It’s no secret — the Texans need to find a quarterback.
Brian Hoyer is clearly not the answer. Behind him, Ryan Mallett has never been trustworthy on or off the field. Houston is wasting young offensive weapons, led by DeAndre Hopkins, and an opportunity to capitalize on a lackluster division.
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What does the QB future hold for the Texans? The answer may already be dwindled down to two options: Michigan State’s Connor Cook or Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg.
Could Cook be the guy?
Cook entered the season as the expected top quarterback prospect for the 2016 draft. The senior flirted with an early entry last season, but he returned to lead the Spartans with an eye on school records and a playoff berth.
From a scouting perspective, Cook’s report is about weighing the flashes of elite arm talent against his inconsistency on the field, as well as locker room issues.
Off the field, there are serious concerns about Cook’s relationship with teammates and coaches. Fears of arrogance may give NFL evaluators pause. Members of Michigan State’s coaching staff won’t vouch for his character, which will go a long way in NFL teams buying in.
But on the field, he has made some truly special throws. About five or six times per game, he makes throws — which show elite arm talent, velocity control and touch — that no other quarterback in the country can make with the same consistency. His footwork and pocket navigation issues unnecessarily make difficult throws the norm, but his ability to finish despite such issues is remarkable. His turnovers and occasional misfires are frustrating, but they may be due to over-aggressiveness, rather than a read and recognize issue.
There’s a strong sense that Cook may be Texans coach Bill O’Brien’s guy, according to a source close to the team. O’Brien never played against Cook when he coached Penn State, but he certainly saw film on him.
Cook is the most pro-ready passer in the draft, and O’Brien knows his team has the talent to win immediately with the right quarterback. It would be perfect irony to see Cook replace fellow Michigan State alum Brian Hoyer in the Texans’ offense.
Hackenberg and O’Brien reunited?
The connection of Hackenberg and O’Brien isn’t very attenuated. O’Brien emerged as one of the hottest coaches in the country after developing a freshman quarterback in 2013, and Hackenberg had by far his best season as a Nittany Lion with O’Brien at the helm.
Hackenberg at the time began drawing comparisons to a young Andrew Luck in terms of refinement and NFL promise. But once O’Brien left, the program regressed into a frustrating product on the field, matriculating into locker room frustrations.
Hackenberg has matured during his time at Penn State, and he has transitioned from a brash star freshman quarterback to a griping sophomore; to a respected member of a “band of brothers” attitude in the locker room.
SCOUTING REPORTS: Cook | Hackenberg
But on the field, he’s done little to excite NFL evaluators, testing their patience and optimism with missed opportunities and lackluster development. Evaluators trust that his stunted growth is partially on the new Penn State coaching staff inhibiting him, but it’s clear he’s still making the same footwork and mechanical mistakes that were hidden by O’Brien.
Most frustrating: Hackenberg has repeatedly missed easy throws that have stifled Penn State’s success. While his pass protection has plagued him, Hackenberg has no excuse for "bounce passing" short- and mid-range throws.
That said, those close to Hackenberg’s family believe O’Brien will reunite himself and the QB in the draft, almost to a "promise" level. While it conflicts with what Texans people believe about O’Brien’s desire to draft Cook, it may show a clear quarterback plan in 2016: If they miss on Cook and/or feel they can get Hackenberg in the second round, Hackenberg may be the choice … much to the chagrin of media evaluators who have grown to loath his NFL support.
Would Texans opt for a different quarterback?
It's certainly in the realm of possibility, especially given the emergence of Paxton Lynch. With O’Brien potentially losing control in decision making, the front office may begin to take a stand on a different quarterback or punt on the position altogether in the draft.
But there’s no doubt the quarterback that will guide the Texans to the playoffs and beyond isn’t on the current roster. Plenty can (and will) change in the draft process, but all indications point to O’Brien and the Texans aiming for one of the Big Ten’s top quarterback prospects.