20. Patrick Robinson, DB
Houston Texans(9-7)
Coming off the franchise's first winning season, the Houston Texans still have a few holes in their defense. Their pass defense ranked 18th overall, and while they desperately need help in their rushing attack, they will ultimately go defense first, running back second. Florida State CB Patrick Robinson could be the second best CB in the draft, but I don't believe his stock will rise until after the combine. In 2007, he recorded at least one interception in five straight games, and finished the season with 6. But coming into the 2009 season, teams opted to not pass to his side of the field, and although he didn't have any interceptions, he did finish the year with 11 pass breakups. At 5'11 195 pounds, he is the ideal size for a CB in the NFL. He has great man-to-man coverage skills, and is pretty good in run support as he finished with 52 tackles this year. He has good speed, agility, and enough strength to cause problems for wide receivers off the line. He has some injury issues that may cause his stock to slip, but he definitely has the ability to play at the next level.
Why he's good for the Texans:
It's obvious that the Texans need help against the passing attack of the AFC South teams. The Texans ranked 18th in the league against the pass, and this has always been an issue for the team. This also makes sense for the Texans because there is not a lot of RB potential in the 1st round, and it would be foolish for them to draft one in the first if Clemson RB C.J. Spiller is off the board. With questions about RB Steve Slaton regarding the neck injury he suffered this year, the Texans can not afford to go into next season without addressing that issue... Just not in the first round. Patrick Robinson has the ability to become a very serviceable cornerback in this league, and he would be able to help CB Dunta Robinson as well.
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