The Houston Texans draft now has a feel for drafting defensive players when the three-day event begins this Thursday night.
For what it is worth, the feeling for the Houston Texans draft process entering the 2020 NFL Draft was that they were going to select one of the many wide receivers from a very talented class. Now some aspects of the Texans draft have most likely changed because of a trade for Brandin Cooks, shifting the focus to defense.
Things aren’t what they seemed to be anymore as general manager — and resident decision maker — Bill O’Brien made a trade by sending a 2020 second-round pick (57th overall) for Brandin Cooks and a 2022 fourth-round pick.
This year, the Texans draft is still a mystery, not because of team needs, but who knows exactly what O’Brien and the staff of the Texans are thinking. Exactly what direction are they leaning toward is hard to say, but it should focus on the defense.
If the Texans draft is focused on defense, will it be a player added to the secondary? Houston could really throw a wrench into any plan, and they could just trade the second-round pick by either moving up into the first round, or they could trade back and add more draft capital, which makes this year’s draft a mystery.
As all of us attempt to figure out what’s next for the Texans draft, here are all of the 2020 NFL Draft picks in a final Toro Times mock draft as the real thing begins this Thursday night.
Round 2: Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU
(40th overall pick)
The Houston Texans draft needs to include a player to help replace the loss of D.J. Reader, so why shouldn’t the Texans roll the dice at 40th overall and select one of the best defensive linemen in the draft in Ross Blacklock of TCU?
This might seem a little bit out of the ordinary, and this isn’t the most exciting pick the Texans draft makers can make, but it is one that will bring instant results and make the defense better than what it currently is. Blacklock is capable of rushing the quarterback from the interior defensive line, and he’s able to make holes to others to rush as well.
Yes, the Texans did sign veteran defensive tackle Tim Jernigan in free agency, but they are going to need more than just his services to really compete with their front seven, and Blacklock seems like he could be that guy.
A positive about Blacklock is that he’s not only 6’3” and 290 pounds, but he’s described as a player who can be a starter within his first two seasons and that he can “find and split a double-team crevice,” plus he is “extremely athletic and agile in short spaces,” according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
This would be a very nice pick for the Texans at 40th overall. Blacklock would contribute right away, have the ability to learn from a veteran like Jernigan, and he’s most likely a safe pick here, which is what the Texans need since they have no first-round pick.
Round 3: Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame
(90th overall pick)
This is where the Texans draft can move toward adding more of an edge rush to their roster with the 90th overall selection of the 2020 NFL Draft and build for the future, while also getting early production from a player as well.
Notre Dame product Julian Okwara enters this week’s draft as a third- to fourth-round graded player (12th overall edge rusher) by Dane Brugler of The Athletic in his NFL Draft preview “The Beast.” In a closer look at Okwara by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Okwara is 6’4” and weighs in at 252 pounds, and at the combine he didn’t run the 40-yard dash.
At the NFL Combine, though, Okwara did display his strength with 27 bench press reps of 225 pounds. Zierlein had the following to say about the strengths of Okwara in his draft profile:
"“Saw 33 percent of his tackles go for a loss … frame should carry additional mass and strength with time … possesses NFL-quality range and pursuit speed.”"
In Okwara’s final season at Notre Dame, the defensive end totaled 10 solo tackles, seven tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in just nine games played last season.
For only nine games, those are very solid numbers. In ’18 as a junior, Okwara played in a career-high 13 games where he had 26 solo tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, one interception, one pass defensed and one forced fumble.
There is a lot to work with here if the Texans were to select Okwara with the 90th overall pick, and if that happens, the edge rusher could learn from J.J. Watt, get accustomed to the 3-4 defense at the NFL level and not have to be the team leader on defense at the very start of his career.
Round 4: Kenny Robinson Jr., Safety, West Virginia/XFL
(111th overall pick)
The Texans need to keep adding to the depth of their defense because that unit is worse off than the offense entering the 2020 NFL Draft, and you would assume that is what the Texans draft makers know, too.
Here is a unique selection for the fourth round, but one that could pay dividends sooner rather than later as he’s played professional football in the XFL this past spring.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic believes there is room for improvement with Robinson, but also says he’s a “ballhawk.”
