The Houston Texans are open for business with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, and it doesn’t necessarily mean with trades either.
According to Steve Palazzolo from Pro Football Focus, who released a mock draft ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine, the Texans draft Alabama tackle Evan Neal with the No. 3 overall pick.
With left tackle Laremy Tunsil on the trading block, the Texans need to get younger at the position. Neal has an excellent combination of on-field production — he’s the second-most valuable Power Five offensive tackle over the last two seasons — and athleticism.
If the Texans were to take Neal, it would indicate that Tunsil’s time with the Texans is nearing its end. If Tunsil was still on the Texans’ roster by the time they drafted Neal, it would also indicate that Houston would hope to move the two-time Pro Bowler sometime in training camp or the end of the preseason.
Houston would have talented bookends in Neal and former 2019 first-round pick Tytus Howard if they did go the offensive lineman route in the first round. The Texans would still need to address edge rusher and the secondary despite taking one of the more intriguing offensive linemen in the draft.
How the Texans got to the point of taking Neal in the mock was due to the Jacksonville Jaguars selecting Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson No. 1 overall and then the Detroit Lions going with Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton immediately thereafter. Kayvon Thibodeaux gets picked right after Houston’s selection of Neal with the New York Jets taking the Oregon defensive end.
The first quarterback doesn’t come off the board until No. 12 overall with the Minnesota Vikings picking Liberty’s Malik Willis.
Offensive line may be a need for Houston, but they may be using too great a resource to address it at No. 3 overall.
