The Texans Fill Needs With This Mock Draft
Plus a discussion on the future of NRG Stadium and the Texans
The Houston Texans could use a lot in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. They still need a wide receiver. Offensive line help is a must. A complementary back to Joe Mixon would be an excellent get.
They’re at the mercy of the first 24 players who come off the board. That is, if the Texans stay put. I don’t believe many players warrant trading up for in this draft. Trading back is absolutely on the board, especially if a quarterback is available at 25.
Here is a mock draft that fills needs for the Texans while not being beholden to positional needs.
25th Overall - Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr.
Banks is a dream selection at 25. I don’t understand why he doesn’t get more love. He held down left tackle from the moment he put on a uniform for the Longhorns. There are concerns about his arm length, which means he could be better suited at guard. Houston can play him at guard initially and then give him a chance at left tackle. He solves two problems: guard in 2025 and tackle in 2026.
There’s a solid chance he is available at 25.
58th Overall - Ohio State RB Trey Henderson
Henderson is exactly what the Texans need with Joe Mixon. He can hit a home run anytime he touches the ball. He has receiving prowess. He fumbled once at Ohio State. If you don’t use him like a battering ram, he will succeed. He would extend Mixon’s career and be the lead back when Houston is finished with Mixon.
I’d be surprised if he is available, but mock draft after mock draft has him in this range.
79th Overall - Washington State WR Kyle Williams
Williams was a standout at the Senior Bowl after an explosive fifth season in college. He was top ten in receiving yards and top five in touchdowns last year. He’s fast and wins quickly. If you’re even, he’s leaving, as the old saying goes. He has a little issue with clean catches. He’s been a darling of the draft process, turning into a potential pick in the third round after entering the offseason as a day-three selection.
Williams should be available in the third.
89th Overall - Georgia Guard Tate Ratledge
Ratledge will appear in this newsletter/site many more times. He is a draft crush. He profiles what the Texans usually select. Oh, and did I mention, he’s good. I’m not sure many players have played more right guard in this draft than Ratledge. He started for three seasons at Georgia, where he was charged with just two sacks allowed. He lit up the combine in athletic testing, recording the third-best Relative Athletic Score ever for a guard. (Relative Athletic Score (RAS) is a metric that combines the various categories measured at the NFL Combine -- height, weight, wingspan, drill exercises -- into one aggregate number that's then contextualized against other athletes of the same position.)
Ratledge should be available in the third.
166th Overall - Georgia Tech TE Jackson Hawes
Hawes is a tight end who can block. Don’t expect a lot of offensive production. He had some nice catches in the Senior Bowl practices, but Hawes is making it to the NFL as a blocker. For the Texans, he would handle a lot of the duties Dalton Schultz shunned last season. It remains to be seen how much the tight ends will be utilized in Nick Caley’s new offense, but Hawes has a role day one.
Hawes should be available well into day three.
236th Overall - Nebraska DL Ty Robinson
Robinson would be a fun addition this late. He is a tough player. He was productive in his final season at Nebraska with seven sacks and double-digit tackles for a loss. He had a nice Senior Bowl and could help inside and off the edge. He’d be a solid depth player.
241st Overall - Safety Dan Jackson
Jackson shouldn’t start at safety, but he was useful in sporadic roles at Georgia. His addition would be about giving the special teams a player to craft into another special teams ace.
Here’s the mock draft result to prove this isn’t a crazy set of players to end up with for the Texans.