After the first round, who are some players you think would be extra good fits for what the Texans need and the type of players they like?
Fennell: SCAT RB – Could use a slashing, change of pace RB to implement on third down. Lighter frame, good receivers.
• Devin Singletary (FAU), Justice Hill (Oklahoma St), James Williams (Washington State)
Gadget/YAC – Texans could use a YAC (yards after catch) threat on the perimeter and someone to stretch defenses horizontally with jet/orbit action. These are RB/WR hybrid players that you want to get the ball in their hands.
• Tony Pollard (Memphis), Mecole Hardman (Georgia), Olamide Zaccheaus (Virginia)
Vertical stretch TE – Need more imposing athletic threat over middle of the field.
• Jace Sternberger (Texas A&M), Josh Oliver (San Jose State), Keenen Brown (Texas State/Oklahoma State)
(Tyrann) Mathieu, (Andre) Hal and (Kareem) Jackson are out. (Tashaun) Gipson and Roby are in. Texans still need depth at safety and subpackage personnel groupings. This is a perfect draft to add Day 3 depth at all the spots:
• Nickel — Ugo Amadi (Oregon)
• Big nickel — Mike Edwards (Kentucky)
• CB — Sean Bunting (Central Michigan)
• Safety — Evan Worthington (Colorado)"
Allbright: This needs to be an OL- and DB-heavy draft for Houston. Isaiah Johnson might be an interesting day 2 add. Dalton Reisner if he’s there in the second.
Waldman: In addition to the tight ends mentioned above, wide receiver N’Keal Harry could give the Texans a rebounder with skills after the catch, who could move around the various spots in the lineup. If Miles Boykin somehow slips to the second round, he could be a stud producer opposite DeAndre Hopkins.
And if the team is concerned about the health of its running back depth, Alexander Mattison, Bruce Anderson, and Damien Harris could be nice second or third-down bargains with every-down skills. Rodney Anderson could be a great pick if the team is confident about his health — he could easily be one of the three best backs in the class. If seeking a quick-hitting option who can generate big plays in space, Darrell Henderson and Darwin Thompson could provide tremendous upside in a spread offense.
Monson: After the first round there’s a significant drop at cornerback in my opinion, but the mid-rounds have a lot of talent that’s a little rougher around the edges. Sean Bunting from Central Michigan could be a really nice option lower down the draft. He’s got multiple years of impressive PFF grades and didn’t allow a touchdown this past season.
On the O-line, I love USC’s Chuma Edoga at tackle as a mid-round sleeper. He allowed just 4 total pressures this past year at USC, and at the Senior Bowl had some of the best reps I’ve ever seen a tackle have in pass protection. If you miss out on an Andre Dillard in the first, he could be a really nice backup option lower down.
Starr: The Texans will continue to add talent the best way they can, and I would not be surprised if it is the best player available with positional needs as their guide. Which means they have offensive tackle and cornerback as a priority to walk away within their first three selections of the draft. They will trust their draft board much like they did last season which had positive results for the 2018 draft class.
As for players that fit what the Texans might want to add to their roster in roles not discussed for draft needs. Texans have been watching Texas A&M running back Trayveon Williams close, and he would be a solid third option behind Lamar Miller and D’Onta Foreman.
Also, the Texans like pass rushers, Louisiana Tech edge player Jaylon Ferguson makes sense, especially with the age of their edge rushers and Whitney Mercilus entering the final season of his deal.
The offense also needs another vertical threat, and that is an insurance plan with Will Fuller’s health, and Notre Dame’s Miles Boykin and Ohio State’s Johnnie Dixon make plenty of sense.
Cobern: Charles Omenihu is a very solid edge rusher with length from Texas. Omenihu doesn’t have elite athleticism, but he’s a classic base end. Maxx Crosby is also another very good Edge to consider after round one.
McDonald: In the later rounds, it might make sense for the Texans to add defensive line depth just in case they can’t sign Jadeveon Clowney to a long term deal. Eastern Michigan defensive end Maxx Crosby is a big, athletic, productive player that should be able to fit anywhere in the Texans’ multiple fronts. If they take one earlier, Zach Allen from Boston College would be a nice fit, too.
Nystrom: I head into this question under the assumption that Houston took a tackle in round 1 (for Deshaun Watson’s sake, please Lord). We’ve got three Day 2 picks to buy us a cornerback, an edge rusher — and another offensive lineman!
Fortunately for Houston, it feels as though corners are being pushed down the board. Someone is going to fall to 2.54 that’ll be a good fit for the Texans’ Cover-4 scheme. Someone who can start immediately. My wish list would include: Rock Ya-Sin, Deandre Baker and David Long.
Edge is another position that’ll still offer quasi-round 1 value in round 2 due to the depth of this transcendent class. If "Sack Daddy" Jaylon Ferguson plummeted, I’d run to the podium — the Senior Bowl’s Jim Nagy swears he’s better than Marcus Davenport, and I tend to agree. Chase Winovich would also be an inspired pick. He’s been overlooked for years, but soundly outplayed Rashan Gary from the first day he arrived as a five-star recruit through to the very end. If Gary never surpassed him as a player, I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s got a lot of work to do to pull even.
