Tag: 2025 NFL daft

Texans’ 2025 opponents are finalized: Who will Houston play next season?

Here’s who’s on the Houston Texans’ schedule for 2025 after another 10-win season.

Right now, the Houston Texans’ focus is built around winning a wild-card game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Then, all sights turn to securing the first divisional round victory in franchise history.

And if all goes according to plan, the Texans will look to punch their ticket to a Super Bowl and a date down in New Orleans with the NFC’s bell of the ball.

But now with the regular season over, Houston knows its path back to the postseason and a third consecutive AFC South division title for 2025. Unlike like year, there will be several usual suspects making a trip down to NRG Stadium next fall.

In addition to the six games in the AFC South, Houston will also play the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens again as conference champions.

Houston went 1-2 against the top three seeds, defeating the Bills in Week 5 while dropping back-to-back games on a short week to the Cheifs and Ravens.

Instead of facing off against the NFC North and AFC East, the Texans are paired with the NFC West and AFC West in the league’s rotation.

Houston will host Arizona, Denver, Las Vegas and San Francisco. They’ll travel to SoFi Stadium twice for matchups against the Chargers and Rams, while also returning to Arrowhead for the third time in five years.

To close out the schedule, the Texans will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bringing their home total to nine games next season. The Buccaneers also finished with a 10-7 record after clinching the NFC South.

This past season, Houston traveled to Arlington for a “Monday Night Football” bout with the Dallas Cowboys as the crosstown AFC-NFC matchup.

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Texans upgrade offensive and defensive trenches in new 2-round mock draft

The Houston Texans shore up both sides of the offensive line in the latest mock draft from Draft on Draft.

The Houston Texans’ sights are set on the AFC postseason, but it’s never too early to look at the NFL Draft.

Daft on Draft is always looking toward the three-day weekend in April. They recently published a full two-round mock draft and had the Texans address both sides of the trenches with their selections.

Since Houston has the worst record among playoff teams, it selects at No. 20. With the pick; the Texnans shore up their interior offensive line with the selection of Texas All-American offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.

“Many project Kelvin Banks Jr. as a guard at the next level, myself included,” Cory Kinnan wrote. “The Texans have leaked along the interior of their offensive line all season. The Outland Award winner helps with that immediately.”

Kinnan is right. Houston must upgrade off both the left and right guard position after lackluster play from Shaq Mason and a myriad of players at left guard. The Texans could shift Tytus Howard permanently to left guard, thus allowing rookie Blake Fisher to take over full-time at right tackle.

Get to know Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr.

Banks is a blue-chip player and a top-five offensive lineman prospect in the 2025 NFL draft. While the Texans may need a defensive line help, they are not in the position to reach for an option that could be available in the second round.

A three-year starter, Banks has been the anchor of Steve Sarkisian’s offensive line amid a change from the Big 12 to the SEC. In three years, the Outland Trophy winner has allowed four sacks, 25 pressures and three quarterback hits.

Banks’ 89.1 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranked second among all FBS offensive tackles, trailing only West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum.

Taking the best player available at the top of the draft is Houston’s best option, which would be the right call with Banks’ selection. If LSU’s Will Campbell was on the board, you could make a case that he’s a better fit, but Draft on Draft has him landing in Chicago with the No. 9 overall pick.

Get to know Kentucky DL Deone Walker

With the 54th overall pick, Houston targets a three-down defensive tackle and former All-American in Walker. Despite an underwhelming season for the Wildcats, the 6-foot-6 defensive tackle totaled four sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

In Houston, the Texans could rotate Walker behind Tim Settle and whoever they plan to bring in as a short-term replacement on a one-year deal. Walker’s arrival would sense a change for the foreseeable future in the trenches.

Why this mock draft makes sense for the Texans

Houston needs stability in its trenches. Keep in mind that entering 2024, the Texans had the most expensive offensive line in the league, which failed to meet expectations keeping C.J. Stroud upright.

The Texans also need long-term stability at defensive tackle. Houston’s comes with the team-friendly, cheap one-year deals at the spot for three seasons. Walker’s addition doesn’t mean Houston won’t bring in another veteran, but it would give the AFC South champions a long-term answer up the middle for run support.

Where are the Texans picking in the 2025 NFL draft after Week 13?

The Texans remain in the playoff hunt, but they’re inching closer to a higher draft pick following Week 13’s road win over the Jaguars.

The Houston Texans enter the bye week with a chance to evaluate the roster.

The scouting department can also begin to study the tape with the college football regular season at its end.

The Texans should be thinking about life in January since they’re only a few games away from clinching the AFC South, but the draft is right around the corner. Houston must upgrade its interior offensive line while also targeting a long-term defensive tackle.

Barring a trade of four-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil, Houston should be content with its book ends. Either 2024 second-round pick Blake Fisher or veteran Tytus Howard should serve as the starting right tackle in 2025.

Howard, who inked a three-year extension before the 2023 season, could also shift inside to guard, leaving a hole at right guard in place of the struggling Shaq Mason. Center and both guard positions should be up for grabs, even if the Texans elect to bring back former first-round pick and oft-injured Kenyon Green.

Here’s a look at where the Texans are listed after the Week 12 loss and the full draft order projection from Tankathon:

  • Round 1, No. 22 overall
  • Round 2, No. 53 overall
  • Round 3, No. 88 overall
  • Round 4, No. 124 overall
  • Round 5, No. 166 overall (via BUF)
  • Round 7, No. 240 overall

All those numbers could improve if the Texans can respond when they return next Sunday to take on the Miami Dolphins. Houston remains the favorite to win the AFC South, yet it might be stuck in the No. 4 seed should Pittsburgh and Buffalo continue to win entering Week 15.

Houston could secure a head-to-head win over the Baltimore Ravens, thus factoring into the No. 3 seed if the AFC North franchise can clinch a division title.