The draft is over, bring on the OTAs.

This draft will be evaluated on how Kareem Jackson stacks up with Devin McCourty and Kyle Wilson. Also, how the secondary looks without Dunta Robinson will be an ongoing question this season.

The Texans made a smooth move dropping down and getting Ben Tate in the second round. It must have seemed like adventure on the high seas as they traded out of the second and back in to grab the Auburn RB. The Tate-Toby Gerhart debate may go on for a while. Gerhart was prevalent in fans minds because of his Heisman showing but Tate is probably the better choice for the system. And the opportunity to get another pick was too good to pass up.

So they addressed their biggest needs in the first two rounds and picked up Earl Mitchell to play DT in the third.

This draft was not like some of the others in Texans history when they needed starters everywhere and were nearly desperate to get one in every round. This is a good team trying to get better.

Their biggest concerns after last season were replacing Dunta, getting the running game going again and field goal performance.

they brought in Neil Rackers to compete with Kris Brown and took care of the other needs in the draft. They also picked up a tight end in Garrett Graham to help shore up the position with so many banged up bodies trying to make a comeback.

The work is done for now. We'll see how it plays out.

Mock drafts get boring. All you really care about is who your team is drafting.

That's why I've decided to do the WHOLE Texans draft from rounds 1-7. Here's how the three days might unfold...

1) Kyle Wilson CB, Boise St.

Earl Thomas is long gone and Ryan Mathews would get the biggest cheer in the Verizon Wireless West Club but the Texans are going for the bigger cheers in January. They look glowingly at a CB who can step right in and play. Between Wilson, Quinn and McCain they have three super young guys who can all perform. Reeves is of course still solid and anything you get from Molden at this point is gravy.

2) Toby Gerhart, RB Stanford.

Ben Tate looked appetizing but he's gone by now. Maybe Gerhart could have been taken lower but they'll grab him right here as they don't want to get shut out of drafting a ball carrier like they were last year.

3) Al Woods, DT LSU.

They were checking out Mitch Petrus, the guard from Arkansas but he was nabbed a few picks earlier so they went with a player who has been jumping up the draft board. He's 309 lbs and will get a shot to get into the rotation and who knows?

4) Marshall Newhouse, OG TCU

They still want to get better on the interior of the offensive line and this relatively athletic player just might find a way to make a veteran's life miserable.

5) Myron Lewis, FS Vanderbilt

Lewis could go anywhere from the 3rd through the 5th rounds. If he lasts this long it's like the Texans getting lucky the way they did with James Casey last year. He played CB in college and will be very interesting to watch as he tries to mail down a job.

6) Jevan Snead, QB Ole Miss

I know, I know. But Orlovsky lost the job last year and John David Booty is a big question mark. Besides, Snead can "make all the throws" he just has to stop mixing in the bad ones. Houston is a great place for him to watch and learn.

6) David Pender, CB Purdue

4.37 guys don't grow on trees. plus, he's a Boilermaker which, along with Colorado State, will at least get you a job interview with the Texans

7) Brandon Sharpe, DE Texas Tech

Playing in the pass-crazed Big 12 he had 15 sacks last season. The Texans know they need to keep getting better rushing the passer. At this point in the draft everyone is tired and cranky and someone might even suggest drafting Oklahoma running back Chris Brown to lighten the mood. No one will laugh.

Of course none of this will probably happen but if I hit on three of them you should follow me to Vegas this summer.

The Astros need to keep fighting but at the same time need to seriously think about getting player permission and getting their best deals for Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman before the break. With a winless homestand to start the season it's hardly a done deal that the season is over but prospects look grim at best for a winning campaign.

There's no need to hang on to big contract players if you can get good prospects in return. The crowds are already thin and a voluminous harvest from the minor leagues is still a couple of years away.

The fact that not every seat was jammed for a beautiful Sunday afternoon for Roy Oswalt and Roy Halladay shows you that whatever fans are there will be perfectly satisfied with a young, aggressive developing team.


Lee Westwood didn't lose the Masters, Phil won it with tremendous shot making in the final round. Some of the par saves were the best you'll see and the shot on 13 was the highlight of his career. Tiger was hardly himself but remained in the fight despite not playing an event since December.

Most followers assume it's a forgone conclusion that Tiger will break Jack's record. He needs five majors to do it. I would not be fool enough to bet against him but no one will hand it to him.

At this point I will only be mildly surprised if it doesn't happen because there are so many great young golfers that have the game to get hot on a major weekend and keep him away from the winners circle. He's more likely to get it done than not but it won't be easy.

Butler playing for a National Championship is good news/bad news for all Division One coaches. The good news is that anyone can play for a title. The bad news is that all the excuses for not succeeding just left the building.

Sure, Hinkle Field House might seem like Madison Square Garden compared to the gym in Hickory (or Milan to be exact). But it's not the Dean Dome and the Horizon league is not the ACC.

A.D.s across America can be heard saying "if Butler, BUTLER!... can play for the title, surely you can find a way to get into the tournament!"

Especially a 96 team tournament.

I'm now heavily in favor of expansion. Those who say "if it's not broken don't fix it" are missing the point. The dance will be even more terrific. We'll still have the chase to be top seeds and instead of arguing about 65 vs. 66, yes we'll be arguing about 96 vs. 97.

But there will also be a whole new bubble of teams who get the bye or not. teams 25 through 40 will be scrutinized in a whole different way and that will make late regular season and conference tournament games more meaningful.