Houston Texans Mock Draft Monday: Pre-NFL Combine Seven Rounds

Texans stay close to home to find their talent in this mock draft.

It’s Mock Draft Monday at Battle Red Blog so get your coffee going, get ready for the week, read those morning emails, and procrastinate with us for a while. The NFL Combine is just days away. Hundreds of players are ascending on Indianapolis to improve their draft stock and meet with prospective teams.

For the Houston Texans, they are looking to accomplish two things: find immediate stop-gaps for their next run to the playoffs and develop long-term talent to supplement the roster. For a team returning 10 starters on defense, offense should be the priority. However, knowing GM Nick Caserio’s draft strategy they will draft with an even balance on both sides of the ball.

No trades this time, but expect the post-NFL Combine mock to feature several trade packages.

Previous Mock Draft Database:

Seven Rounds Post-Senior Bowl

Houston Texans Three Round Mock Draft 1.0

Round 1, Pick 25: Matthew Golden, WR – Texas

This WR class is neither as talented nor as deep as in past years, and any immediate need must be filled within the first two rounds. Snagging a wide receiver over another position of need aligns with the best-player-available draft strategy.

The Texans find another gem in a former UH prospect turned Texas Longhorn. Golden was not on analysts’ draft radar before the season, but by the time the College Football Playoffs were in full swing, he had grabbed the nation’s attention with his footwork, catch radius, and yards after the catch. Golden played two-thirds of his snaps out wide, but he has the potential to develop into a transformational option for the Texans in the slot. He possesses the full route tree in his arsenal and can work the field at all levels. Golden reminds me of Terry McLaurin coming out of Ohio State.

Golden would pair well with Nico Collins and would immensely help the Texans, plus still provides a unique talent separate from an ailing Tank Dell. Until Dell’s health is better known and free agency occurs, wide receiver will be an immediate issue for the Texans. Surrounding C.J. Stroud with WR options is as vital as protecting him.

Round 2, Pick 58: Alfred Collins, DE – Texas

Ideally, T.J. Sanders is still on the board, but the Texans secure a plug-and-play defensive tackle with the versatility to play across the entire defensive line. Collins was the utility player on the Longhorns’ defensive line in 2023, playing behind Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat. When Collins finally got his chance, he helped lead the Longhorns to back-to-back semifinal appearances.

At 6’5” and 315 pounds, Collins has the length and attributes to contribute immediately. His 85.0 run defense grade is among the best in this class and is where he sets himself apart. A former five-star recruit, his feistiness at the point of attack is his calling card. The biggest knocks on Collins’ game are his lack of statistical production over four seasons and his tendency to struggle against lower, stouter linemen.

Collins may never develop into a true pass-rush specialist—he recorded only three sacks in three seasons—but he’s a technician between the tackles. Adding Collins to the middle will allow Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter to do their thing and funnel plays into Collins’ gigantic lap.

Round 3, Pick 89: Devin Neal, RB – Kansas

Picking a running back when there is zero knowledge of what the running scheme is a fool’s errand. What is not foolish, however, is selecting a Day Two running back in this class. I have graded seven running backs this year above the 2024 RB1, Jonathan Brooks.

Neal is a one-cut back with silky agility to match his breakaway speed. He can catch the ball well out of the backfield and isn’t afraid to contribute as a blocker. Neal uses a hard juke move to throw off tacklers and thrives when given a cutback lane—something Kansas’ horrific offense rarely provided. He isn’t a short-yardage back, but his 5’11”, 215-pound frame allows him to thread between the tackles. Impressively, Neal did not fumble once in his 750+ carries over a four-year career.

Adding Neal to the Texans’ backfield gives them an incredible future starting running back and a player to split carries with Joe Mixon in 2025.

Round 4, Pick 127: Luke Kandra, RG – Cincinnati

Kandra excelled in the Big 12 with Cincinnati after three seasons at Louisville. A right guard-only specialist, he is wide-bodied but possesses impressive foot speed. He’s more of a shuffler than a driver but loves to get to the second level and flatten linebackers.

In the run game, Kandra finds his spot and then looks for a defender in Cincinnati’s power-zone scheme. This is an extremely scheme-specific technique that may or may not translate to the Texans’ new offense. While well-sized for a guard, he plays with short arms and relies on his girth to win rather than his hands. Kandra needs a full year to refine his pass-blocking footwork, but with the right tutelage, he can develop into a solid NFL guard.

Round 5, Pick 167: Robert Longerbeam, CB – Rutgers

The Texans find secondary depth with a pure press zone-coverage cornerback. Longerbeam put together four years of solid production at Rutgers and forced 10 incompletions in 2024 alone. He is one of the early Day Three risers in this class after a strong Shrine Bowl performance.

Extremely skinny at 171 pounds, Longerbeam projects as a developmental backup corner for the Texans with immediate special teams value. The Texans lack any semblance of depth behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter, and Longerbeam could be the next man up.

Round 7, Pick 243: Dante Trader Jr., Nickel/Slot Safety – Maryland

The Texans find a special teamer and a low-end replacement for Jalen Pitre. Trader Jr. has three years of starting experience at Maryland. He was impressive in practice at the Senior Bowl and brings a cerebral presence to the backend of DeMeco Ryans’ defense.

Trader Jr. played nearly an equal number of snaps as a deep safety and as an extra box defender in dime packages over the last two seasons. His raw speed and length are middling, but his presence on the field is undeniable, and he knows where to be on defense.

Final Thoughts: Did this draft go as planned? No, but the Texans leave the NFL Draft with two immediate starters in Golden and Collins, plus two developmental starters in Neal and Kandra. I also expect one of the interior offensive line positions to be resolved through free agency, which will alleviate the pressure on Nick Caserio to find a starting offensive lineman right away. Additionally, I don’t think analysts, writers, or draft scouts acknowledge the thinness of the Texans’ secondary. Don’t be surprised if they address this position earlier than anticipated.