2019 NFL Draft: Texans First Round Predictions, Desires

It’s Draft Day, y’all. Ahead of tonight’s big event, the masthead has joined together to read Brian Gaine’s palms, dive through his dumpster, and read tea leaves. Below are our predictions for who we think the Texans take and who we want them to take.

Matt Weston:

I don’t think the Texans are going to draft a cornerback early. Instead, I think they will see the run on tackles of Jonah Williams, Jawaan Taylor, and Andre Dillard, bite down to grab one of their own, and then add two cornerbacks in the second round tomorrow night. They’ll probably draft Cody Ford in the first round tonight. He can play right tackle. He’s big and strong. pretty good, and has the body type to develop into something that Mike Devlin will never be able to develop him into. If they do that, expect for Ford to start at right tackle against the Saints in Week One.

Personally, I’m all in on Greedy Williams. I don’t think any of the tackles, aside from the Big Three,warrant a first round selection. Williams is the best coverage corner in this class. The Texans need another outside corner, and if they do take him, I may actually feel okay with a secondary composed of Williams, Bradley Roby, Justin Reid, Tashaun Gipson, Johnathan Joseph, and Aaron Colvin backing up J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.

Then, in the second round, they could grab a tackle like Kaleb McGary, Greg Little, or Tytus Howard. Or they could even turn their two twos into an earlier two or late one to make it happen.

Luke Beggs:

I think the Texans will select Greedy Williams in the first round, and I also hope they select Greedy Williams in the first round. A lot of the chatter surrounding the Texans staying at 23 and not chasing any tackles sounds remarkably Texans-like. They’ll take Greedy over whoever’s left at the offensive tackle position they might not feel great about as a first round prospect.

bigfatdrunk:

I think they get Greedy as well. I can also picture the Texans moving back in the draft instead of up, so there’s that regarding the tackles.

Kenneth:

I think the need at OT is too dire. There is more depth at corner in the second round than there is for offensive linemen. I want the Texans to take Dalton Risner in the first round, and I think they do that without looking back.

Risner may not be elite in run blocking or pass blocking or have elite size, but he is the offensive tackle that fits this team’s needs and system. He doesn’t pop off the film as a first round pick, but he has the tools to develop into a long-term solution at tackle. I do fear a big run on offensive linemen in this draft, so Risner may be the best case scenario for a first round lineman in Houston.

Capt Ron:

I think the Texans will trade out of the first round for more picks, and I’d be good with rolling more dice to find quality starters and depth.

But I would love to see Houston move up and draft TE T.J. Hockenson to help the offense in the run game and passing game. He’s a Day One starter and should be a multi-year Pro Bowler. It’s the best “sure thing” first round option available in this draft for the Texans.

Mike Bullock:

1. I think the Texans will stay put and go after the best available player, a luxury they really don’t have, but looking at the offseason so far, the passive “take what the defense gives us” strategy seems to be in effect. Maryland safety Darnell Savage might be that guy, or Texas A&M center Erik McCoy could be as well. I just have a gut feeling they end up taking someone that not many have mocked to the Texans, someone that doesn’t immediately improve the biggest team weakness—offensive line.

2. If I could make it happen with little to no trade pain, I’d find a way for Houston to land Alabama tackle Jonah Williams. He’s smart, motivated, nimble, and would theoretically fix the left tackle spot for the rest of Deshaun Watson’s illustrious career. How would I pull this off? Well, not by giving up a 2019 second round pick but, as much as I love him, Whitney Mercilus and Houston’s 23rd overall pick would get packaged and sent to a team like the Giants, Buccaneers or Lions in exchange for their higher first rounder—that is, if I couldn’t entice another team to take Houston’s 2020 second round pick with the 23rd this year, or Ryan Griffin.

Diehard Chris:

1) Even thought I’m not entirely sure the Texans like him, I think they will grab Greedy Williams. He simply does not have the physicality Houston seems to value in their corners, BUT my hope is that (a) that was more of a Rick Smith thing and (b) they realize all the physicality in the world isn’t going to stop T.Y. Hilton from turning Houston’s secondary to ASHES if there’s nobody speedy enough to stay with him.

2) This is tough. I want them to trade back to draft more offensive line and secondary bodies, but I also would not be against a SMALL trade-up if the price is not to high and it’s for one of the top OTs. Of course, the top OTs are NOT expected to slip in this draft, so this is likely a pipe dream. I will say that I WANT them to take Greedy Williams.

Tim:

The question is whether Andre Dillard makes it past the Bengals at No. 11. If he does, I think a trade up to select Dillard becomes a real possibility. If Dillard goes off the board to Cincinnati or to another team within the first ten picks of the draft, I believe the Texans will stay at No. 23 and select a cornerback or trade back. I reckon the most likely scenario is Houston holds at No. 23, so put me down as predicting that Deandre Baker (CB—Georgia) becomes the newest Texan tonight.

In terms of what I want to see happen, in a perfect world, Dillard is somehow available at No. 23 and the Texans grab him. I’d also draft Jonah Williams without hesitation, but it’s virtually certain he’s long gone by then as well. I don’t want to part with either of the Texans’ second-round selections (unless doing so would get me Patrick Peterson from the Cardinals, which it won’t), so I want the Texans to either trade back to acquire an additional pick or remain at No. 23 and draft whichever of the cornerback troika of Baker/Greedy Williams/Byron Murphy is available; I fully expect two out of the three to be gone by the time the Texans go on the clock, so there shouldn’t be much deliberation.

Dark horse pick: He isn’t a left tackle, but Garrett Bradbury would make the Texans’ offensive line markedly better. If Brett Kollmann sings your praises, I’m intrigued.

Keep in mind that even the great ones miss every once in awhile. Shooters shoot.