The Houston Texans need to have a successful 2020 NFL Draft to replenish the talent reserves in the Deshaun Watson winning window.
According to Patrick Conn of the Draft Wire, who penned a team preview for the AFC South champions, the Texans need to go heavy at receiver and cornerback if they are to stock the cupboard for 2020. Here are the six players the Texans should target.
1. Clemson WR Tee Higgins
Higgins is a big target at 6-3, 218 pounds, and he would quickly develop into one of quarterback Deshaun Watson’s favorite targets because of their shared alma mater. Higgins would also be a nice replacement for Will Fuller, who is in the final year of his contract.
2. LSU WR Justin Jefferson
Again, another receiver who could ostensibly replace DeAndre Hopkins with his 6-1, 202-pound frame, and would ultimately ease the transition as the Texans decided not to re-sign Fuller at the end of the year. There’s one more receiver who could help the Texans.
3. Arizona State WR Brandon Aiyuk
Aiyuk fits the mold of a receiver who could bridge the transition between Fuller and a younger receiving corps while adding some of the physical traits Hopkins brought on the field. Some mock drafts have Aiyuk going in the late first round.
4. TCU CB Jeff Gladney
Gladney is a cornerback that would go in the late first round or early second. The problem with taken Gladney with the Texans’ 40th overall pick, early in the second round, is they would add a pick that would be redundant. Currently, the Texans have Gareon Conley, Bradley Roby, Keion Crossen, Phillip Gaines, Vernon Hargreaves, Lonnie Johnson, and Cornell Armstrong all on the roster. It might be better to take an edge rusher at this high of a pick than Gladney.
5. Alabama CB Trevon Diggs
If Diggs makes it to the third round, he wouldn’t be that bad of a pick for the value, even with the saturation of cornerbacks on the roster.
6. LSU OL Damien Lewis
Drafting Lewis would give the Texans position flex as they could figure out whether they wanted to let go of Senio Kelemete or Zach Fulton off the roster. The Texans would be able to get younger at guard and still have versatility with Greg Mancz under contract and as a backup.
