Texas Football

By Travis Stewart//TexasFootball.com

In last year's NFL Draft, 36 kids from either Texas high schools or Texas colleges were picked by an NFL franchise to be a part of its future. As you would expect, that led all states -- as a matter of fact, the state of Texas had more draft picks (36) than the number of states that had a draftee (34)! Six of those kids went in the first round, and had Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree not fallen down the draft boards, three of the top five could have called the Lone Star State (and Dallas, specifically) home. So with that in mind, what does the 2010 Draft look like?

Obviously, we're still about a month and a half away from the big day. But we already have a somewhat solid idea of where our natives will go and what the Draft order will look like. Starting today, TexasFootball.com is offering an eight-part series on the upcoming draft and how are Texans fit into the picture. Today we'll look at the sixth round -- next segment we'll view the seventh, and so on, until we get to undrafted free agents. Notice someone missing from the list? Email us.

The Sixth Round
Like we did in the fifth round, we're more looking at good fits instead of actually trying to project where guys are going to land. And the first guy in this round is a name that's been left off the list for far too long -- long enough that people have started asking some questions. After him, we'll hit several other big names that you would have thought would be off the board long ago. 

#1 (160 overall), St. Louis Rams: J.D. Walton, C, Baylor (Allen)
And probably long overdue. My reasoning? Every year, one player slides that surprises me, and usually further than I would have thought possible. This may be the J.D. Walton year. Centers are just a tricky position to draft, because usually there are so many other needs that are more difficult to fill, and like kickers and punters, there often aren't many that are considered draftable. Walton is listed by some outlets as going as high as the second round, and that could very well be the case. After all, how often do you get All-Americans off of sub-.500 teams? Walton has to be considered one of the better linemen in Baylor history, and maybe the high profile of '09 draftee Jason Smith will help get his name circulating around draft boards. He has great talent, and he's a smart and savvy lineman that can make the kind of calls and reads that trace the fine line between success and failure in the NFL. This slot would also mean that Colt McCoy would be his quarterback -- wouldn't that be fun?
 

#3 (162 overall), Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jamar Wall, CB, Texas Tech (Plainview)
Wall is a guy that could get drafted up in the fifth round, as well, but I think he ends up here. He might actually be a little underappreciated as far as corners go, because he played in Texas Tech system that was rarely celebrated for its defense. But playing corner in the Big 12 has to be worth something, since you get thrown at so often (Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel, Todd Reesing, Jerrod Johnson, Zac Robinson, etc.) He even had to see Graham Harrell in practice! Wall brings a lot of athleticism to the table, and he's the kind of guy that can make a break on the ball or show the recovery speed you need to be a cover corner. I think he's the kind of guy that could be a better pro player than college one, but I also see a little bit of former TCU star Drew Coleman in him -- someone that could sign on with a team late in the draft and hang on for many years in a supporting role.

#6 (165 overall), Carolina Panthers: Adam Ulatoski, OT, Texas (Southlake Carroll)
The fall from grace was hard for Ulatoski, who some draft boards were listing as a first round talent before the start of the 2009 season. His size, coaching and talent merited the ranking. But an inconsistent and somewhat underwhelming senior year really dropped the former Southlake Carroll Dragon down in the minds of NFL scouts and owners, and while it seems impossible that he'd miss getting drafted entirely, it does seem increasingly likely that he'll be a late-round selection instead of an early one. As far as his skills, I think he's a better run blocker than pass blocker, despite the fact that Texas relied almost exclusively on the passing game during his junior and senior years. The best thing he has going for him might also be considered a bit of a knock -- he's a very level-headed, good-character guy, which seems hard to find in the big leagues these days. But many scouts want to see a mean streak in their linemen ... after all, they don't call them the big uglies for nothing. I'm not sure Ulatoski will ever truly offer that. But he's worth the pick, especially this late in the day.  

#11 (170 overall), San Diego Chargers: Marshall Newhouse, OT, TCU (Lake Highlands)
TCU offensive linemen always seem to go low in the draft despite usually sporting long and distinguished collegiate careers. Former Frog center Blake Schlueter and tackle Herb Taylor are both good examples of that. Now Newhouse seems to be the next in line to suffer the fate. Newhouse has been a mainstay at tackle for a program that has lived in the double-digit win territory, and he's consistently played well against teams like Utah and BYU. But yet, here he is -- which is why I have him going to the Chargers, which have done a good job developing linemen as of late. Several spots along the Bolts' line are anchored down for the immediate future, but there's always room for Newhouse to add depth.