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The Houston Texans appear to be perhaps the most significant beneficiaries of the 2023 NFL Draft at present, having acquired franchise cornerstones such as C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr., and Tank Dell. Following a successful draft and a cultural shift initiated by the coaching staff, the Texans concluded with a 10-7 record, clinching a playoff victory and securing the AFC South title after ranking as the second-worst team in 2022.
📍2024 Pro Bowl Games pic.twitter.com/xNjcul8KWo
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) February 2, 2024
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Currently, Houston possesses the sixth-highest cap space in the NFL and stands poised to retain several key contributors slated for free agency. If they manage to select wisely in the upcoming draft, the Texans could emerge as a dominant force in the AFC going forward.
What picks do the Texans hold in the 2024 NFL Draft? Who could they target in the first round? Let's delve into that.
What Draft Picks Do The Houston Texans Own?
The Texans have six draft picks before the NFL awards 32 compensatory picks during the offseason. They are currently slated to have one pick in the first, second, third, and seventh rounds while having two picks in the fourth round.
Houston's first-round pick is from Cleveland in the Deshaun Watson trade, while their first- and third-round picks were traded during last year's draft to move up and take Anderson. Their third-round pick this year was also acquired on draft night a year ago when they sent their 105th pick in 2023 away. The Texans also have another fourth-round pick from the Watson trade, but they lost their fifth-round pick to the Cardinals for tackle Josh Jones, and they traded their sixth-round pick to help move up last year.
They were slated to receive another seventh-round pick in the Lonnie Johnson trade, but the pick was conditional and the conditions were not met once Johnson didn't make the Chiefs' roster after the trade.
Who Could The Houston Texans Draft In The First Round?
Houston's most notable free agents this upcoming season are linebacker Blake Cashman, interior lineman Sheldon Rankins, edge Jonathan Greenard, and cornerback Steven Nelson. They have plenty of cap space and will be able to have their preference, which can allow them to take the best player available at number 23.
According to the PFF Mock Draft Simulator, wide receiver is the most commonly picked position, which seems unlikely in Round 1 given the emergence of Dell and Nico Collins a year ago. Drafting a defensive player to replace one you don't plan on re-signing seems like the most logical course of action, meaning they could go edge, interior lineman, or cornerback at this spot.
If Greenard isn't retained, getting someone like Bralen Trice or Laiatu Latu would be perfect as they should be able to step in from day one and play alongside Anderson well. At cornerback, pairing Quinyon Mitchell or Ennis Rakestraw Jr. with Derek Stingley Jr. could help transform their pass defense. Trading up for Jer'Zhan Newton or standing pat to take Byron Murphy II would be their best bet at interior lineman.
Highest pass rush win rate among 2024 NFL Draft defensive tackles:
• Byron Murphy II, Texas - 20% (6 sacks)
• Michael Hall Jr., OSU - 18% (2 sacks)
• Norell Pollard, VT - 16% (3 sacks)
• Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois - 15% (8 sacks)
• T’Vondre Sweat, Texas - 15% (2 sacks) pic.twitter.com/BgUWUQRaQC
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 4, 2024
Ultimately, it all comes down to who the Texans try to retain in free agency and where their needs lie after that. It seems like adding a defender is the most likely course of action in the first round, while they could shift their focus to improving the run game later in the draft.
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