Barwin vs. Mathews

[GroovyTexan]

Here is one that we haven't discussed yet. Assuming we go OLB in the first - Barwin may turn out to be the better pick of the two for us. Barwin grades out better than Mathews in these two reports below and has more game film to evaluate him.

Barwin is full of talent.

Barwin
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/556598

Mathews
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/504552

Anyone think the Texans could give him a higher grade than Mathews?

[TheLBCoach]

I can't say it enough. Barwin is a better player than Matthews and has a higher ceiling.

Also, there are two T's in Clay Matthews' last name.

[GroovyTexan]

I can't say it enough. Barwin is a better player than Matthews and has a higher ceiling.

Also, there are two T's in Clay Matthews' last name.

I may be coming around to the same conclusion, even on the spelling of Matthews! :)

Seriously, Barwin graded 100% in athletic ability. I haven't seen another player that grades 100% in that category. He is also equally as fast as Clay but is about 15 pounds bigger. He had better production in college than Clay too:

"Changes came on several fronts for the former tight end in 2008. Barwin switched to jersey No. 5 from No. 89, also moving to the other side of the ball as the team's starting right defensive end. The defensive end registered 53 tackles (27 solos) as he led the Big East Conference and ranked seventh in the nation with 12.0 sacks, breaking the NCAA major college single-season record for most sacks by a player in his first season on defense. He paced the team and ranked second in the league with 17.0 stops for losses, led the Bearcats and Big East with 20 quarterback pressures and blocked three kicks while also catching one pass for a 1-yard score."

Kubes can even bring Barwin in for a double TE set at the goalline as he played TE for most of his college career. He certainly ought to be able to cover TEs if he was a former one.....

He can also lign up at DE on 3rd down passing situations with his size and speed and probably have more of an impact than Mathews.

Very intriguing thought going with Barwin at 15. Maybe moreso than going with Mathews.

[Texian]

Anyone think the Texans could give him a higher grade than Mathews?

Nope, I think your out there on that limb all by yourself.

[jxjx999]

Barwin still has not played OLB. TE, DE, and I think at the combine he mentioned lining up at ILB once. He is definitely a hell of an athlete, but at 15 I hope we don't take a projected "30" Front OLB.

[houstonsportsfan09]

I wouldnt mind Barwin but I'd consider a trade down first with a team before NE.

[blake1776]

If we trade down near the end of the 1st round then I'd be okay with it. I want the sexy pick, Jenkins or Matthews, as I think both are going to be game changers.

I can just see Matthews lighting up Manning like he did in those highlight videos (drool...)

[TexansRage123]

if we dont get jenkins...i want to trade down and get barwin. i dont like matthews. he is all hype cause of his family. and blitzing is harder in the NFL then college. since the lineman and RB's are stronger. i dont think matthews can be as effective.

[Texian]

if we dont get jenkins...i want to trade down and get barwin. i dont like matthews. he is all hype cause of his family. and blitzing is harder in the NFL then college. since the lineman and RB's are stronger. i dont think matthews can be as effective.

How many times do you have to say this each day??? Do you have a quota????

[TexansRage123]

not really..im just sayin...we WONT get matthews....

[Smokedawg]

if we dont get jenkins...i want to trade down and get barwin. i dont like matthews. he is all hype cause of his family. and blitzing is harder in the NFL then college. since the lineman and RB's are stronger. i dont think matthews can be as effective.



I agree perfectly!!! He reminds me of Jason Babin

[Wolf6151]

if we dont get jenkins...i want to trade down and get barwin. i dont like matthews. he is all hype cause of his family. and blitzing is harder in the NFL then college. since the lineman and RB's are stronger. i dont think matthews can be as effective.


Agreed, although if we miss on Jenkins I wouldn't mind Darius Butler or Vontae Davis either. Connor Barwin will be a much better player in the NFL than Matthews. Matthews is all hype because of his name and would be a 3rd round pick if his last name were anything but Matthews.

[TexansRage123]

yeah i like butler and davis even though davis has question marks all around him. but malcom jenkins is a beast. hopefully saints get sumthin else..they are only person we could lose him too...

[houstonsportsfan09]

yeah i like butler and davis even though davis has question marks all around him. but malcom jenkins is a beast. hopefully saints get sumthin else..they are only person we could lose him too...

I could perhaps see GB taking him, if not perhaps the Saints but I think Saints are going RB(Wells) or perhaps LB.

