The Houston Texans weren’t in possession of the No. 3 overall pick in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL draft.
The Miami Dolphins obtained the pick as part of the Laremy Tunsil trade. As such, Houston’s 4-12 finish gave the Dolphins a pretty pick that they didn’t need. The San Francisco 49ers did, and they gave up their own draft package to jump up to No. 3 overall and take Trey Lance from North Dakota State.
In these scenarios, the presumption is Tunsil does not come to Houston, and the Texans are winging it with Matt Khalil, Julién Davenport, Roderick Johnson, and Tytus Howard. Either Watson continues to believe in the organization at this point, or is done entirely.
The bizarre DeAndre Hopkins trade by coach and general manager Bill O’Brien will still stand in these scenarios.