2017 NFL Draft: 6 Linebacker Prospects To Watch for Houston Texans

By Fansided and Randy Gurzi/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone
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The Houston Texans don’t have many holes on defense, but here are five linebacker prospects they can consider in the 2017 NFL Draft to stay that way.

In 2016, the Houston Texans went 9-7 for the third-straight season under head coach Bill O’Brien. It was also the second season in a row that they won the AFC South title despite having a ton of questions at the quarterback position. Free-agent pickup Brock Osweiler was signed in the offseason in hopes of eliminating those concerns, but instead he added to them.

The team was able to overcome the subpar play of Osweiler (and all the journeymen who came before him) thanks to their stellar defense. This past season, that unit was first in the NFL in yards surrendered and 11th in points conceded. They were able to do this even without three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, J.J. Watt. The defensive end played in just three games before a back injury ended his season.

His teammates stepped up their play and that speaks volumes about their depth. In order to make sure that depth stays intact, they need to keep hitting on draft picks. One area which could be considered a need would be both their inside and outside linebacker positions.

Here are six guys they could be looking at to try and stockpile some talent.

Nov 19, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores inside linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) is congratulated by teammates after a fumble recovery during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vanderbilt Stadium. Vanderbilt won 38-17. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

1. Zach Cunningham — Vanderbilt

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    Although Vanderbilt isn’t known as a powerhouse for NFL talent, they are a respected program that competes against some of the best talent as members of the SEC. The Texans know all about how good Commodore football players can be as safety Andre Hal was a late round find out of Vandy and is now a cemented starter. Another guy who will be a regular starter, and potential star in the NFL out of Vanderbilt is linebacker Zach Cunningham.

    Vitals

    Height: 6-4
    Weight: 230 pounds
    Tackles: 256
    Sacks: 6
    Interceptions: 0



    What the Scouts Say

    An underclassman with speed to spare, scouts love the athleticism of Cunningham. He may be the quickest linebacker in the draft in terms of sideline-to-sideline speed and that’s the first thing mentioned by Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus when he discusses what Cunningham brings to the table:

    The first thing that stands out when watching Cunningham is his speed and physicality. When left unblocked, he flies to the ball and his strong closing speed puts him in position on a number of plays.

    Will He Land in Houston?

    If Houston feels like Brian Cushing is nearing the end or that Benardrick McKinney is too much of a liability in coverage, then Cunningham wouldn’t be a bad pick at all. The problem is that he is going to cost a first-round pick and Houston may want to use that selection on an offensive lineman. If they do decide to upgrade one of their two interior linebacker spots, they could do a lot worse than Cunningham.

    Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Tim Williams (56) in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against the Clemson Tigers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

    2. Tim Williams — Alabama

    A talented pass rusher who recored 18.5 sacks in his final two seasons for the Crimson Tide, Tim Williams is a perfect fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He also comes from a school known for churning out talented defenders at an amazing pace.

    Vitals

    Height: 6-4
    Weight: 252 pounds
    Tackles: 57
    Sacks: 20
    Interceptions: 0



    What the Scouts Say

    His talent isn’t in question, but his character is. He was caught with marijuana back in September and apparently blamed it on a guy named “Chicken.”

    There were also questions about his ability to understand a complex defense. According to his NFL.com Draft Profile he needed to have his assignments at ‘Bama simplified and may not be able to handle much more than attacking the quarterback at the next level. An anonymous NFC scout had this to say, via NFL.com:

    “He’s like the Predator. When he’s allowed to do just one thing — get the quarterback — he is really good at it. Don’t ask him to do much more than that, though. He’s going to be a high-rep player and I don’t know if NFL defenses are going to trust him to do more than just rush.”

    Even with that assessment Williams could find a role in the NFL. Pass rushers are way too valuable and some team will consider him a first round pick even if he is only ever asked to do one thing.

    Will He Land in Houston?

    The Texans have a history of avoiding players with any red flags. They take character very seriously and warning signs like being caught with pot often send them running in the other direction. Williams should be a Day 1 selection and Houston is not spending that type of pick on a guy they can’t trust. Then again, if they believe the marijuana was really Brandon Chicken’s…never mind, they aren’t drafting him.

    Jan 9, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker Ben Boulware (10) celebrates defeating Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

    3. Ben Boulware — Clemson

    A team captain and emotional defensive leader for the NCAA National Champion Clemson Tigers, Ben Boulware hopes to find his way to the NFL. He isn’t expected to be a high pick despite his productivity for a team that won the title in 2017 after being runners up the season before.

    Vitals

    Height: 6-0
    Weight: 235 pounds
    Tackles: 261
    Sacks: 8
    Interceptions: 5



    What the Scouts Say

    Seems like the best things said about Boulware are centered around his leadership. He is slightly undersized to be an NFL linebacker and his athleticism isn’t up there with the top guys either. Many do love his competitive nature and that along with his intelligence could get him a shot at making it in the pros. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had this to say:

    Tough and highly competitive. Has the attitude and swagger for the position but lacks the desired size and quickness. Margin for error might be too small to become a starter in the league, but his potential on special teams could be a way to open the door to an NFL career.

    Will He Land in Houston?

