Houston Texans Draft: Top 10 sleeper picks in the 2023 draft for the Texans

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8. Ronnie Hickman, Safety Ohio State

The Texans are in dire need of support in stopping the run and that's where safety Ronnie Hickman comes in. It's very rare to find a good run-stopping safety in the draft especially as early as the fourth round. Hickman can become a very good rotational piece and a future starter with time in the weight room and good coaching.

Over his three-year career with the Buckeyes, he racked up 157 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, seven pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Hickman is a good open-field tackler and plays well in zone coverage with inside leverage but struggles against top receivers.

Hickman is probably one of the shiniest gems in the safety room because when you talk about safeties who need to be versatile Hickman can bring that. Hickman is already great for the run game, give him a year behind safeties coach Stephen Adegoke and he'll become a great piece to this already deadly defensive group.

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