Jimmy Garoppolo the top target at QB for Houston Texans?
Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois) poses for a photo during the NFL Draft red carpet arrivals at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Texans have the 33rd pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the best prospect in the class in Jadeveon Clowney, and a gaping hole at quarterback. Despite their need to draft a franchise quarterback, the Texans primary goal is to trade down from the 33rd overall pick, which isn’t really a surprise. That said, the NFL Network’s Albert Breer recently reported that Louis Nix is a top target for the Texans, the team likes Derek Carr, and Zach Mettenberger is in play for them in the third round of the draft.
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Now, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports that “the current buzz in league circles” states that the Texans are looking to draft Eastern Illinois Panthers quarterback prospect Jimmy Garoppolo, who is a top second-round option for teams looking to snag a QB. This, of course, is if the Texans aren’t able to find a suitable trading partner, insinuating that Garoppolo is the top QB on their board right now above the likes of Carr and Mettenberger.
Garoppolo is one of the draft’s most intriguing small-school quarterbacks, and ideally the Texans could still draft him after trading down. I’m not a big fan of his, but he has good physical tools, a quick release, and developmental upside. His decision-making is significantly worse than some think and he struggles mightily under pressure, so I would rather take him in the third if I were the Texans.