[TexansRage123]

GB is switchin to a 3-4...they have other needs towards that first..they are expected to get BJ Raji...Saints Wont go wells..they got Bush+ Pierre Thomas who stepped up when injuries took over...LB...idk...they re signed johnathon Vilma...and have scott fujita..corner is a bigger need...since they let mike mckenzie go...but they also signed jabari greer and darren sharper...so they could head a diff way...

[GoldenHolden]

With Kubiak and Smith possibly losing their jobs without improvement this year, I don't see the Texans taking a guy that is a project and has never played the position he is being drafted for. Im not saying Barwin won't be good, but I don't see him making an impact for a couple of years.

[steelbtexan]

Barwin is the guy I've been wanting after a trade down.

[vanknights2002]

I would take him in the second, if we took Malcolm Jenkins in the first.

[steelbtexan]

I bet you would.

He wont be there in the 2nd.

[GroovyTexan]

I think Barwin would be the perfect fit for us - better than Matthews - but I am not saying we should take him at 15 because I agree - he is a riskier pick than Matthews at 15 for the 2009 season. But if we do take him, we can afford to develop him as Diles can start the season at SAM. Initially, Barwin can be the guy that comes in on 3rd and long and plays DE when we slide Smith over to DT. Over the course of the season, I can see him starting over Diles. With Barwin, we get that outside speed rusher, our future SAM, and a pro bowl type of special teamer in one guy. I think he would be that impact guy, moreso than Matthews, that we need on our defense.

Look, the guy is super mario 2. He can cover (Barwin played basketball in college, so you know he is fluid getting up and down the court/field) and he is a better rusher than Matthews due to his size, speed, and combination of moves. Matthews is not going to bull rush anyone but Barwin can. Take a look at his speed and size and his production in college - after only one year of defense. His ceiling is ultra high.

I like both Matthews and Barwin and know that Kubes/Smith will make the right decision for our 15th pick - no matter who it ends up being. I just have a good feel about this Barwin kid.

[GroovyTexan]

Anyone know who Trent Cole is? he is a DE that plays for the Eagles and he like Barwin played at Cincinnati.

http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/TrentCole.html

Barwin is not going to be another Jason Babin.

Barwin's highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u79CJdrxZbo

He might just be that speed rusher we need to play opposite of Mario - and he can play SAM too.

[mmtex63]

With Kubiak and Smith possibly losing their jobs without improvement this year, I don't see the Texans taking a guy that is a project and has never played the position he is being drafted for. Im not saying Barwin won't be good, but I don't see him making an impact for a couple of years.

possibly losing their jobs? for what not winning the superbowl in 4 years -give me and every real texan fan a break;give em a chance and we'll see

[houstonsportsfan09]

possibly losing their jobs? for what not winning the superbowl in 4 years -give me and every real texan fan a break;give em a chance and we'll see

They may not lose their job but they are on the hot seat. Another 8-8 or worse season, and they could be gone, especially with a favorable schedule.

[mmtex63]

did mr. mcnair have some sort of make believe press confrence that i missed or is this something you'd like to see? i myself believe that R.S is doing one helluva job -KUBES needs to sharpen up on a few things ,but i believe he will be allright. don't believe for one second that because a few fans type a couple of negetive threads that the g.m and h.c are gonna be history with a another 8-8 year. we have no clue when and what management will do== all i hope for ,.is they'll do the right thing.

[houstonsportsfan09]

did mr. mcnair have some sort of make believe press confrence that i missed or is this something you'd like to see? i myself believe that R.S is doing one helluva job -KUBES needs to sharpen up on a few things ,but i believe he will be allright. don't believe for one second that because a few fans type a couple of negetive threads that the g.m and h.c are gonna be history with a another 8-8 year. we have no clue when and what management will do== all i hope for ,.is they'll do the right thing.

I assume this is directed at me? Well let's just say we go 8-8 again are you going to sit back and believe everything is ok? Obviously not, 6-10, 8-8, 8-8, ? You can't tell me you'd be happy with another 8-8 season. I even think Kubiak knows he is on the hot seat. This is in essence "put up or shut up" year. No more excuses going into year 8. Actually Mr. McNair sorta did have a "make believe press conference". He sat down with Brooke Bentley a couple of weeks ago.


Brooke Bentley: Finally, a lot of people are saying this is the Texans year to get over the hump. How much pressure is on this team to go to the playoffs?

