The Houston Texans’ twin first-round picks through the 2024 NFL draft mean it is always draft season.
The news of the Miami Dolphins losing their 2023 first-round pick activated analysts to reevaluate their mock drafts and put forth updated versions.
According to Doug Farrar from the Touchdown Wire, the Texans use their first-round selections to address the trenches.
Interestingly the Texans aren’t the worst team in the NFL in this mock as they are picking No. 2 overall. The Atlanta Falcons have the dubious honor of picking first, and they take Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.
The Texans use their initial first-round pick to beef up their edge defense with Alabama’s Will Anderson.
At No. 17 overall, Houston uses their extra first-rounder — obtained from the Cleveland Browns — to add another tackle in Ohio State’s Paris Johnson.
What is fascinating about the picks is what it says about the Texans’ season and what may have happened to players they are counting on in 2022.
If Houston is picking No. 2 overall and not taking a quarterback, it means general manager Nick Caserio determined second-year quarterback Davis Mills was not the reason for Houston’s horrendous record that has them picking in the top-3 for the second straight year.
Taking Anderson with the second overall pick also means that defensive end Jonathan Greenard still didn’t sell the Texans on the idea that he is a dependable disruptor off the edge. Why else would the Texans spend such a high quality selection on Anderson?
Picking Johnson may not necessarily be an indictment on anyone’s play as much as it is preparations for the future. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil will count $35.2 million against the Texans’ salary cap in 2023, according to Over The cap. If Tunsil is playing at anything but an All-Pro level, the Texans may look to get out of that contract, and adding Johnson provides options.
