The Houston Texans could better their playoff story by worsening their draft position with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round.
Following a 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Texans own the No. 25 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager Nick Caserio could use his first pick in multiple ways, but trench play seems like a no-brainer.
Houston’s inability to get consistency from the guard position needs an upgrade. If the Texans were to land a long-term defensive tackle, that would transform into a wise investment instead of landing former standouts on one-year deals.
The Draft Network recently released its latest mock draft. In that projection, Jaime Eisner has Houston standing back to select Purdue offensive lineman and former All-Big Ten tackle Marcus Mbow.
“It’s no secret the Texans need to improve the interior of their offensive line,” Eisner wrote. “I expect Marcus Mbow to be a big riser after the Senior Bowl with the ability to play any of the five positions on the offensive line. There are members of our scouting staff who view him as a high-end tackle. Others see him as potentially the best center in the draft. I think guard is his most likely landing spot but I would not be surprised to see him play wherever the Texans need him. Mbow has some unconventional elements to his game but flashes downright dominate at times.”
The Texans desperately need to improve their interior offensive line this offseason, so drafting Mbow would be a strong start. He’s a multi-purpose play and could compete with both Blake Fisher and Tyuts Howard for first-team reps at right tackle, with the losers shifting into both left and right guard pending a move in free agency.
Every Marcus Mbow knockdown from the 2024 season pic.twitter.com/ry3bhn9dXb
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) January 12, 2025
Mbow would be plug-and-play for the Texans in 2025, most likely at left guard next to five-time Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil. Houston, however, could miss out on a player of Mbow’s skills if it continues to win.