Houston Texans NFL Draft 2017: Make A Push For Forrest Lamp?

The NFL Draft is approaching for the Houston Texans with eight days to go and counting.

There is a ton of anticipation in regard to what the Houston Texans will do in regard to the usage of the first pick — currently at No. 25 — at the start of the draft.

Will they trade it to move up?

Will they use it on a quarterback? Offensive line?

One thing’s for sure — we have no idea what the Houston Texans are going to do but all we can hope is that the franchise makes us proud, regardless of what the final decision is.

Although the quarterback is definitely at the top of the list of our needs, we can’t discount the fact that we need to start building our offensive line of the future, just like how our top-notch defense was built over time.

There are some talented linemen in this draft and it would be a shame if the Texans did not snatch one of those guys early.

There’s definitely a guy that the Texans need to hone in on.

Who am I talking about?

A dude none other than Forrest Lamp.

The 6’4,” 309-pound tackle out of Western Kentucky is certainly the real deal and he’s NFL-ready.

There’s nothing that seems to get past him — not only that but he fits the mold of what the Texans look for in a prospect.

What’s the buzzword?

Versatility.

Lamp is the epitome of the aforementioned word as he can not only line up at tackle but at guard and center as well.

This makes his value skyrocket even more as this is a trait that many pro football teams look for in a draftee.

He’s light on his feet, gritty and ensure that his man doesn’t get to the quarterback or the rusher.

Take a look at this clip from Draft Breakdown and notice how stout he is lining up against Alabama this past season, with the exception of late in the game — at the 3:03 mark — where one of their defensive ends gets the best of Lamp, breaking his strong tackle.

As you probably know, Alabama uses a 4-3 defensive set:

But you don’t have to take my word for it, here’s what some of the experts had to say:

Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com:

"“At Western Kentucky, Lamp made 39 straight starts and was a tough lineman at the point of attack. He played left tackle and was a dependable pass protector in an offense that passed on the majority of plays. Lamp got a lot of experience in pass drops on the edge and was impressive with how he protected his quarterbacks.”"

He also added this about his abilities:

"“From a skill-set perspective, Lamp is a technician with his pass blocking projecting very well to the NFL. He has good hand placement and excellent knee bend. He plays with good leverage and doesn’t get caught reaching after defenders. His knee bend helps him to hold his ground, and his hand placement helps him to sustain blocks. He has quality feet to slide and mirror while also getting to the second level in the ground game. Lamp is a well-balanced blocker who was effective in college in both phases. As an interior lineman, Lamp should be a real asset in pass protection.”"

It has been said that he doesn’t necessarily have the frame to be a tackle — he’ll likely have to move to guard — but who knows how he’ll perform once he’s drafted?

SportsTalk 790 and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had to say this about Lamp’s weaknesses:

"“Average frame and might not be able to add much more bulk to it. Lack of height and arm length will likely drive him inside. Expedited engagement on interior could prevent counter-punching style with hands.”"

Despite those knocks, he should be drafted on an NFL team in a heartbeat, considering how well he performed against Alabama, highly-regarded as the closest to an NFL defense one will get to at the collegiate level.

Next: Alabama Tackle Cam Robinson Is In H-Town

Lamp is reliable, having started 39 consecutive games from his sophomore through his senior year for the Hilltoppers.

That’s what WE NEED.

He did visit the Texans last week so who knows that they’ll decide to do with him, they’ll have to get him early if so.

We’ll have to see.

Go Texans.

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