Tag: 2016 NFL Draft

Pro Football Focus says DT D.J. Reader is the best of Texans’ 2016 NFL draft class

Pro Football Focus says that defensive tackle D.J. Reader is the best of the Houston Texans’ 2016 NFL draft class.

The Houston Texans’ 2016 NFL draft class was somewhat average, and Pro Football Focus’ “wins above replacement” metrics seem to spell this out.

However, there was one bright spot in the class from four seasons ago, defensive tackle D.J. Reader. According to the football analytics and scouting firm, the former Clemson Tiger has become one of the league’s best inside defenders.

Fifth-round pick D.J. Reader has emerged as one of the better interior players in the NFL. He earned an 85.5 overall grade in 2019 to go along with 36 pressures and 35 stops.

The Texans still have their first two picks from the draft in receiver Will Fuller and center Nick Martin still on the club, and Martin earned a second contract with the club.

However, third-round receiver Braxton Miller was cut in the 2018 preseason, and fourth-round running back Tyler Ervin was waived in November of that season. Fifth-round safety K.J. Dillon, the second-to-last pick before Reader, was cut at the end of the 2017 preseason.

Reader played out the last year of his contract, and is set to become a restricted free agent in the offseason. However, the expectation is the club will find a way to retain Reader.

NFL Draft 2016: The 44 players somehow chosen before Derrick Henry

NFL Draft 2016: The 44 players somehow chosen before Derrick Henry

 

 

NFL Draft 2016: The 44 players somehow chosen before Derrick Henry?

Derrick Henry won the Heisman Trophy at Alabama. That did not convince NFL teams, which saw him go 45th in the 2016 draft.

Derrick Henry has led the Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship Game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. He has become one of the top running backs in the league with speed and power. Somehow, despite winning the Heisman at Alabama he slipped to 45th in the 2016 NFL Draft. Here’s a look at those drafted before him.

44. Oakland: Jihad Ward

 Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Jihad Ward has already been with three teams since being drafted by Oakland in 2016.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13, Page 14, Page 15, Page 16, Page 17, Page 18, Page 19, Page 20, Page 21, Page 22, Page 23, Page 24, Page 25, Page 26, Page 27, Page 28, Page 29, Page 30, Page 31, Page 32, Page 33, Page 34, Page 35, Page 36, Page 37, Page 38, Page 39, Page 40, Page 41, Page 42, Page 43, Page 44, Page 45

Titans coach Mike Vrabel says Bill O’Brien fell in love with Texans WR Will Fuller during the draft process

Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel says Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien fell in love with Will Fuller during the 2016 NFL draft process.

Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller is questionable to play against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday with a hamstring injury.

However, Titans coach Mike Vrabel won’t need him to play to understand his skill set. Previously, Fuller and the Titans coach spent two years together in the Texans organization; the wideout a 2016 first-round pick, the coach a former linebackers coach turned defensive coordinator.

“Just a dynamic speed player, vertical threat, but he can run,” said Vrabel on Fuller on a conference call on Wednesday.

Vrabel remembers the Texans’ thoughts on Fuller when he was coming into the 2016 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. Houston’s coach Bill O’Brien fell in love with the speedy wide receiver, not just because of his speed, however.

“I remember when we were evaluating him and Billy (O’Brien) fell in love with this guy in the draft process,” said Vrabel. “He said he could run the entire route tree, but he’s also one of the faster players in the draft. So, he’s not just a fast player that can take the top off of it, he can run the entire route tree in the offense.”

As Vrabel notes, Fuller is not a one-trick pony. Fuller has developed as a route runner since his rookie campaign. No longer drop prone, Fuller’s hands have also improved in the past four seasons.

Since the Texans made Fuller the No. 21 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Notre Dame product has tallied 149 receptions for 2,159 yards and 16 touchdowns. In 2019, he has 42 receptions for 598 yards and three touchdowns.

Fuller has no issue being a productive wide receiver when he hits the field. The Texans offense is a different monster when he plays. The problem: he can’t stay on the field consistency. In four years of play, he has never played a full season. He has missed four games in 2019 for the hamstring injury.

Nonetheless, O’Brien’s evaluation and lauding of him on tape is accurate as Fuller has demonstrated he can be a game changer.

Former Redskins’ WR Josh Doctson waived by the Minnesota Vikings

After being waived by the Redskins this offseason, Doctson has struggled to find a fit so far, and he’s left searching once again.

Former Washington Redskins receiver Josh Doctson is now spending his time looking for a new team after he was cut from the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday.

Doctson, who spent a number of frustrating years in Washington after being drafted in the first round in 2016, was waived by the Redskins this offseason, and went unclaimed, making him a free agent. The Vikings picked him up but were unable to get any more production out of him than the Redskins were. He played in just one game for Minnesota, where he was on the field for seven snaps.

It will be interesting to see where Doctson goes from here, if anywhere. The former first-round talent has had an extremely disappointing NFL career. Here’s to hoping that he finds a fit down the road.

[vertical-gallery id=25399]

Cutting Vernon Hargreaves further proves 2016 NFL Draft was one of the franchise’s worst

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut former first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves, further proving the 2016 NFL Draft was one of the franchise’s worst.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the decision today to cut former first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves, just days after Bruce Arians benched the veteran cornerback for lack of hustle during Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Hargreaves was the team’s first round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft (11th overall), and came into the draft ranked as one of the top two cornerbacks in his class. But, after playing all 16 games his rookie year, Hargreaves struggled to stay healthy over the last two seasons, playing a total of just 10 games entering 2019. This year, he’d started all nine of the team’s games, but cutting him was a smart business move by the Bucs given the defender’s history of getting hurt.

Still, biding farewell to Hargreaves further proves that the 2016 draft was a nightmare for both general manager Jason Licht and the Buccaneers franchise. In fact, only one player drafted by the team in 2016 is still on the roster.

Take a look at this tweet, courtesy of Jenna Laine of ESPN.

“Vernon Hargreaves’ departure means that just ONE of Jason Licht’s 2016 draft picks remain on the current roster: Ryan Smith, who has played just five defensive snaps this year. Noah Spence, Roberto Aguayo, Caleb Benenoch, Devante Bond and Danny Vitale were all cut.”

I think Bucs fans will always remember that draft as the Aguayo Draft.

It seemed for a while that Hargreaves may finally develop into the player the Bucs were hoping for, but his lack of effort in Week 10 was apparently the final straw.

[lawrence-related id=24886,24881,24876,24866]