The Houston Texans made a shocking decision when they traded away Laremy Tunsil. Their offensive line was an absolute mess in 2024, and they decided to make some sweeping changes ahead of the new season.
This included shipping off their best lineman in exchange for draft compensation. Time will tell if it was the right move, but they're banking on a major overhaul being the answer.
READ MORE: Former Texans OT Laremy Tunsil pens heartfelt goodbye to Houston
Right now, it appears Tytus Howard is slated to take over for Tunsil at left tackle with second-year player Blake Fisher replacing Howard at right tackle. Those plans could change depending on what happens in the 2025 NFL Draft. That could happen if this latest mock came to fruition.
USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has Houston selecting Josh Simmons from Ohio State at No. 25 overall.
"Between firing offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and then capping off the detonation of their front by trading away Laremy Tunsil, the Texans sent a clear message that their protection plan for C.J. Stroud wouldn't stand. Now left to build the line from the ground up, Houston could turn to Simmons, who has all the traits of a high-end pass protector but is coming off a torn patellar tendon suffered in October." — Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
Simmons is one of the best pass protectors in this class but the knee injury would be concerning for Houston fans if this was the selection. For the past two seasons, injuries have held the Texans back, so adding a player who is coming off his own injury might not sound ideal.
That said, he's one of the premium pass protectors in this class and has a chance of sticking around until Houston is on the clock. Considering how often C.J. Stroud was sacked in 2024, it would be worth rolling the dice — especially since he didn't struggle with injuries prior to this past season.