Texans can significantly address top needs in top-33 of the 2023 NFL draft
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The Houston Texans made some headway in free agency.
The Texans were able to add defensive tackle help with Hassan Ridgeway and Sheldon Rankins. New coach DeMeco Ryans got a safety to help teach the rest of the backend his ways in Jimmie Ward. Houston also made a statement as to the direction at left tackle, and thus the rest of the offensive line as a whole, by extending Laremy Tunsil.
For the first time arguably in the tenure of general manager Nick Caserio, the Texans don’t have that many needs on the roster.
According to Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, the Texans’ biggest needs after the first wave of free agency are quarterback, receiver, and edge defense.
The Texans are another team with a major need at quarterback, and we expect that to be the position they target at No. 2 overall. But despite acquiring Jimmie Ward, Sheldon Rankins, Robert Woods and Shaq Mason in free agency, this is still a roster that needs help in a handful of areas. With Brandin Cooks on the way out via trade, the wide receiver room becomes in need of new talent, as does the pass rush. The Texans do have an extra first-round pick at No. 12 overall, so look for those two positions to be on the table.
The Texans are virtually going to solve their quarterback woes with Bryce Young with the No. 2 overall pick in Round 1. There goes that hole.
With Houston’s No. 12 overall pick in Round 1, they can either take a dominant edge defender with choices such Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson, Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness being options. The Texans could also go receiver with USC’s Jordan Addison and TCU’s Quentin Johnston being available that early in the draft.
Whatever the Texans don’t get at No. 12, they will have similar options at No. 33 overall — the second selection of Round 2. Enter North Carolina wideout Josh Downs or Houston receiver Tank Dell. Iowa State edge defender Will McDonald and Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah will also be available presumably at that level of the second round.
Either way the Texans choose, they have fixed their three biggest needs with their three highly valued selections. The rest of the draft can be a best-player-available collection to buttress positions of strength on the roster.
