Bush vs. Williams: Decision ‘06 for Houston

By Connor Byrne  |   Thursday, April 27, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Houston Texans
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Will the Houston Texans select Reggie Bush or Mario Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in this weekend's NFL Draft? According to Texans GM Charley Casserly, the team has opened up negotiations with both players, and there's no word on which will end up being the choice. However, Bush, the Heisman Trophy winner from 2005 and former USC star, seems like the wisest choice for the Texans.

For much of the offseason, Bush to the Texans seemed like a foregone conclusion, a no-brainer. "The President" was unstoppable in his college days, easily becoming the best three-way threat in all of college football. Not only is he an explosive runner with 4.3 speed, but Bush is a stud as a receiver and return-man. With Pro Bowler Jerome Mathis already on their roster, the Texans won't need Bush to return kicks, but he'd be quite useful on punt returns, where Mathis wasn't last year.

Perhaps most importantly, drafting Bush will make life much easier for the Texans' No. 1 overall pick from 2002, quarterback David Carr. If the Texans do select Bush, it will take a lot of pressure off Carr because the running game will be a major threat. The Texans would no longer just have former 1,000-yard back Domanick Davis, but they could use Bush as well in a two-back, dominant set. The "Thunder and Lightning" combo would combine to take the Texans a long way in the future, which is huge, since the franchise has dwelled in the doldrums since its inception prior to the 2002 season. Having Bush as a slot receiver option would also make Carr much more effective, since he already has one of the better starting receiving tandems in football in Andre Johnson and Eric Moulds.

After four years of watching an awful on-field product, the Texans' fans are beginning to grow impatient, and one thing that could give them hope is selecting Bush. They wanted former Texas QB Vince Young, but he was an unrealistic pipe-dream because Casserly is pleased with Carr's development. Bush would pique the fans' interest, while immediately and single-handedly tossing the basement-dwelling Texans into the national spotlight.

If the Texans want Williams, the star defensive end from NC State, they're simply barking up the wrong tree. Recent history isn't exactly on Williams' side, since the last DE selected No. 1 overall was Courtney Brown, who was selected by Cleveland in the 2000 draft. In his six-year career, Brown has accumulated just 19 sacks. He was supposed to be a "can't miss" prospect, but he's missed by a mile. The 6-4, 285-pound Brown is a very similar player to Williams.

At 6-7 and 285 pounds, Williams has great size, but he's not nearly the sure thing Bush is. During his college days, he would show flashes of dominance, but revert to the form of an average player, being silenced by better offensive lines. Williams had 14.5 sacks as a junior in 2005, but four of those came in one game. He's not good against the run, nor does he go hard on every play. If Casserly does make Williams the No. 1 pick, he better make sure he's getting the Texans the next Bruce Smith. Otherwise, it will set the Houston franchise back even more than it already has been.

With Saturday looming, one thing's for sure, the Texans' future competitiveness will be on the line at approximately 12 p.m. EDT. Should Houston strike a deal with Bush, they'll become one of the top offenses in football immediately; however, if they draft Williams, he'll have a lot to prove before he makes the Texans' defense into a dominant entity.

You're on the clock, Charley. 15 minutes could determine your future job security.

--Connor Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com
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