Houston Texans Draft: Round 2 Targets 2020 NFL Draft

1. Texans Draft: Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Ross Blacklock of TCU is a player that some felt would be drafted at the end of the first round and for good reason, as he is maybe the best defensive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Houston needs to find a player to replace nose tackle D.J. Reader who joined the Cincinnati Bengals as the highest-paid nose tackle in league history this offseason. As great as that was for the former fifth round pick, when Reader left in free agency, it also left the Texans in a bind at the position.

Houston did sign Tim Jernigan in free agency, but he’s entering his seventh season, and not only that the Texans need to add more depth at the position. Blacklock is that player, and the Texans wouldn’t regret selecting him in the second round at 40th overall.

With Blacklock even being available in the second round, maybe it is a sign that this offseason for the Texans is more than just wild trades by O’Brien, and finally something worth celebrating will happen. Blacklock in 2019 had nine tackles for loss with 4.5 of those tackles coming against Kansas and Kansas State combined.

Blacklock also had 1.5 tackles for loss against Baylor, plus one each vs. Purdue and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Rounding out his TFL stats, Blacklock had a half-TFL against both Texas and Oklahoma State.

Blacklock is a big man who can take up space on the defensive line (6’4″ and 305 pounds) all the while making teammates better. If Blacklock is sitting on the Texans draft board at 40th overall it will be interesting to see the decision the franchise makes Friday night. The correct decision would be to draft the big tackle from TCU.