Writer Jonathan Alexander Says Texans 'Biggest Hole Is At Defensive Tackle'

Houston Chronicle writer Jonathan Alexander joins Next Up to review the latest comments from Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. who spoke to the media prior to the beginning of organized offseason workouts. "They know the formula to winning," and "DeMeco wants to win right now," Alexander said. Having a quarterback and adding complimentary pieces with trades and free agent signings, "that solves a lot." The NFL Draft begins with the first round Thursday, April 25, and although the Texans do not currently have a first round pick, there is still value in the second round. "Their biggest hole is at defensive tackle," and either a defensive back or defensive tackle will be the first position drafted for the Texans, "wherever you find the most value." Despite this year's draft having a deep wide receiver class, Alexander says "I don't think they need a receiver."

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Demiko. Ryans C J. Stridwill Anderson Jr. Took to the podium
yesterday for more insight on that anda seventh round mock draft in the Houston
Chronicle. We go to the Chronicle'shome my brother Jonathan m Alexander we call
him Jay and May around here toget more detail on what the Texans are
talking about. JMA, good morningto you man. How you feel?

(00:20):
I'm good. I can't complain,brother, I feel, you know,
I get rejuvenated. The Astros pissedme off. I'm okay with how the
Rocket season ended, but when Isee the fellas over there at NRG and
it gives me a little pep tomy step. So let's start there.
Let's start with the head man.Domiko has been praised on all off season.
The Texans Woo. Look with CassarioDell cooking. What is Domko saying

(00:44):
about expectations for twenty twenty four andhow they're handling this success? Yeah?
All right. So the thing aboutDemko is he doesn't want his players to
feel any differently. They they knowthe formula to winning, and that's staying
focused and getting better. He's theyand they think they have a chance.
But you look at the outside expectationsand what they've done this offseason. The

(01:06):
Texans that have added major reinforcements totheir roster, including Stefan Diggs and Neil
Hunter, Denico Austrey, Joe Mixon, and that makes the Texans super Bowl
contenders. And I talked to peoplewithin the organization and they said the stealing
within the organization is that the Mikowants to win right now. He thinks
he can win right now. Thatwas the impetus behind a lot of their

(01:26):
decisions because they came so close lastyear with an eleven and eight record and
a loss in the Division A Round, and they thought if they could just
upgrade at certain areas, then theycould really give them a chance they compete
for Super Bowl. And they're hereright now. Go yeah, Jonathan,
It's so interesting. Just look atthis team getting back at it and the

(01:48):
positivity. I mean, you know, look, we were excited after Draft
night last year, but really beforethe draft, you know, we were
intrigued to see what they were goingto do. But there was I mean,
it's it's crazy, what a differenceto your man. So I remember
this time last year they was talkedthat they might take the defensive end out
of Texas Tech and might pass ona quarterback, and we might roll with
Davis Mills for another. I mean, these were topics of conversation that were

(02:10):
being had last year. So it'sjust crazy how different, you know,
what a difference of year makes.And when we heard that from Demko yesterday
talking it just halfing the franchise quarterbacksjust solves a lot of problems, doesn't
it. Yeah, it changes alot. I mean last ye, few
people really knew what the Texans weregoing to do in the draft, you

(02:30):
know, not many people even hadthe Texans taking CD Strout. Me he
thought they were going to pass onc. Strout to even take Will Anderson.
But the Texans knew from the beginning. They kept it, they kept
it on a hush that they weregoing to take a quarterback whichever quarterback is
built to them at two. Andthey grew to really like CJ. Stroud
at that top thirty visit, andhe changed it. He's a lot better
than even most people expected, likeevaluators who who evaluated that draft class.

