Even when the Houston Texans hire their fifth full-time coach in team history, the talent acquisition will continue as the club gears up for the 2022 NFL draft.
After a 4-13 season in the lone year of the David Culley regime, there are plenty of areas to upgrade across the roster. The good news is Houston can actually do something about it with top-100 picks as they have a first-round pick (No. 3 overall), a second-rounder, and two third-round choices.
According to Luke Easterling from the Draft Wire, who released his latest three-round mock draft, the Texans miss out on edge defenders Kayvon Thibodeaux and Aidan Hutchinson, who go to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions in the first two picks. Instead, Houston has to go with best player available and take safety Kyle Hamilton from Notre Dame.
This roster needs help just about everywhere, so this pick is about getting the best overall talent, regardless of position. It’s rare to see a safety prospect worthy of a top-five pick, but Hamilton is absolutely that guy, with an impressive blend of athleticism, instincts and versatility.
The Texans address other areas of concern across the roster with their next three picks. Houston adds Texas A&M running back Isaiah Spiller with their Round 2 (No. 37 overall) pick, which provides an effective complement alongside veteran Rex Burkhead.
In the third round, the Texans continue to address defense by selecting Penn State edge defender Arnold Ebiketie with their first Round 3 (No. 68 overall) choice. With Houston’s second Round 3 (No. 80 overall via New Orleans Saints) pick, they take cornerback Josh Jobe from Alabama.
With a first-round safety, presumable Houston has moved on from Justin Reid. With a second-round running back, they have bridged the transition between Burkhead and younger legs. Ebiketie would be a nice addition to have opposite of Jonathan Greenard off the edge. Jobe would provide Houston with a younger cornerback to team up with Lonnie Johnson, if the team decides to leave him alone along the perimeter.