Houston Texans Will Look Hard At Outside Linebacker In The Draft

Nov 29, 2014; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive end Vic Beasley (3) sacks South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Dylan Thompson (17) at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Vic Beasley  (1^st round)

6’3”, 246 – Clemson

Admittedly Beasley may not be there at #16 in the first round, although there seems to be quite a variance with his draft stock among media mock drafters.  I don’t believe we’ll see Beasley go top five as some are predicting, he simply doesn’t fit every team’s scheme.

Beasley is exclusively a 3-4 outside linebacker.  Some teams will see him as a specialist and by the time you remove the 4-3 defense teams and teams that frankly just have more pressing needs, Beasley could slip into the range where the Texans will select or they could trade up if they like him enough.  Although I believe it’s more likely that they trade back at 16 than up.

Jan 3, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers defensive end Vic Beasley (3) during the first half in the 2014 Orange Bowl college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Beasley is an explosive athlete and at this point a pure edge-rusher, but he’s also tremendous athletically and could develop the ability to drop into space and cover.  In the meantime, we know he can rush the passer and reminds many of Bruce Irvin, who the Seahawks drafted a couple years ago.  But Beasley looks like he could develop into more than just a rusher.

Beasley posted a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, pumped up 35 reps in the bench press and an outstanding 6.91 in the cone drill designed to measure quickness and cutting and change of direction ability.

Here is a clip of Beasley against Florida State.

If Beasley is somehow available at 16, I don’t know how the Texans pass on him, even if it means moving Mercilus to the opposite side for this season.  Beasley is the kind of explosive playmakers that you simply can’t pass on if they are the best player available at that point.

With the moves the Texans have made this offseason, they are clearly trying to position themselves to be able to take the best player available and in the first round.  You want difference makers and Beasley is a difference maker.

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