
With the 2010 NFL Draft in the books, FanHouse takes a division-by-division look at how each team fared. Click here to read the rest of the divisional breakdowns.
Houston Texans
Best pick: Ben Tate, Auburn, RB (2nd round, No. 58 overall): The Texans apparently have finally figured out that, you know, running the ball is kind of important in the NFL. In Tate, they now have an all-purpose guy -- from one of college football's great running back factories -- to pair with incumbent starter Steve Slaton and improve that 30th-ranked ground game.
Riskiest pick: Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama (1st round, No. 20 overall): Jackson was the best defensive back on a national-champion defense. He'll be a solid NFL player, but Boise State Kyle Wilson, taken nine picks later by the Jets, was rated a better corner on most boards and is an explosive return man.
Final analysis: Houston is close, coming off a franchise-best 9-7 record but failing to secure that first-ever playoff berth. Getting Jackson filled the biggest void (and loss of "franchise" CB Dunta Robinson via free agency) and the Texans used three of their top four selections (and four of first six) to upgrade a 13th-ranked defense that faces Peyton Manning twice a year.
Indianapolis Colts
Best pick: Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU (1st round, No. 31 overall): After being shredded by Drew Brees in the Super Bowl (32 completions in 39 attempts), the Colts needed to address their pass rush, as well as cover themselves regarding defensive end Dwight Freeney. Enter Hughes, a defensive end with the Horned Frogs who projects at outside linebacker. Hughes will be blitzing or maybe even lining up on the edge for the Colts.
Share Riskiest pick: Pat Angerer, LB, Iowa (2nd round, No. 63 overall): General Manager Bill Polian doesn't take many risks. He was that way in Buffalo, that way in Carolina and remains that way in Indy. The closest thing to one here is Angerer, who went in Round 2. Maybe a little high.
Final analysis: As long as Manning is there, the Colts will be a contender for a championship, so Indy will continue to build around him. Aside from landing the best blocking tight end in the draft (Oklahoma's Brody Eldridge), they didn't do much to help that league-worst rushing attack. The Colts did, though, continue to stockpile speed to fold into that Tampa 2-scheme defense.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Best pick: Tyson Alualu, DE , California (1st round, No. 10 overall): General Manager Gene Smith may have had the most anonymous draft in the league, starting with the surprising choice of Alualu (above). An outstanding kid who plays with relentless effort, Alualu will help one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL.
Riskiest pick: Alualu: No one projected him in the top 10; no one outside of North Florida, that is. Considering how many marquee players were on the board (Derrick Morgan and Jason Pierre-Paul, for example), considering the Jags probably could have traded down a bunch of slots and still landed Alualu, and considering no name-cognition players (see Tebow, Tim) are found in this class, Alualu needs to be a home run.
Final analysis: Say one thing about Smith; the man has convictions. He may have over-reached on a pair of defensive tackles (Alualu and Louisiana Tech's D'Anthony Smith in the third round), but the team stayed true to its board. The Jaguars added a small-school pass rusher, Murray State defensive end Austen Lane, in the fifth. Before anyone slams the Jags, let's not forget that all nine of their draft picks made the 53-man roster last season, with the first four becoming starters.
Tennessee Titans
Best pick: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech (1st round, No. 16 overall): Morgan was rated by most as the best defensive end in the draft, but ended up being the third taken. One of the reasons the Titans took a big step backward from '08 in '09 was because of a sub-par pass rush. Morgan should be instant impact.
Riskiest pick: Myron Rolle, S, Florida State (6th round, No. 207 overall): Since there is no "Smartest pick" category, we'll put the sixth-round choice of the Rhodes Scholar here. Rolle was never a great playmaker with the Seminoles and knows that if he struggles he has a medical career (and Oxford education) to fall back on.
Final analysis: Five of the first seven picks were defensive players, an obvious attempt to upgrade the overall talent of the league's 28th-ranked defense. Three of those players were defensive backs, but keep an eye on Georgia outside linebacker Rennie Curran, who may be undersized but is a high-effort tackling machine.




