Texans Land Hollings!

[Gunzlingr]

A former Yellow Jacket created the most buzz heading into today's supplemental draft. And the Texans moved quickly to grab him.

Houston selected running back "We are excited about drafting Tony," Texans general manager Charley Casserly said. "He showed excellent promise as a player last year."

Hollings (5-10, 216) was the nation's leading rusher in 2002 before he tore his right ACL in a game against Brigham Young. He had 92 carries for 633 yards and 11 touchdowns through four games, averaging 158.3 yards per contest. Hollings was the first Yellow Jacket to rush for 100-plus yards in four consecutive games since Eddie Lee Ivory in 1978.

Then on May 15 Hollings was one of 10 Yellow Jackets declared academically ineligible for the coming season so he threw his name in the supplemental draft. Hollings, a former defensive back, worked out for numerous NFL teams on July 1, posting 17 reps at 225 pounds and jumping 36.5 inches. He did not run the 40, though Tech staffers said Hollings had clocked in the 4.38 range there.

"I'm excited to be a Texan," Hollings said. "I haven’t stopped smiling since I found out. I've come a long way and I'm excited to show what I can do."


more (http://www.houstontexans.com/news/index.cfm?page_type=sub&cont_id=192552)

[The_Philster]

Seeking to jump-start a running attack that statistically ranked as the league's second worst in 2002, the Houston Texans on Thursday afternoon invested a second-round choice to select former Georgia Tech tailback Tony Hollings in the NFL supplemental draft.

The round in which Hollings was chosen was surprising, but only mildly so in the case of the Texans, since general manager Charley Casserly had suggested last week the speedy back would likely have projected as a No. 2 pick in the 2004 draft were he fully healthy and still in school.

Most teams felt Hollings, who was declared academically ineligible for the '03 college season, would be chosen in the third round of Thursday's special-cases lottery. Now, he'll be able to provide a potential big-play weapon to Houston's youthful arsenal....more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1579086.html)

[BillsFever]

They'd been targeting a franchise tailback in the first round of the 2003 draft, until he went down with an injury. Now, the Houston Texans have spent a 2004 pick on another college product who enters the NFL with a reconstructed ACL.

Georgia Tech running back Tony Hollings, who played the position at the D-I level for only four games before blowing out his knee, was taken by the Texans in the second round of the supplemental draft.

The Texans were one of the teams reportedly interested in Hollings, who led the nation in rushing before sustaining the season-ending injury. And with their in-state rivals from Dallas reportedly ready to drop a third-rounder on Hollings, the Texans turned it up a notch.

In hindsight, we would've preferred to see the Texans trade up from their spot high in the second round of the 2003 draft to nab Miami product Willis McGahee, whom the Texans coveted before he got chicken-boned in the Fiesta Bowl. Though Hollings may indeed be the real deal, it's too much of a risk -- and too steep of a price to pay, especially since the Texans most likely will be in the upper half of the draft order in 2004.

http://profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

[Expansion Blues]

Originally posted by BillsFever


In hindsight, we would've preferred to see the Texans trade up from their spot high in the second round of the 2003 draft to nab Miami product Willis McGahee, whom the Texans coveted before he got chicken-boned in the Fiesta Bowl.

We are coming off an expansion year. We are not as deep as a "mature" NFL team. We could not afford to give up a package of picks to move up in the draft. I think that would have been foolish.

Heck, we still have all our picks next year. The pick we gave up was really one of last years 3rd rounders. We traded it to Oakland for their 2 next year. Sure it is a bit of a gamble, but we still have a first, second, and third, two fourths, a fifth, sixth and seventh in next years draft. We had absolutely zero speed in the backfield before this.

Color me excited. We added 3 Veteran linemen, two rookie linemen, Antwaan Peek at OLB, a real back-up quarterback in Ragone (Banks? sheesh), Joppru (we didn't have a real TE on the roster last year), and one of the more intriguing WR's from the draft in Andre Johnson.

Year 2 looks like a serious upgrade. We will still start 7-8 guys with one year or less NFL experience so we will still struggle offensively, but we won't start any rookies on the offensive line this year, and if one goes down, we no longer have journeymen backing them up.


:hi5:

[The_Philster]

:wave: Expansion...what happened? You lose your password or something?

[Expansion Blues]

lol, I couldn't log in for some reason. So I just started over. I lost my post count and my original sign up date, but I'll get me some new posts. I will right any past evil posts with new and improved drivel!

[Cntrygal]

Welcome Back E.B.!!!! :wave:

[The_Philster]

Texans fans, meet your new running back, Tony Hollings. Now get ready to forget about him for nearly a year. Oh, I think Hollings will eventually upgrade that backfield … next year.

Houston GM Charley Casserly made a bold move in spending a second-round pick in the supplemental draft on Hollings, no doubt about it. He took a flier on a player who has four games of experience — four good games, to be sure — at his position with questions of health and focus lingering. At a shade over 5-10 and 216 pounds, he has a great frame and good speed — we hear.

The problem is that when Hollings worked out last week for 23 teams’ trainers, doctors, scouts, personnel guys and general managers, his workouts were limited to some lifting and shuttle and cone drills, plus some position drills. He did not run a 40-yard dash, though Georgia Tech timed him in the 4.4 range at this time last year. And we know schools never lie about 40-times....

more (http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL/AFC/AFC+South/Houston/Features/2003/edholm071103a.htm)