The state of the Houston Texans’ receiving corps is in a state of flux.
Third-year Nico Collins has dealt with injuries through his first two seasons that have impeded his progress. Former 2022 second-rounder John Metchie is essentially entering his rookie season having had to beat leukemia last year. Rookie Tank Dell was explosive with the Houston Cougars, but the third-rounder’s diminutive size could hamper him in the pros. Throw in Robert Woods and Noah Brown as veteran stopgaps, and the Texans’ receiving corps could still lack big-play potential entering next offseason.
According to Dalton Wasserman from Pro Football Focus, if the Texans wanted to fix their problems at receiver, they should look for one of C.J. Stroud’s former teammates in the 2024 NFL draft in Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.
Marvin Harrison Jr. will dominate the headlines leading up to next year’s draft, but Egbuka is nearly as good. Egbuka’s 83.7 receiving grade ranked 14th in the FBS while catching passes from current Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. Egbuka is a terrific route runner and has the speed to threaten defenses after the catch. His prior chemistry with Stroud would accelerate the Texans’ offensive development.
With Stroud throwing Egbuka the ball last season, the 6-1, 203-pound wideout caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns through 13 games.
The Egbuka pick through the first two days of the draft would only make sense if the Texans truly needed help. Collins, Metchie, or Dell still have the upcoming season to prove to the Texans’ talent evaluators that the No. 1 receiver is already on the roster.