Lastly, we’re adding another linemen. Because one ain’t gonna cut it after what we lived through last year, am I right Houston? How about USC’s Chuma Edoga, a talented kid who is going to be available at a discount. Edoga has swing potential, which would be nice on a unit this thin. Max Scharping is underrated and Tytus Howard is a fun sleeper; I’d consider each of them as well if they were around. Hjalte Froholdt is my favorite "sleeper" guard, and I think he’d be a good fit as well.
As for Houston’s trio of day 3 picks, we’re going to be looking for depth. I’ll nominate running back for one spot I’d be targeting. If Bryce Love falls to 5.161, just take him. You’ll have to redshirt him, as he’s coming off a torn ACL in December, but he’ll be a mega-steal if he comes back as 2017 Bryce Love.
I think people don’t realize two things about last year: 1.) Stanford’s offensive line regressed about as badly as you’ll ever see for a unit returning that much talent. It was a breathtaking descent from one of the FBS’ best lines to one of the Power 5’s worst. 2.) Love played through nagging injuries for most of the year behind that line — he’s a warrior — before his body finally gave out. He didn’t suddenly become bad. As long as his knee is okay and he doesn’t lose those world-class jets, he’s going to be fine.
Dexter Williams and Ryquell Armstead are two other Day 3 guys I like.
Or, heck, shop local! Trayveon Williams is probably a third-down NFL back, but that kid can do things. He moves better with pads on than he does in shorts. Like him a lot.
Lazar: Depending on who you ask, Washington tackle Kaleb McGary ranges from a first-round pick to a late day two selection. If he’s still there on day two, I could see Houston liking his athleticism and physicality in the running game; he’s one of the best run blockers in this tackle class.
Two other names along the offensive line include Alabama State’s Tytus Howard and Northern Illinois tackle Max Scharping. Both Howard and Scharping are high-IQ players that are naturals in pass protection.
Houston might also like polished Notre Dame corner Julian Love. Love’s ceiling might be a high-end number two cornerback, but he’d crack Houston’s top three on the depth chart as a rookie.
Kollmann: I have Darnell Savage from Maryland graded as a first round kind of player, but I acknowledge that he probably won’t be drafted that high. I see a lot of Tyrann Mathieu in him back when the Badger was still in his prime in Arizona. He can do it all — play the deep middle, man the slot, and blitz like a mad man out on the edge. I’m hoping that he is still there in the second or third round, because he’s a truly perfect fit for this secondary.
If they can’t get Savage though, Sheldrick Redwine from Miami is another name that I think the Texans should take a hard look at on day two or early day three. He’s a highly athletic, rangy free safety prospect that could really complement Justin Reid well going forward. The team is so thin at safety now after Andre Hal’s retirement that if they drafted at least two safeties, I would not be surprised. Hell, doubling down on both Savage AND Redwine might not be a bad idea, considering Savage’s versatility as a nickel."
What did I not ask about this Texans draft that you would like to answer?
Cobern: The one area that the Texans could become even better at in this class is at safety. Justin Reid, who I identified as the best safety in 2018, was the best rookie safety in football last year. Juan Thornhill is the best safety in 2019 and just like Reid, the NFL will likely allow him to fall into the Texans’ hands.
Allbright: With Clowney wanting a megadeal, it might behoove the Texans to invest again in the pass rush for contract leverage. Could see them using a pick or two there."
Kollmann: With the strength of the defensive line class this year, do you think the Texans will look to outright replace Clowney instead of just paying him a large contract?
I suppose it’s possible that they could try to be frugal and just try to find a cheaper option in the draft, but honestly, there isn’t really another Clowney in this class anyway. Nobody in this defensive line group can do everything that Clowney does — outside linebacker, five technique, three technique, Mike linebacker as a blitzer, etc.
The Texans use him in so many ways because he truly is a one of a kind athlete, and outside of maybe … maybe … Rashan Gary from Michigan, I don’t think you could swap him out for any of these rookies and expect the same results. Clowney might not be the most statistically productive player in the world, but he is a truly irreplaceable piece of this defense. I would rather just sign him and sleep easy at night."
(Steph note: I think no matter how the Clowney negotiation goes, they need to find some help in this draft for some of the things he does given injury histories of Texans pass rushers and valuation issues with Clowney. My semi-educated guess is that Clowney will not be in a hurry to come to a deal and risk injury in the same old practices in the Texas heat. In addition, his valuation for a longer term deal is difficult given his specific injury history. I do not think difficulty in coming to a deal has anything to do with his football skills).
Lazar: "With the depth in this draft, I’m curious to see what the Texans do with those back-to-back picks in the second round. There could be two players they like, but if there isn’t, one of those picks could be worth a lot in this draft.
For example, if a player that one team valued as a top 50 prospect falls outside the top 50, they might be eager to trade back up into the second round. I know a team in New England that might call Houston about one of those picks.
Nystrom: If the Texans draft N’Keal Harry and Darrell Henderson to add to a roster that already has Seantrel Henderson, will you guys considering changing your name to the "Houston Harry and the Hendersons?"
Final Steph note: If you have read this far, you are a true draft fan and are probably punchy enough by now to enjoy Thor’s joke.