    Boulware seems like the kind of guy who will prove all the naysayers wrong and have a 10-year NFL career. He had 116 tackles in 2016 and 81 the season before. He just always seems to be around the ball and that kind of instinctive play can’t be taught. If Houston is looking for a late-round developmental linebacker to make an impact on special teams while also being a better third down option than McKinney, Boulware could be their man.

    Dec 31, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Wayne Gallman (9) attempts to run the ball while being tackled by Ohio State buckeyes linebacker Raekwon McMillan (5) during the second quarter in the 2016 CFP semifinal at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

    4. Raekwon McMillan — Ohio State

    Ohio State just turns out talent. Last season they sent defensive Joey Bosa to the NFL and the third overall pick won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. The selection right after Bosa was running back Ezekiel Elliott and he nearly took home the award for offensive rookies after leading the league in rushing yardage. Again they will send a ton of talented players to the NFL and one of the top guys to be picked will be linebacker Raekwon McMillan.

    Vitals

    Height: 6-2
    Weight: 243 pounds
    Tackles: 275
    Sacks: 6
    Interceptions: 1



    What the Scouts Say

    NFL.com scouting guru Daniel Jeremiah was very complimentary of McMillan in his scouting profile, comparing him to a couple of talented defenders who went in the first and second round of their NFL draft respectively:

    I love his size, instincts and physicality. He isn’t as twitched up as former teammate Darron Lee (a first-round draft pick of the New York Jets), but he has the tools to be a dominant run defender at inside linebacker. He reminds me a little of former Alabama LB Reggie Ragland, a second-round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills. Both guys were the quarterbacks of dominant college defenses.

    Jeremiah does say that McMillan needs work on how he plays in space and that his timing as a blitzing linebacker isn’t perfect. None of these issues seem like anything that can’t be corrected as McMillan looks like he will be a solid player for a long time.

    Will He Land in Houston?

    Again he would probably have to be a high pick for Houston. If he isn’t around in Round 2, it’s unlikely he lands with the Texans. While he is a talented enough player to go in the first, he wouldn’t provide enough of an upgrade for what it would cost this team. Now, if he is still around at the end of Day 2, it’s a different story.

    October 1, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley (98) brings down Arizona Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate (14) during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

    5. Takkarist McKinley — UCLA

    A pass rushing talent, Takkarist McKinley would be best suited as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 system. After recording just six sacks combined in his freshman and sophomore season, McKinley broke out as a junior with 10 sacks and 61 total tackles.

    Vitals

    Height: 6-2
    Weight: 265-Pounds
    Tackles: 99
    Sacks: 16
    Interceptions: 0



    What the Scouts Say

    Speed. Long arms. Relentless worker. Raw. Those are the words thrown out when talking about McKinley. Other words include mid-to-late first round pick, which wasn’t a common thought before his breakout season in 2016. Here’s what an anonymous AFC scout had to say about McKinley, via NFL.com:

    “He was my sleeper headed into the season, but that went out the window with the season he had this year. I think he’s a second rounder who needs time but he’ll probably get overdrafted. He’s going to be a productive pro.”

    Will He Land in Houston?

    The more people see how talented he is, the less likely he is to be on the clock when Houston picks 25th overall. However, if he is there this pick would be hard to pass up. While pass rush isn’t a need for the Texans, it’s hard to count on them being fully healthy going forward. Watt was injured in 2016 and before that Jadeveon Clowney was also often injured.

    Last season, Clowney finally stayed relatively healthy and even excelled when he moved from outside linebacker to defensive end. Drafting McKinley would allow Houston to keep Watt and Clowney together on a three-man line while giving them McKinley and Whitney Mercilus as pass rushing outside linebackers. That would be almost unfair.

    Nov 26, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker T.J. Watt (42) during the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

    6. T.J. Watt — Wisconsin

    If the name sounds familiar it’s because it’s one letter different from the best player in Houston Texans history. The younger brother of J.J. Watt, T.J. Watt looks to become the third member of the family to get drafted into the NFL after their middle brother, Derek Watt, was selected by the Los Angeles (nee San Diego) Chargers last season to play fullback.

    Vitals

    Height: 6-5
    Weight: 243-Pounds
    Tackles: 70
    Sacks: 11.5
    Interceptions: 1



    What the Scouts Say

    Most scouts really liked what he did in 2016 for the Badgers when he recorded all 11.5 of his sacks and 63-of-70 career tackles. That also worries some as he redshirted his freshman year and a knee injury in 2014 took him until 2015 to fully recover from. He switched from tight end to linebacker in that time as well, which may be the reason for such modest production his first season of collegiate play. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said this of Watt:

    A long-limbed effort rusher who posted impressive numbers against the run and pass in just one year as a starter. He is a tireless worker who pursues from snap to whistle and his brother, J.J., will be a tremendous resource for technique and pass-rush plan.

    Next: 2017 NFL Draft: One Mistake Each Team Must Avoid

    Will He Land in Houston?

    This would be fun. Two Watts in Houston? Fans would love it, and not just because the elder Watt is a fan favorite. T.J. Watt is a really good football player and his great 2016 season is just the beginning. The needle is still pointing up for him and, had he stayed for his senior season, he may have been a first-round pick. Since he is leaving early he could be sitting there waiting to hear his name well into the second round. If he is there when Houston is filling out their card, there’s no reason to think it won’t happen. It would do all the same things drafting McKinley could do for them, but without costing a first-round pick.