(02:57):
Dot Rice Young was a number onepick, but c J. Stroud became
that guy, and he exceeded thatexpats that arguably the greatest rookie season of
all time. And when you havea quarterback and you have some complimentary to
pieces around him, that solves alot. That saw they have their biggest
issue that they that they that hashindered them the past few years is solved

(03:20):
and now they just have to continueto build around c. J. Stroud
and build towards that Super Bowl thatthey hope they're G's Jonathan m Alexander on
the beat for the Texans courtesy ofThe Houston Chronicle, dropping by next up
here each weekday on seven ninety fromten to noon, standing North Clear This
me and Chris Gordy as him Jama. I find it just odd. I'm
gonna just be frank. You know, I don't hold punches on anybody in

(03:40):
the city. Why haven't I heardfrom Stefan Diggs. The best I can
get is the Miko Rans and CJanswering question by Diggs. Stefan Diggs had
to be brought up yesterday. Whatare they saying to NRG. Yeah,
they, I think the biggest thingwith the Texans and you've seen this since
Nick Caterio has arrived and continued withthe Mika Ryan's I think they share the

(04:02):
same philosophy that they don't want itto make it about one person. Anytime
you ask to you know, askabout Stephan Diggs, they talk about the
totality of their moves and that's true. You know, they don't want to
make about Stop it right there,that's whack hell organization in the league that
gets a damn two time All Proat wide receiver and we're gonna just act

(04:24):
like he's one of the other guys. Stop this here, this is something
I go to get that out.Go ahead, And I'm not saying I
agree. I feel you. Iwant to hear from Stepan Diggs too,
but that is that is their philosophy. That's how they how they run their
organization. You remember, I don'tknow if y'all remember, but we didn't
talk for to uh see the strouderwill innocent for a while. Yeah,

(04:48):
So that's just how they operate,you know. I think at some point
though, we will hear from Stefane'sand we ought to because I definitely think
it'll happen before training camp sometimes Oka, but it should happen sooner than later.
But he's a crusive part. Ithink he's gonna be acrucsive piece of

(05:09):
this roster. Uh you know,how things ended at at in Buffalo is
still a mystery, and uh,you know, I'd be interested to hear
how he thinks he'll fit into ateam that has other weapons that are really
good as well. It's addressing whenwe look at this team and obviously not
having a first round pick, itloses a lot of the excitement on on

(05:30):
next Thursday night. The name isStefan. He's the first time well you
know, the one year one yearof Stefan Diggs. Why not. But
it is addressing. I mean theythey still do have them. Looking at
the depth chart, I mean there'sa lot of new pieces, but it
still feels like there's holes here,man. I mean, just because you
signed Jeff Okuda and CJ. Hendersonlike doesn't mean that, oh we don't
need any more corner depth. Justbecause you signed h Fully Foontacasi at Tim

(05:54):
Settle doesn't mean, oh, youknow we don't have any interior d line.
Oh yeah. Hole. So Imean it's is there a position or
two Johnny you look at and saythey absolutely need to drave somebody at this
position. Yeah, I think theirbiggest hole is a defensive tackle. I
think they know that. My understanding, the Texas really wanted Sheldon Rankings,
and he chose to go to theBengals because he got a better offer.

(06:15):
You know, they try hard tobring him back. Not that they feel
like they're in a mess. Theyfeel like Tim Settle will have a good
year. They feel like Fazi willhave a good years. But I think
they also know that they have toaddress defensive tackle, and I think you'll
see that happen in the draft,whether that's with the forty second pick or
whether the Texas trade back or withthe fifty ninth pick. I also think

(06:35):
cornerback. I think they're gonna giveOkuda and Henderson a chance, but neither
one of them has proven that theycan be a legitimate starter. But I
think I think those two picks fortytwo and fifty nine, whatever version of
those picks they'll be. Because NickStaian is known for trading, I think
those need to be cornerback and defensivetackle, whichever one you want to find

(07:00):
best value at all. Right,you tease it, let's dive in.
I'm on the Chronicle site right nowbecause y'all get my money every month,
largely because you Karra horra vision excuseme, rajh, y'all get my money
over there. Fagan does a greatjob on the rockets, so I pay.
I'm looking at the mock draft fromyou. Seven rounds. Walk me
through this thing, dB shows up, Okay, I ain't gonna spoil it.

