NFL fans are focused on the Super Bowl, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 9. However, most teams — including the Houston Texans — are interested in another bowl game.
The Reese's Senior Bowl is taking place in Mobile, Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 1. This game might not get the attention it deserves but scouts understand the importance and will be keeping an eye on all the practices as well as the game itself.
For the Texans, here's a look at five players who they should be keeping tabs on.
Jonah Savaiinaea, IOL, Arizona
After playing right tackle for the Wildcats, Jonah Savaiinaea is being projected as a guard at the next level. He's getting a chance to prove he can handle this in Mobile and considering his excellent pass-blocking skills, Houston should be very interested.
Sebastion Castro, S, Iowa
General manager Nick Caserio has built an incredible secondary headlined by Derek Stingley, Jr. The arrow is definitely pointing up considering they're also very young with Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre, and Calen Bullock on the roster.
Looking ahead, they could still add more depth to help move on from Jimmie Ward, M.J. Stewart, and Eric Murray. That's why Sebastion Castro should be in their sights.
Castro stood out as a slot corner, which would give them an alternative to Ward, who has issues staying healthy.
Smael Mondon, Jr., LB, Georgia
Teams can never have enough linebacker depth, especially when they suffer as many injuries as Houston has.
One player they could target is Smael Mondon Jr. from Georgia. Known for his sideline-to-sideline speed, Mondon is strong in coverage but holds his own against the run. There are concerns due to a history of injuries but he could be worth a roll of the dice.
Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
Houston has their No. 1 wideout in Nico Collins, who recorded 1,006 yards despite missing five games. They could bring Stefon Diggs back as well but there's no guarantee that will happen.
Even if they did retain Diggs, the Texans will need more depth — especially with Tank Dell suffering a gruesome injury late in the year. That's why they should keep their eyes on Jalen Royals from Utah State.
A standout on Day 1 according to Lance Zierlein and Eric Edholm of NFL.com, Royals will get the attention he deserves after being overlooked at Utah State.
"He's going to have a size/strength advantage against almost every defensive back covering him this week, but it was the way he ran his routes with efficiency and created throwing windows that impressed me. He played inside and outside at Utah State but projects as a tough possession slot in the NFL." — Zierlein, Edholm, NFL.com
Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
One of the top-rated defensive tackles in the class, Walter Nolen has been a beast in one-on-one matchups so far at practice. He's an intriguing prospect who can play on all three downs and could put himself into the first-round with a strong showing this spring.
Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
Joe Mixon was overworked at times in 2024 and for some reason, the Texans never trusted Dameon Pierce. If they're still hesitant to turn to Pierce, they should keep an eye on Damien Martinez who transferred to Miami in 2024 after starting his career at Oregon State.
At 5-foot-10 and 230 pounds, Martinez is a load for defenses to deal with. He's also proving during Senior Bowl drills that he has more than enough speed and agility to pick up chunks of yardage.
Martinez quietly racked up 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Hurricanes and could be a steal in this draft considering the talent at the position.