Houston Texans 2015 Draft Board: Character Counts
By Chris Spisak
Sep 14, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Texans owner Bob McNair walks on the field before the start of the game against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum. The Texans defeated the Raiders 30-14. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
With the 2015 NFL Draft less than two weeks away, questions abound as to what teams might do to improve their rosters come April 30. Will they gamble or play it safe? Draft for need or take the best player available? Make a splash by trading up or stockpile picks by trading down? The possibilities are endless.
Unless you’re a fan of the team that resides in Houston, Texas.
One possibility that will absolutely, positively not be entertained is Bob McNair’s Texans rolling the dice on a player with what they deem to be “character issues,” even if that player might very well be the answer at a position of need.
That’s not to say that Houston is ruling out every single player that has been slapped on the wrist over the years. While McNair and company have made no secret of their desire to draft players who have a knack for avoiding off-the-field issues, longtime Houston Chronicle NFL columnist John McClain told House of Houston that the Texans aren’t quite as picky as many seem to think.
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“There’s a falsehood that McNair won’t let Rick Smith draft players with baggage. That’s not true,” McClain said. “What McNair doesn’t want is a pattern of bad behavior.”
Why not? Because McNair believes – and has stated publicly – that those types of individuals are the ones who are quick to point the finger when times get tough, allowing their performance to suffer as a result.
It’s a philosophy that has been fairly successful in keeping the Texans out of the headlines for non-football-related reasons, as they’ve managed to avoid the types of public relations nightmares that have plagued the likes of Baltimore, Minnesota, and New England in recent months.
“The Texans don’t have a team of choirboys,” McClain added, “but there are a few prospects every year who aren’t on their board because of character issues.”
Who are those prospects this year? Here’s a look at five players who would certainly fill a need on the Texans’ roster, but most likely won’t be suiting up in the Deep Steel Blue due to their issues off the field.