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It’s The First Round Of The Draft And The Texans Pick…

After a mostly successful Free Agency period, the Texans are ready to look toward the NFL draft. Their draft picks will be used to build depth on a needy roster, but the first round choice will be extremely important. At pick number 16, the Texans have myriad options to make their team better. The only question is, who should they pick? The Texans are in need of linebackers, offensive linemen, and at least one wide receiver, but those aren’t the roster needs. So, who should they pick? Here are some of the players that the Texans could target.

Trae Waynes

Trae Waynes is unanimously viewed as the top cornerback in the upcoming draft after the 2014 season and an impressive Combine performance. Waynes specializes in man coverage, and he pins receivers to the sideline with his size and skill. The Texans just signed Kareem Jackson to a new contract, and Johnathan Joseph only has one year left on his current contract. The other corners on the roster haven’t shown a consistent ability to limit receivers. Waynes could immediately start or learn from Joseph and Jackson. Plus, Waynes will give the Texans another play-maker to limit Andrew Luck’s effectiveness.

Jaelen Strong

By the time the Texans draft at number 16, the top wide receivers (Amari Cooper, Kevin White) will probably be gone. However, the Texans are still in need of a wide receiver to make up for Andre Johnson’s departure. Jaelen Strong is a strong third option for the Texans to target during the draft because he provides the complete package. Strong is a taller receiver at 6’2″, and he has a 42″ vertical leap that will help in the red zone. Granted, the comparisons to Dwayne Bowe could be worrisome for some teams, but Strong won’t be pegged as a number one receiver. In fact, Strong will actually be a another option behind DeAndre Hopkins and Cecil Shorts III. This position will limit the pressure on Strong during his rookie season.

Randy Gregory

The choice of Randy Gregory may seem like a long shot considering his talent, but Gregory could slip out of the top ten choices because of a failed drug test during the Combine. The Texans are in need of a linebacker after the departure of Brooks Reed to Atlanta. Additionally, the other linebackers on the roster have had some health issues in the past. The Texans could pair Gregory with a positive influence that would help keep his issues in check while taking advantage of his raw skills.

Obviously, the Texans will have varying choices depending on the Draft’s flow, but these are three of the main players that they could target. Cornerback could be the safest and smartest choice because both Trae Waynes and Jalen Collins are immensely talented. The receiver class is so deep that the Texans could draft a play-maker in the second or third round. Plus, there are so many talented linebackers in the draft that the Texans could find some talented defenders in later rounds.

Author: John Newby

I was born and raised in raised in a nerdy home in the middle of Oregon. I grew up reading comic books and playing video games, but I quickly fell in love with football as well, particularly the Minnesota Vikings. Now, I cover the Texans while spending time with my wife and our three dogs.