Its the time of year for draft analysts to crawl out of their holes and attempt to predict the unpredictable once again. And here at the Texans Wire, we are no different.
As per usual, you can read 100 different mocks, with the Houston Texans taking 100 different players, as at this point, especially pre-combine it really is anybody’s guess. So, this anybody has given it a shot.
Round 1 — OT Cody Ford, Oklahoma
The Texans should go for an offensive tackle in the first round, and thankfully this is a talented group. Ford could well be the third OT off the board by pick 23. Andre Dillard and Dalton Risner will end up at the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings, leaving Ford for the Texans. It can be debated whether or not Ford should be a guard or tackle in the NFL, but Houston needs him as a long term starter at tackle.
A consistently effective right tackle, he’s a strong blocker, holds his position well, and doesn’t get beaten easily with good hands and decent speed from the snap. He is very much your plug and play rookie, give him a job and he will be able to do it right off the bat.
Round 2 (54th overall) —WR N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
The Texans may have their starting receivers set, but they have little to no depth whatsoever. This is a particularly big issue when you consider the collective injury histories of Keke Coutee and Will Fuller. With this in mind, Harry would be ideal. He’s extremely shifty, can cut on a dime, and teaming this elusiveness with a good turn of pace makes him an ideal replacement for either receiver, particularly Fuller on the outside.
This may be a somewhat of a pipe dream considering that most have Harry going in the first round, but until the combine, there is no way of knowing this for sure.
Round 2 (55th overall) — G Chris Lindstrom, Boston College
One of my favorites in the draft, he is an out and out guard. A 6-4, 305-pound wall who would be another solid pickup for this weak Texans offensive line. The priority in this draft should be keeping Deshaun Watson upright, and giving whoever the back is more space than they have had for quite some time.
Lindstrom will give you this. Like Ford, Lindstrom will be ready to start immediately if needed. He is a tough blocker, holds his position well, and is surprisingly agile. He may well be gone by the time round two rears its head, but should he be available he would be an upgrade on their current guards.
Round 3 — CB Rock Ya-Sin, Temple
Easily one of the best names in this year’s draft, Ya-Sin would be a great addition to this Texans secondary. Ya-Sin has great pace, which would really help this secondary as they attempt to keep tabs on the likes of T.Y. Hilton twice a year.
Standing at 6-2, 190 pounds, Ya-Sin has great size and range, and while he recorded just two interceptions in 12 appearances last season, this doesn’t represent an issue in pass coverage. He racked up a further 14 defended passes and can be a brutal tackler. He is a diamond in the rough and needs to work on his coverage on shorter routes in particular, but there is talent there.
Round 5 — RB Bryce Love, Stanford
The best way to describe the Texans running back game is stale. Lamar Miller hasn’t been the replacement for Arian Foster they had envisioned, Alfred Blue is a relatively ineffective third-down bruiser, and D’Onta Foreman is an unknown thanks to his Achilles injury in 2017.
Love would add another element to this Texans offense. He has the size and pace to be a real dual threat menace, comparable to the likes of Alvin Kamara with the New Orleans Saints. He is nimble, extremely fast, and thanks to his recent surgery to repair a torn ACL, could well be a fifth-round steal.
Round 6 — DE Charles Omenihu, Texas
Chances are the defensive end position may see some changes in Houston this summer. Joel Heath and Christian Covington are both impending free agents, and while Covington may stay, Heath hasn’t made much of an impression in his time with the Texans.
The Texans like to go for instate talent when they can, with the likes of Foreman and Coutee as examples, and Omenihu could be the next. He has great size at 6-6, 275 pounds he has the size and stature for the NFL, and comes across a real wrecking ball at times recording 17.0 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss in 51 total appearances for the Longhorns.
Round 7 — C Sean Rawlings, Ole Miss
With former second-rounder still yet to impress on a week in week out basis, some competition may be a good idea. Rawlings brings with him a great deal of versatility as he can be used all over the offensive line, a useful trait for any backup.
A solid blocker, Rawlings would add more depth to this rebuilding offensive line, but the Texans will want to be wary of both his injury history which is a concern and weighing in at 293 he could stand to gain weight.
