Houston Texans seven-round 2021 NFL mock draft
By Ian Higgins
With little draft capital remaining in their 2021 NFL draft war-chest and a desperate need for youth to kickstart their rebuild, the Houston Texans find themselves in a sticky situation attempting to offload disgruntled personnel.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson has made his displeasure with the situation known and will be commanding a hefty asking price for any franchise seeking a win-now quarterback.
The future of the Houston Texans rides heavily on the 2021 NFL draft and their ability to make the most of minimal draft assets, posing a serious day one challenge to Houston’s new general manager Nick Caserio. Coming from a New England organization that always managed to make the most of their day two and three selection, if there was a man for the job it would be Caserio.
Before moving into this mock draft though, the Houston Texans need to reacquire 2021 NFL draft capital with headliner trades involving some of their core franchise pieces.
Currently the reported preferred trade destination for Deshaun Watson, the Miami Dolphins are one of the few teams in the NFL with a deep enough chest of draft assets to complete such a deal.
To bring the generational talent to South Beach, Miami will be sending back all 2021 NFL draft selections received from the Houston Texans in the Tunsil-Stills trade, an additional first-round pick of their own in the 2022 NFL draft, and former fifth-overall selection Tua Tagovailoa.
Despite speculation of an asking price of three first-round picks, the addition of Tagovailoa to this deal adds the additional value of an estimated mid-first round selection and eliminates the need for the Houston Texans to expend any 2021 NFL draft capital on a new franchise quarterback.
Another Houston Texans franchise-cornerstone who has been rumored to be on his way out via trade this offseason has been defensive end J.J. Watt. A one-year rental for 2021, Watt will be entering the final stages of his career and is seeking a final shot at a championship.
With their only selection prior to the fourth-round of the 2021 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks sell-out on youth for a proven defensive lineman in an effort to rekindle some semblance of a natural pass-rush. To complete the deal, Seattle also sends their second-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft.