[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I have had a definitive plan for quite some time to watch over the following three players incredibly carefully: Cameron Jordan, Aldon Smith, Ryan Kerrigan. It's such an awkward spot for any of them to go, but the transition to Wade Smith's 3-4 demands that they start investing a ton of effort into their front seven. Other than Connor Barwin, they have zero reason for hope at the OLB position. And while they can get by in the middle on some combination of Amobi Okoye and Earl Mitchell (although I'm hungry for a nose in this draft), and Mario Williams will be wrecking shit at one end position, the Texans need an upgrade over Antonio Smith on the other end. The guy is very blah.

I think I would have drafted Kerrigan over the other two. I think Jordan is for real, and I remain ambivalent about Aldon Smith. But Kerrigan is about as sure a thing as you're going to get at the OLB position. Nobody has him mocked this high, but Kubiak is in win-now mode, and Kerrigan's got the best chance of hitting in my estimation, and the Texans have jack and shit at the position.

However, all that planning has been unnecessary. For some reason, Nick Fairley has fallen, and that pretty much ends the conversation.

Wade Smith has the perfect system for Fairley and Mario Williams. He coached Bruce Smith in the 3-4 and Smith raked in nearly 70 sacks by himself in 6 years. Williams and Fairley together is a sick combination that could well double that for all we know.

Sucks to pass on a passrusher, but you don't get an opportunity to stock your DL like this, ever, in the NFL.

With the 11th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select DE Nick Fairley, from the University of Auburn.

WADE SMITH FTW!!!1!1!