The Houston Texans entered the 2024 NFL Draft without a first-round pick, but that didn’t stop them from finding legitimate contributors early.
Round 2, Pick 42 – CB Kamari Lassiter (Georgia)
Houston’s top selection quickly proved worthy of the slot. With five interceptions already, Lassiter plays with competitive toughness and a pure coverage ability as good as any young corner in football when he's at his best. Even when he gives up modest yardage, he rarely loses positioning and consistently contests throws.
His emergence opposite Derek Stingley Jr. has solidified the Texans’ secondary, although Stingley has had a rough start to 2025.
Round 2, Pick 59 – OT Blake Fisher (Notre Dame)
A prototypical Notre Dame lineman -- well-coached, technically refined, and powerful in the run game. Fisher started a majority of the games in the back half of his rookie season (Week 15 into the divisional round) flashing reliable feet in pass protection and the ability to displace defenders. So far in 2025, he's appeared in three games with a start in Week 5 against Baltimore.
Round 3, Pick 78 – S Calen Bullock (USC)
The most active rookie of the class, Bullock has started every game for HC DeMeco Ryans beyond Week 3 of last fall.
He can operate as a single high safety, roll down into the box, or matching up in coverage against the elite TEs in the game today. He's a modern Swiss Army knife on the back end of Ryans’ defense that looks like a core, foundational piece for Houston.
Round 4, Pick 123 – TE Cade Stover (Ohio State)
A gritty in-line blocker who embraces the dirty work, Stover has rotated as TE2/TE3, providing physicality at the point of attack while occasionally flashing as a checkdown option. Not flashy, but a tone-setting depth piece that unfortunately will miss most of 2025 due to foot surgery.
When healthy, however, he's a glue piece that boosts both the ground and aerial attack.
Round 6, Pick 188 – LB Jamal Hill (Oregon)
Hill has fit his role nicely, developing into a core special teams contributor. His range and toughness translate well in kick coverage, even if his defensive role remains limited for now.
Round 6, Pick 205 – RB Jawhar Jordan (Louisville)
A former dynamic and explosive offensive weapon in the ACC, Jordan has yet to appear in a game and currently remains on the practice squad.
Round 7, Pick 238 – EDGE Solomon Byrd (USC)
Byrd's only snaps so far in Houston came in Week 18 last year where he amassed a single pressure in nine pass rush snaps. So far, that's been the extent of his workload and, like Jordan, he also remains on the practice squad.
Round 7, Pick 247 – DT Marcus Harris (Auburn)
Another late Day 3 flier who has not yet appeared in an NFL game. Harris was released following training camp in 2024, and has since bounced on and off the practice squad in New England and Buffalo. He is not currently on an NFL roster.
Round 7, Pick 249 – OT Ladarius Henderson (Michigan)
A former first-team All-Big Ten selection, Henderson did not log an appearance in Houston, and has not logged an NFL snap as a player who is now on the practice squad in Cleveland.