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NFL Draft Day Preview: FanSided Experts Draft Takes

By George Stockburger

Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the stage before the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; A general view of the stage before the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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NFL: AFC Wild Card-Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans
NFL: AFC Wild Card-Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans /

The Houston Texans enter the NFL Draft with a lot less needs than they started the offseason with. After netting a new starting quarterback in Brock Osweiler and running back Lamar Miller, they can utilize the best player available approach for most of their selections.
That doesn’t mean they’re without needs, just that they shouldn’t be handcuffed by them. Here are the three biggest areas of need for Houston.

1. Offensive Line

After losing two starters this offseason (center Ben Jones went to Tennessee and Brandon Brooks went to Philadelphia) they only brought in one experienced starter with guard Jeff Allen. With that in mind, Houston has to build some depth there, especially considering how many injuries they suffered at this spot throughout the 2015 season.

2. Defensive line

The other side of the trenches needs to be addressed as well. In 2015 they cut their third round pick from the previous year in Louis Nix III, which left them with only Vince Wilfork as a true nose tackle. Wilfork played awful and doesn’t look to be improved with more age.

At defensive end they also lost Jared Crick, who was an underrated player. He could potentially be replaced by second year player Christian Covington (who may end up being the steal of the 2015 draft), but they are still thin behind him as well.

3. Tight end

Just pencil this in every year for Houston because they are snake bitten at this position. Garrett Graham was cut and C.J. Fiedorowicz has been a bust so far. Ryan Griffin showed some signs after missing a good portion of the season hurt, but it would be nice to find a true quality starter there.

Three players to keep an eye on could be Notre Dame center Nick Martin, Clemson nose tackle D.J. Reader and Stanford tight end Austin Hooper.

None of those three are considered first round picks, but they could all develop into playmakers for the Texans. Martin is the younger brother of Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin and has football intelligence which is off the charts. He was a two-year team captain and three-year starter for the Irish. He potentially could land in Round 2 or 3.

Hooper seems to fall behind Hunter Henry of Arkansas in most people’s mock drafts, but he could potentially be the better of the two. He is a polished pass catcher with great size at 6-foot-4 and 254 pounds and he is a superior blocker to Henry. What also makes him interesting is that he is a redshirt sophomore, meaning there is still plenty of room for growth. He looks to be a second round selection and could solve the Texans issues at that position for years.

Reader was a backup for years at Clemson, but that’s no knock as this school all of a sudden is sending in defensive linemen at an alarming rate. Reader is a 340-pounder with surprising athleticism for a man so large.

He played baseball at Clemson and basketball in high school but could carve out a role in the NFL as a space eating tackle. He needs a few years to refine his skill, but in Houston he would still work behind Wilfork as he learns the game. Reader looks to be a late round pick, but his athleticism and size make him an intriguing prospect.

Mock Draft 1.0 Selection – Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

For more on the Houston Texans, please check out Toro Times for all the latest news and analysis.

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