With preparations well underway in Nashville, the 2019 NFL draft will finally be getting underway in just a matter of weeks. In preparation, as with any other year, teams have been working out countless prospects to decide whether to draft by value of the player at their pick, or simply by need at a position.
The Houston Texans are in a tough situation. They are in dire need of starters at both offensive tackle and cornerback, not to mention their severe need for depth at safety, wide receiver, and guard. However, with a large proportion of their workouts now completed a trend is beginning to emerge and their tactics for the draft are beginning to unfold.
As it stands, the Texans have worked out 10 of Pro Football Focus’ top-50 prospects. The top five of those are all either cornerbacks or offensive tackles, while the remaining players include two safeties, corners, and one edge rusher. The appearance of Chase Winovich in this list is a surprise, as their need for an edge rusher is a far lesser priority.
With Jadeveon Clowney franchise tagged and set to cost the Texans approximately $1 million per game this year, and All-Pro J.J. Watt opposite him, it seems unlikely that the Texans would prioritize such a high-value pick on an already filled position. The only assumption that could be drawn here, and it is a stretch, is that the Texans have little faith in their contract conversations with Clowney and are potentially preparing for life without the dreaded powerhouse. However, this is another topic altogether.
Unlike other franchises, the Texans are playing a risky game here. By showing their priorities so clearly, not to mention their draft strategy to go for position over pick value, they open themselves up for teams ahead of them taking advantage of Houston’s somewhat vulnerable position. They are essentially showing rivals that should an offensive tackle or defensive back ranked highly on everybody’s boards (two position groups that this year are strong at the top and thin moving down) be available come their three top-60 picks, they will likely go for them.
So what is stopping another team ahead of them simply calling the Texans and threatening to pick said player unless they can work or a deal that would benefit them? Perhaps this seems a tad dramatic, like out of “Draft Day,” the Kevin Costner movie from 2014, but the possibility remains real. All of the listed players would undoubtedly help this franchise and would make sense as draft choices for the organization. But, the team would be wise to broaden their scope in order to hide their draft day intentions, otherwise opportunistic rivals may come calling.