Bob McNair: I don’t know how much pressure there is on us to do it. But I can just tell you, from our standpoint, we are very impatient about it. It’s what we fully expect, so I guess we put the pressure on ourselves. We need to improve our defense. Our offense was number three in the league; our defense was 22nd. We jus need to step up what we are doing on the defensive side of the ball. (Defensive coordinator) Frank Bush is our new coordinator there and he has a lot of enthusiasm. He is going to be very aggressive and I think fans are going to like the way we play defense with Frank. We were very close last year and there is no reason why with a little luck and the way the ball might bounce this year that we will go a long ways, and that’s what we expect to do. I’m looking forward to it. I’m ready and I know our fans are ready. I’m tired of not being in the playoffs. When the playoffs start, I want us still to be playing.

In case you missed it, he is getting impatient.

[Coach]

agreed this is a put up or shut up year for kubiak...i think he's a good coach who can get the job done but i think it's time to be a little harder on the guys and push them for that playoff run...plus it's time for a few of these bad breaks to go our way

[blake1776]

a .500 team with the #3 offense is no reason to fire a coach. If we go 4-12 next season then maybe, but I think Kubiak is safe, we can't go changing head coaches all the time.

[GoldenHolden]

possibly losing their jobs? for what not winning the superbowl in 4 years -give me and every real texan fan a break;give em a chance and we'll see

If we are at .500 again, yea I think one or both of them will be gone. Don't get me wrong, I like Kubes and Smith but if they can't cut it they gotta go. Four years is more than enough time to get a team into the playoffs or atleast to a winning record. Find me a coach that is allowed to stick around after four straight seasons without a winning season. There may be one or two in the last 20 years. Smith has done ok but thus far his only GREAT draft pick has been Slaton. He hasn't really impressed in the free agent department either. Granted it is too early to really analyze his draft selections but there is no doubt he has room for improvement.

[GroovyTexan]

If we are at .500 again, yea I think one or both of them will be gone. Don't get me wrong, I like Kubes and Smith but if they can't cut it they gotta go. Four years is more than enough time to get a team into the playoffs or atleast to a winning record. Find me a coach that is allowed to stick around after four straight seasons without a winning season. There may be one or two in the last 20 years. Smith has done ok but thus far his only GREAT draft pick has been Slaton. He hasn't really impressed in the free agent department either. Granted it is too early to really analyze his draft selections but there is no doubt he has room for improvement.


Why would both the GM and head coach have to go at the same time? That is a very very silly statement. the GM is responsible for personnell and contracts. It appears to me that Rick Smith is doing a fantastic job in this area. Smith is not the guy coaching the players and he cannot help if Kubes is not getting the utmost out of them or making poor calls during the game (which I would agree that he has made some bonehead calls). Kubes will be gone before Smith is. McNair won't just sweep both of them out together. Recall that Kubes came on board 6 months before Smith did. So, Smith wasn't responsible for hiring Kubes.

This whole idea that Smith and Kubes have one more season to win is ridiculous. You ever tried running a business or anyting else? If the business is generally moving in the right direction, you don't fire someone after one lousy year. You fire them after about 2 or 3 lousy years back to back. Smith and Kubes inherited the worst team in the league and I think they are doing a heck of a job with bringing the Texans back from being one of the poorest run teams in the league for 4 years. There are only 4 guys left from the CC era. Can you believe that? Over 40 draft picks and 40 FA signings and 4 guys are still here. CC put together a team with basically no talent and Smith and Kubes have had to start over. It is almost like our franchise started 3 years ago. If we make the playoffs in 2009, it will be an unbelievable accomplishment for those two and the team as a whole. We are just going to get better and better, in terms of consistency, after each draft. That is something worth waiting for.

[blake1776]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Texans_draft_history

Count how many of the players C&C drafted that are starting ANYWHERE in the league... oh wait 4...

[Smokedawg]

Anyone know who Trent Cole is? he is a DE that plays for the Eagles and he like Barwin played at Cincinnati.

http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/TrentCole.html

Barwin is not going to be another Jason Babin.

Barwin's highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u79CJdrxZbo

He might just be that speed rusher we need to play opposite of Mario - and he can play SAM too.

I was talking about Clay Mattews, he reminds me of Jason Babin

[outofhnd]

its easy to speculate who you think will and will not be a great player.

I just hope we dont do something with our first pick and draft Sanchez. :p

[houstonsportsfan09]

its easy to speculate who you think will and will not be a great player.

I just hope we dont do something with our first pick and draft Sanchez. :p

Ha if he did, the Texans phone lines will be ringing like crazy.

[TexansRage123]

i like sanchez alot...but id rather wait til next year when the QB pool is deep. Plus would be a waste of a first rounder.