Many have speculated on what the Houston Texans will do in the first round of this year's NFL draft. Having the 28th overall selection, it's imperative that general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans maximizes the opportunity to grab a potential game-changing player with the early positioning.
Several mock drafts, including my own, have projected Houston to opt for an offensive lineman with their first pick. Players like tackle Max Iheanachor (Arizona State), guard Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon) and guard Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M) have all been names that have made the rounds as potential fits for the team come Draft night.
Very seldomly, there have been mocks that have projected for a defensive tackle to be selected in that same space. In those cases, Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) and Lee Hunter (Texas Tech) have commonly been spotted on many a fantasy draft board.
For today, the spotlight will be on 6-foot-4, 321-pound interior defender Christen Miller out of the University of Georgia. And thanks to Fansided NFL Draft analyst Cody Williams, we now have more insight into how Miller could develop into an impact player on the Texan's already staunch defensive line.
The Texans can solidify their interior with the selection of Christen Miller at #28
Selecting Miller at this spot would be to strenghten what already the biggest defensive strength in the NFL. With All-Pro's defensive ends like Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are wrecking offensive lines off the edges, all that's needed is a big body in the middle to clean up the rest.
In his mock draft analysis, Williams believes that Miller could fit that bill in both stopping the run and rushing the passer (more rush defender than pass rusher at the moment).
"They'd probably love an offensive lineman, but I'm not sure there's a guy worth taking in this spot. So instead, they lean into their strengths with another defensive presence in Christen Miller. He should be able to win in the run game right away, but the signs of him also being a pass-rushing menace as he develops are there too, and DeMeco Ryans will surely be a fan of that upside."
From the defensive tackle position, Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke were able to develop a unit (Sheldon Rankins, Tim Settle, Tommy Togiai, etc.) that produced 138 total tackles, 8.5 sacks. 17 tackles for loss and two fumbles recovered for a touchdown.
Houston is heading into 2026 without Tim Settle Jr. (Washington) and Mario Edwards Jr. (cut), and with players like Sheldon Rankins only getting older. If Miller can step into a regular role and learn within a hyper-productive environment such as what the Texans put fourth last season, the Georgia product could infuse the team with new blood while also turning into a quality contributor sooner rather than later. Although, he'll still have his work cut out for him, as he'll still be a rookie with warts to overcome early in his career.
Miller's weaknesses will be a test for Texans' defense to overcome if he plays consistently
In a write up covering Miller as a draft prospect, NFL Analyst and Texans media member Lance Zierlein covered some of the weaknesses that he'll have to iron out upon his arrival in the NFL. They included:
- Lacks mass and girth of the typical odd-front zero-technique.
- Saw his feet moved by the big, strong interior of Tennessee.
- Doesn’t function as a pure gap hog in the middle.
- Average anticipation and feel for the back as a two-gapper.
- Must prove he can anchor and occupy NFL double teams.
To Zierlein's point, Miller definitely has to adjust to the caliber of NFL offensive lineman and blocking schemes after his selection next month. However, that's the case with all rookies to varying degrees, thus a few tidbits here and there shouldn't scare Houston away from a prospect who very well could be a key cog to the future of their defensive mastery in the AFC.
Miller may have his growing up to do, but a defensive environment like the one in Houston has shown itself capable of bringing out the best in its personnel year over year.
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