If you either played high school, or college, football in Texas then you had a great draft day last week. There were a number of players who have played in the state that found new homes on an NFL roster after the three-day draft. However, there are five players that landed in the best spots to have a huge impact during their young careers.
Davis Webb
Webb was drafted in the third-round by the New York Giants to be the heir to the Giants quarterback throne currently held by two-time Super Bowl champion, Eli Manning. So, taking over for this potential future Hall of Fame quarterback will not be a tall order.
However, what works for Webb are two things. First, he isn’t expected to start when the 2017 season starts. He’ll get a chance to learn under Manning; the way Aaron Rodgers learned while backing up Brett Farve in Green Bay. Second, when he does take over for Manning he’ll be coming into a team with Odel Beckham Jr, Sterling Shepard and potentially (depending on when he takes over) Brandon Marshall as weapons.
Tyus Bowser
Bowser was drafted in the second-round by the Baltimore Ravens. He enters a defense that is known for menacing linebackers that get at the quarterback and carry their team to division championships, and deep playoff runs. Much like Webb in New York, Bowser gets to learn under some of the best players in the league.
He’ll be on a defense with Terrell Suggs, C.J. Mosley and Albert McClellan. The three led a defense that recorded 31 sacks last season and raced 17 fumbles. Bowser will have the chance to come in on the first day of training camp to contribute to this squad as an impact player. If he does blossom, the way Mosley did under Suggs, he’ll have a great future on Baltimore.
D’Onta Foreman
Foreman went in the third-round to the Houston Texans and could not have had a better spot to land in during the draft. For starters, he gets to stay in Texas and play for a team near where he grew up. Playing for Texas City, he was only an hour away from where the old Astro Dome was. He’ll be next to J.J. Watt as one of the most popular players on the team.
Secondly, Foreman walks into a situation where he won’t have to be “the man” in the backfield; but more of a change of pace running back. The Texans now have the option to run an New England type rushing game, where they can let Lamar Miller be the speed back, while Foreman gets to be the punishing back running up the middle. This will allow Foreman to lessen his load, enabling him to stay fresher when the season enters the last four weeks in December.
Patrick Mahomes II
Mahomes went in the first-round to the Kansas City Chiefs where he can compete with Alex Smith for the starting role. The Chiefs are like the Houston Texans, where they are a piece away from contending for the AFC Championship.
That piece being a new quarterback.
The Chiefs struggled all year with a deep threat passing game. Mahomes fixes this where he “can make deep, field side throws. Cranks up velocity to fit passes into tight windows” and Can deliver strikes from a variety of arm angles. Expedites release on RPOs (run-pass option) or when pressure is mounting in pocket. Puts effort into play-action fakes.” (NFL Draft profile)
It’s like he’s Smith, but with the ability to throw the ball more than 20-yards downfield. Something that they desperately need to help stretch defenses out.
Myles Garrett
The former Texas A&M Aggie went first overall to the Cleveland Browns and has the best chance at being an impact player from the start. He also has the chance at being the face of a franchise in desperate need of someone to bring them out of a death spiral since the team came back in 1999.
Garrett has the chance at being the most popular athlete in Cleveland not named LeBron James; if he can be the game changing player he was while playing on Saturday’s at College Station. He has the chance at being what Ray Lewis would have been to the team and city; if the franchise wasn’t moved to Baltimore.
Garrett lands in a position where he’s the most popular player from the moment he steps onto the practice field for OTAs. He has the chance to be embraced by a fan base in desperate need for something to cheer for. Garrett is in the best spot for any Texas player that was taken during the draft, last week.
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