(07:21):
What do you people want? Whatdo you want the people to know
about your mock draft? Seven roundMonck for the Texas, Yeah, I
tried my best to address their biggestneeds, like the first number forty second
pick. I had them choosing Kamarilast year from Georgia. Now it will
depend on who's there and who theTexans like the best. I think legitimate.

(07:44):
Yeah, he's a cornerback from Georgia. He gave up the few passing
yards and FBS had a very lowpercentage allowed, so he was. One
of the issues with him though,is he hasn't had a lot of interceptions.
But I think he could be alegitimate starter opposite of Derek Stingley,
and I had Michael Hall at numberninety three. Since I've published that,

(08:09):
I've had a few evaluators who Ireally trust and said they think Michael Hall
is gonna be gone by that time. But I do know the Texans like
Michael Hall, and I think ifI had to redo it, i'd put
him back at at fifty nine.Michael Hall, defensive tackle, Ohio State.
He would put him in the secondround. Yeah, I would put
him at at fifty nine. Ithink he's a guy that the Texans like.

(08:31):
He's a guy who would address oneof their needs. You know.
I mentioned to and Dre Sweat,which was a you know, he was
a guy who could have been aguy at the Texano target, but he
messed himself up when he had theDUI or you know last week. Do
you get the sense that the Texanshave pushed him down the board or is

(08:52):
he off the board? Yeah?I think the Texans were a little bit
iffy on him even before or hehad the d UI, because it's become
well known, you know, aroundsome league circles that he had been known
to party, and then you havethis DUI and that further uh, you

(09:13):
know, complicates that issue. AndI think I don't think he'll fall super
far, but I think the Texanswould be one of the teams who would
not want to take a chance,so somebody who know who has known to
the party and then would end upgetting be allegedly uh, he would be
arrested for a d UI. AllRight, I'm looking down here and I

(09:35):
noticed some things as I go throughyour mock draft. I'm not gonna spoil
it. There are some offensive linemenhere. I'm not upset at that.
There's a tight end in here.Not upset at that. There's also a
running back in here that I reallylike a lot. Running back Braylan Allen
out of Wisconsin. If you golook at his YouTube and his Instagram videos

(09:56):
brothers in the weight room. Hegets too, no question about that.
Yeah, one position that isn't here. J m A. You do not
believe they're adding another receiver to thisunit in the draft. I think they
could, you know, after hearingthe Miko Ryans yesterday, he said that
he that the fact that they addedStephan Daves wouldn't preclude them from drafting receiver.

(10:18):
But I don't think that they needa receiver. I think this draft
is deep with the receivers, butI don't think you have to, which
is why didn't include it. Iwouldn't be surprised if the Texas did draft
and receiver, but they don't needit. Like you look at their top
guys who I know will make theross for Stefan Dicks, Tank Dell,
Nico Collins, John Matchi Brown,Nor Brown, that's fine, don't make

(10:45):
it as a return man. He'lleither be he'll either make it or he'll
either be on the practice squad.They'll try to probably try to fit him
on the practice squad and hope hedidn't get away. And then you got
Exavier Hutchins. Hutchinson, who theyyou know, invested the six round picking.
Are they ready to let him go? I'm out one hundred cent polity.
You also got Robert Woods who's undercontract. It could save some money.

(11:07):
He's a big team leader. Ijust think they got too many pieces
that are wide receiver that they don'treally have to draft a wide receiver.
All right. That's the voice ofthe Houston Chronicles. Jonathan m Alexander goes
by Jay and May around here,joining Northfleet and Gordy Hill next up.
Tend the new each weekday his seventhround mark, along with other reaction and

(11:28):
commentary too. Demico, Ryan CJ. Stride and Will Anderson over at NRG
speaking yesterday. You can find itup at the Chronicle his social media John
j O. N Letter, mAlexander appreciate you, J and Ma.
Man, let's do it again.Some appreciate driving me. All right,
man, we're gonna slide.