On Robinson’s XFL team page, the 6’2”, 198-pound safety had a combined 21 tackles, two interceptions and one sack in five games played for the St. Louis Battlehawks.
This is the style of player the Texans draft decision makers must add to their roster. The Texans secondary didn’t intimidate many teams last season, and at times the defense failed in some of the biggest games, including a regular-season game against the Baltimore Ravens and of course the playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
For the Texans to take the next step, depth in the secondary is of vast importance, so selecting Robinson here isn’t such a bad idea.
Round 5: Tyre Phillips, Guard, Mississippi State
(171st overall pick)
Tyre Phillips of Mississippi State would be an excellent choice in the fifth round for the Texans draft to continue to build depth on an offensive line that still allows a few too many pressures to the quarterback.
Viewed as a “good backup who can become a starter” by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, Phillips could fit in perfectly with the Texans offensive line as he could learn from a reserve role early, force a training camp battle and see how much he’s improved along the way.
Being that he’s 6’5” and 331 pounds, the offensive guard showed athletic ability at the NFL Combine earlier this year with 22 reps on the 225-pound bench press, and for a lineman, he ran a 5.37 40-yard dash. Zierlein’s draft report on Phillips compares him to D.J. Fluker in his NFL comparison, saying the following about him:
"“Interior protection duties should come naturally and he has early starting potential with an above-average ceiling for a power-driven offense.”"
That brings us to the Texans draft and their offensive line needs. Though O’Brien said the Texans aren’t drafting solely on team need in the 2020 NFL Draft, Phillips could really help with the aforementioned interior protection, as there seems to be a feeling that the Texans might focus on their running backs more this season compared to others.
An offense is only as good as their offensive line, and in certain areas in the interior line, help could be what is needed with this potential Texans draft selection.
Seventh Round (3 Picks)
• Michael Warren II, Running Back, Cincinnati
(248th overall pick)
The Texans draft here could pick up another running back to create training camp battles behind the duo of David Johnson and Duke Johnson, which will be needed greatly because the Texans draft decision makers need to have a backup plan in place.
In his three seasons at UC, Warren totaled 559 carries with 2,918 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He also rushed for 34 career touchdowns, and as for receiving, Warren finished with 51 career receptions for 442 yards (8.7 yards per reception) and three touchdowns.
• Khaleke Hudson, Safety, Michigan
(248th overall pick)
The Texans need to add a cornerback, and though this is late in the game so to speak, Khaleke Hudson of Michigan needs to have a look in the final round for the Texans.
Graded by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com as a backup or special teamer, either way the key word for the defense is depth. Adding a player like Hudson, who is a solid option at special teams this late in the draft, works out nicely for this franchise.
Hudson has a lot of work ahead of him this summer to be a better overall player at the next level, but if the Texans would take him here, he’d have a good amount of time this season to learn how to play in the NFL. In a press conference last week, general manager Bill O’Brien said he believes this will be a “veteran season“ for teams, so Hudson wouldn’t be expected to be the next to starter for this team, either.
In his senior season, Hudson totaled 102 total tackles, with 3.5 for a loss. He also collected two sacks and three passes defensed. Back in ’17 as a sophomore, in 13 games, Hudson finished with 83 total tackles and a career-high 18.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, eight sacks, 11 passes defensed and two interceptions.
• Scott Frantz, Tackle, Kansas State
(250th overall pick)
With their final pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Texans draft goes back to the offense to see what they can get from tackle Scott Frantz. Frantz comes in as the 35th overall rated tackle by Dane Brugler for the 2020 NFL Draft, but he does have size at 6-5, 307 pounds.
This is a player selected for possible potential and a player who most likely won’t see the field in 2020. In ’19, Frantz was voted onto the 2019 second-team All-Big 12 Coaches Team, as he played in a total of 51 games for his career, playing 13 games in three of his four seasons, and as a junior in ’18 he played in 12 games.
This is just one final attempt to get an idea of whom the Texans draft could include. The Texans can’t afford to be gamblers or risk-takers this season, so we’ll all get to see later this week what O’Brien has up his sleeve.