, plus his uncle Les was briefly a center for the Chiefs. Quick and thick, Studdard started three seasons for the Longhorns at guard.
The Texans wrapped up their draft weekend selecting linebacker Zach Diles of Kansas State. Diles had a productive senior season, racking up 99 tackles playing in the middle, but as a seventh round pick, he will have to rely on his burst and change of direction skills to make an impact on special teams.
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