Texas star the target of Houston trade-up efforts

Rumors suggest the Texans plan to trade up in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Houston Texans enter the 2025 NFL Draft with the No. 25 overall pick. After a busy offseason already, rumors suggest the franchise could possibly make a big move on Thursday night during the first round of the draft with their eyes on a Texas Longhorns star.

Word around town is that the organization has been making calls about potentially trading up, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. He does admit that it's not entirely clear who Houston is targeting, but does claim that an unnamed NFC executive thinks Texans general manager Nick Caserio likes Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.

“The Texans (No. 25) are calling into the top half of the first round to potentially move up. While their target is unclear, one NFC executive predicts Houston is interested in Texas' [Kelvin] Banks, trying to solve a clear need at offensive tackle. Teams behind Houston are also hearing from GM Nick Caserio, so it's possible the Texans are just doing their due diligence across the board.”

Caserio does have a history of making trades during the NFL Draft, a the Texans have made a minimum of three deals each year under Caserio. Considering Houston made a bold move in the 2023 NFL Draft to trade back up for Will Anderson after already selecting CJ Stroud, this team is one to monitor come draft night.

Offensive tackle is an Achilles heel for Houston right now, especially after the Texans traded Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders. It's possible that the front office wanted to get out of Tunsil's contract and find a talented prospect on a rookie deal to develop alongside quarterback CJ Stroud.

Banks is viewed as a Top 3 offensive tackle in this class, and many believe he'll be taken within the first 16 picks of the first round. If that's the case, then the Texans would have to give up considerable compensation just for a chance to select the Texas star.