How can the Houston Texans get back on track after trading away DeAndre Hopkins? Find out in this complete seven-round 2020 NFL mock draft.
On Monday, the Houston Texans made a baffling deal with the Arizona Cardinals. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Texans will send star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and a 2020 fourth-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick.
Johnson has been a productive player at times and the draft capital is nice, but this is DeAndre Hopkins. He is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL at a time when the passing game is king. This move makes no sense for Houston and franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson cannot be happy.
We may not agree with the move by the Houston Texans, but this is going to happen and the Texans will move forward without their superstar receiver. So, what is next for this team? They have some cap space to work with, perhaps they will now aggressive attack Amari Cooper in free agency? Even if they are able to land Cooper, they will overpay for him and he is not as good as Hopkins.
The Texans will likely be aggressive in free agency, but this team will also need to do some serious damage in the 2020 NFL Draft. They have legitimate holes on both sides of the ball and now, they have traded away one of the best offensive playmakers in the entire NFL. How should the Houston Texans attack these needs in the upcoming draft? Find out in this complete seven-round 2020 NFL mock draft for this team.
Note: This mock draft was completed using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine.
With Hopkins in Arizona, the Houston Texans should look to this loaded draft class of receivers to help fill the void. With the second-round selection acquired in the trade (40th overall), the Texans snag Denzel Mims, a big and athletic receiver out of Baylor.
Mims is not the most refined route-runner, but he is fast and explosive on the outside. He is a legitimate threat in the deep passing game and can create yardage with the ball in his hands. Mims is also a big and long receiver who has a wide catch radius and shows impressive ability in contested-catch situations.
Mims cannot come in and replace Hopkins, but he is an impressive wide receiver prospect who has a ton of long-term upside. If he falls to No. 40, the Texans need to consider making Mims the selection.
While things could change quickly, edge rusher currently stands out as a major need for the Texans. With Josh Uche still on the board in this mock draft, position of need and best player available comes together for Houston here.
Uche is a quick and athletic stand-up rusher who has fantastic upside at the next level. He is quick off of the ball and shows impressive upfield burst on the edge. Uche also shows the ability to drop back in coverage and can make plays on the ball. The Texans love versatility on the defensive side of the ball and Uche can shine in a variety of roles. Snagging him late in the second round would certainly make sense for this team.
The Houston Texans have done a nice job of rebuilding their offensive line over the last year, but they still have needs on the interior. In particular, this team should be looking to improve their right guard situation this offseason.
Lewis an extremely powerful offensive lineman who thrives in drive block situations. He also shows impressive anchor ability in pass protection. Lewis does not have quick feet and is never going to be a great second-level blocker, but he can absolutely dominate at the line of scrimmage.
Michael Ojemudia is a long and relatively athletic cornerback prospect who shines in zone coverage. He is never going to be a guy who you want to match up with against elite-level outside receivers, but he shows good instincts in coverage and strong overall ball skills. Ojemudia is a rock-solid cornerback prospect who could play a valuable depth role for the Texans.
Antonio Gandy-Golden is a big and physical wide receiver who shines at the catch point. He works through traffic extremely well, showing advanced contested-catch skills for an NFL Draft prospect. Gandy-Golden is not a supreme athlete. He struggles to release off of the line of scrimmage and create space with his routes. However, his ability to catch the ball in traffic can be valuable.
After trading away Hopkins, I would like to see the Houston Texans take a couple of shots at the wide receiver position in the 2020 NFL Draft. Gandy-Golden is not a perfect prospect, but he has plenty of upside and could grow into a strong player for the Texans.
The Houston Texans have three late seventh-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. While it is rare to find impact talent this late in the draft, it is not impossible. Let’s swing for the fences with some upside and try to find a hidden gem or two.
Carlos Davis is a big and athletic defensive tackle who has exciting traits. However, his inability to play with leverage has hurt his ability to make a consistent impact on the field in college. Davis has the combination of quickness and power that could allow him to become a playmaker at the next level, but he has to learn to lower his pad level and use his hands better. Who know, perhaps proper NFL coaching will allow Davis to grow into a powerhouse defensive tackle?
After trading for David Johnson, I doubt that the Houston Texans put too much priority on the running back position in the 2020 NFL Draft. That being said, it never hurts to take a late-round flier on a guy.
J.J. Taylor is an extremely quick and elusive back who works through traffic well and shows solid contact balance. Taylor is also a threat to make plays as a receiver out of the backfield and could quickly grow into an exciting playmaker for the Texans.
With their final pick of this mock draft, the Houston Texans swing for the fences again. Here, they snag Tulsa edge rusher Trevis Gipson, a long and athletic player who has exciting upside if he can learn to grow as a player.
Gipson has long arms, but he does not know how to use them well. He can bend on the edge and close on the quarterback quickly, but he tends to disappear far too often. His combination of length and flexibility is exciting, but Gipson is far from a finished product. However, if the Texans take their time with him, this could be a pick that pays off in a big way down the line.