Texans trade into first round to land high-impact player in this 2024 mock draft

With their lone sixth-round pick, the Texans try and add some depth at safety, going with Maryland's Beau Brade. Standing six feet, 203 pounds, Brade has good size and is a willing run defender. He doesn't have any one trait that stands out as elite, but he'll be someone the Texans could lean on in a pinch or at the very least, become a special teams staple.

With the first of two seventh-round picks, the Texans go back to the SEC well on the defensive line, selecting Auburn defensive tackle Marcus Harris. As a seventh-round pick, it's hard to beat someone like Harris. He might be a little on the light side, but the guy plays with a fierce sense of physicality. His hands are always active and pack a punch. He's quick off the line and, more often than not, wins the low battle.

Finally, the Texans snag another cornerback, this time going with someone who has played with Joey Porter Jr. and Kalen King. The lesser-known Penn State cornerback, Daequan Hardy, will still find a role in the NFL and, with a defensive mind like Ryans at the helm, he'll be in good hands, development-wise.