The Houston Texans have some very clear needs heading into the NFL Draft, needs that were not properly addressed during free agency.
To be fair, the Texans entered the offseason with very limited financial flexibility, so unlike last year when they splurged, they were unable to be major players on the open market.
The good news is that Houston still has the draft to patch some holes, and one area in particular that the Texans need to repair is their offensive line.
That is exactly what most expect Houston to do on Day 1 later this month, and NFL Mock Draft Database has compiled the data to reveal the Texans' most likely first-round draft pick: Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Simmons.
Simmons is an interesting candidate, as he played just six games with the Ohio State Buckeyes this past season as a result of a torn patellar tendon. The knee injury surely caused his draft stock to dip, but he is still viewed as a first-round selection due to his overall talent level.
Houston traded away top tackle Laremy Tunsil this offseason, and while the Texans did sign Cam Robinson, they could still use some help at the position.
While Houston also needs to add some more weapons for C.J. Stroud, keeping him upright may be the most important thing, as Stroud was sacked 52 times in 2024. That certainly played a role in the 23-year-old enduring a sophomore slump.
We'll see what the Texans decide to do in less than a couple of weeks.
Analyst Unveils Exciting 'Perfect Fit' for Texans in NFL Draft
The Houston Texans are entering the NFL Draft with some very obvious needs, and after a rather questionable free-agent period, it would strongly behoove them to fill those holes.
While offensive line is the most glaring problem area for the Texans, they also need to add some weapons for C.J. Stroud given that Nico Collins is truly the only sure thing in their receiving corps heading into 2025.
Well, on that note, Marcus Mosher has identified who he feels is the "perfect fit" for Houston in the draft, singling out Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka.
"Nico Collins is one of the league’s top receivers, but there are plenty of questions with the rest of the wide receiver room," Mosher wrote. "Tank Dell will miss the entire 2025 season with a multi-ligament knee injury, and it’s not a given that he can make it back the following season. Christian Kirk is on a one-year deal, and he’s been unable to stay healthy during the last several seasons. That’s why Emeka Egbuka makes so much sense, as he is the ideal No. 2 receiver to pair with Collins for the foreseeable future."
Egbuka isn't the flashiest receiver in the world, but he is an outstanding route-runner and possesses very sure hands, something Stroud could absolutely use in an offense that suddenly looks rather skimpy going into next season.
The 22-year-old hauled in 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns this past year, helping lead Ohio State to a national championship.
The caveat here is that this is a very deep class for wide receivers, so the Texans may choose to take an offensive lineman on Day 1 and then address the receiver position later. Still, one cannot deny how tempting of an option Egbuka would be right off the bat.
