The Houston Texans go all in on defense in the first round of a new ESPN 2023 mock draft.
According to Matt Miller from ESPN, the Texans use their No. 3 overall pick to take Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
Carter was arguably the best prospect on Georgia’s national title team in 2021 when you talk to scouts and watch his disruptive ability as an inside or outside pass-rusher. He’s built (6-foot-3, 310 pounds) to produce from a 3-technique position and would make an instant impact in Houston.
Getting Carter would mean the club decided to move on Maliek Collins, who is slated to play the 3-technique in Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 scheme. The Texans would have a young tandem of defensive tackles in Roy Lopez, who would be entering his third season, and Carter.
Houston then uses the No. 23 overall pick obtained in the trade with the Cleveland Browns from the 2022 offseason to take Isaiah Foskey from Notre Dame.
The Texans grabbed elite defensive tackle Jalen Carter earlier in this projection and now get him a running mate in the talented all-around end Foskey. At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, Foskey has a true 4-3 defensive end body but could still stand up and play in space because of his quickness. With 11 sacks and a whopping six forced fumbles last season, his numbers match his physical tools.
Although listed as an outside linebacker, the Texans would have Foskey put his hand in the dirt as a down lineman coming off the edge. If Houston went with Foksey, it could also signal that defensive end Jonathan Greenard did not live up to the expectations that warranted a second contract, and the Texans would be getting ahead of finding his replacement.
What the picks indicate is that Houston still believes in Davis Mills, even with the Texans picking No. 3 overall in Round 1.
