Houston Texans Rumors: 3 players and mistakes to avoid in the NFL Draft
By T.A. Mock
Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
I know I just stepped up on my soapbox to discuss why it would be a colossal mistake to not address the offensive line early and often in the draft so, how can I sit here now and tell you that the team needs to avoid an offensive tackle with a five-star pedigree and three years of starting experience?
Well, Greg Little is a slight exception to that. He checks a lot of the boxes that the team should want at left tackle. He’s massive, has the pedigree, has the experience in the SEC nonetheless, and was a very good lineman at Ole Miss.
However, there is a case to be made that Little is entering the draft with little improvements from when he entered Ole Miss as a freshman. He’s always been able to win with size and strength while in high school and in college.
Little was also supposed to be an athletic specimen who would impress at the Combine. However, he was touted as a Combine “loser” by many outlets. The Draft Network’s Jon Ledyard had this to say about Little at the Combine:
Related Story. Three offensive tackles to target in the NFL draft. light
"Owner of the second-worst 40 and the third-worst vertical jump, Little didn’t impress in most of the drills he did do at the Combine, but it may have been the on-field workout where he looked the most concerning. He moves well on tape, but his movements are unorthodox and his footwork can look different on a rep-to-rep basis. I like Little as a developmental prospect that needs significant technical improvements, however understanding what he is right now as a player will be important for teams."
Targeting Little in the first round would be a mistake. There are other tackles and guys on the interior who are more sure things that the team can target. I could potentially get on board with Little in the second round but in the first round, he would be a mistake.
His tape is too inconsistent, as Ledyard pointed out, and he is just a little awkward on the field right now. There are also some work ethic concerns since he has always been considered a top player so, he’s never had to have a chip on his shoulder. So far, the Texans haven’t been the best at developing offensive linemen so, they need to look for more established players in the first round.