Mock drafts are flying around like monkeys after a pair of ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz.
Each mock draft also presents a glimpse into different realities for the Houston Texans. What if the Texans used their twin first-round picks in this manner or that? Which combinations would be favorable to getting maximum value at No. 3 and No. 13 overall?
If the Texans followed the NFL Network’s Peter Schrager’s model, they might possibly anger the fans.
At No. 3 overall, Houston goes with NC State guard-tackle Ikem Ekwonu. The pick would immediately have Texans fans upset because the Jacksonville Jaguars went with Georgia defensive end Travon Walker and the Detroit Lions went with Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Houston would have their choice of Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux and Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad Gardner, but instead go with an offensive lineman — albeit Ekwonu does have position flex that would meld well with the rest of the line.
I’ve heard a lot of noise from folks around the league that Houston could pick one of the two corners — Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley Jr. — but this seems too rich a spot in the draft to take a DB. Houston will address the lack of talent in their current defensive backfield at some point.
If No. 3 overall is too rich a spot for a cornerback, how rich is it for an offensive lineman?
Gardner goes No. 7 overall to the New York Giants. However, the Texans are able to recover at No. 13 and take Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton.
The Texans need to address their defensive backfield. In Hamilton, they get the best safety in this draft and a guy who could be a captain his first year on the field.
Houston fans would belly-ache after day one once they realized they had the chance to get Gardner and Hamilton and whiffed.