Houston Texans: 7-Round Mock Draft 2.0
Round 1: (No. 23) Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma
Cody Ford provides the Houston Texans with something that they haven’t had since Duane Brown was traded to Seattle two seasons ago, which is an anchor on the edge of the line. Ford may be the most well-rounded tackle in this year’s draft. At 329 pounds and 6-4, Ford will help to solidify the offensive line around quarterback Deshaun Watson.
According to Pro Football Focus, Ford had the fourth highest pass blocking efficiency in the nation last season. He only gave up one sack in his senior campaign, protecting quarterback Kyler Murray (the potential No. 1 overall pick) en route to his eventual Heisman Trophy achievement.
The major knock against Ford comes in the run game. Ford was ranked 45 thin the nation in run blocking efficiency in 2018 by PFF. It’s no secret that Texans head coach Bill O’Brien likes to run the ball, but Ford’s slight struggle against the run shouldn’t scare away him as a potential pick. Ford ran a 5.21 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine back in February, proving his ability to move fairly quick.
Ford failed to flash at the combine, which hurt his draft stock slightly, making him a lot more likely to be available when Houston selects at 23rd overall.