The silver lining in the Houston Texans finishing as the worst team in the NFL is they will have three shots within the first 32 picks to acquire premium talent to finish off the rebuild.
According to Luke Easterling from the Draft Wire, the Texans use their first pick in his latest mock draft to take Alabama quarterback Bryce Young No. 1 overall.
Davis Mills obviously isn’t the answer, so it’s a safe bet the Texans will be looking for his long-term replacement here. It’s a tight race between Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud for this spot, but despite Young’s lack of ideal size, his arm talent, athleticism, competitiveness and intangibles win out.
In this mock draft, the Cleveland Browns don’t finish low enough to allow Houston a shot at going after Alabama defensive end Will Anderson. Nevertheless they address the need by taking Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson.
After landing their franchise quarterback, the Texans need to address their desperate need for an impact player along the defensive front. Wilson’s massive frame, impressive length, and rare athleticism could easily make him a top-15 pick, and he’d be a great fit in Lovie Smith’s defense off the edge.
Recall the Miami Dolphins forfeited their 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick as part of their violations of the NFL’s tampering policy as they tried to lure Tom Brady. This is why the Texans would be picking No. 32 in Round 2 as opposed to No. 33 overall.
With that selection, the Texans add another receiver with Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That would mean Young would have a young trio of Nico Collins, John Metchie, and Smith-Njigba. If all three of them could get on the same page, Houston’s offense should start producing through the air and at least give fans something interesting to watch inside NRG Stadium.