The Houston Texans will likely have a top five pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and in this mock, they draft top talent early over a quarterback.
After a shocking win to start the season, the Houston Texans are back near the top of the 2022 NFL Draft order. They’ve been sellers ahead of the trade deadline, dealing both Mark Ingram and Charles Omenihu for future late round picks. Combine that with finally having a first round pick after the deal for Laremy Tunsil, and the Texans should be able to start rebuilding.
Quarterback is on everyone’s mind in Houston, and the DeShaun Watson saga is still ongoing. Rookie Davis Mills has flashed at times this season, but his overall performance has been a roller coaster. Still, in a quarterback class like the 2022 one, Houston shouldn’t force the issue early.
Houston Texans Mock Draft
Instead, building a roster full of young talent would be the way to attack the draft. There are so many players on one-year deals that it’s impossible to know who could be back for another season. Let’s sort some things out with a fresh Houston Texans mock draft.
Round 1, 2nd Overall: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
In a draft full of top defensive talent, the Texans opt to go in that direction with the second overall pick. Jon Greenard has been a bright spot on the Houston defense, but finding another pass rusher to work opposite him is a good idea.
Aidan Hutchinson has enjoyed a rise so far up draft boards during the 2021 season. In eight games in 2021, Hutchinson has seven tackles for loss and six sacks, and has been a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. His athleticism and quickness off the ball are tough to handle, and he’s shown good hand usage as well. The athletic testing should be stellar for Hutchinson when the combine rolls around. Length could be his one issue, but overall, he’s a stud worth a top five selection.
Round 2, 35th Overall: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
The offensive line should be a priority for the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft. Tunsil has been one of the best young tackles in the league, but the rest of the group around him hasn’t been stellar. Tytus Howard, a former first rounder, has struggled at tackle and even gotten some reps on the interior. With Marcus Cannon and Justin Britt hurt, the line has been mostly patchwork to this point. Cannon has another year on his contract, but going younger at tackle makes sense.
Trevor Penning might not be the biggest name in the tackle class right now, but he’d be a good pick near the top of the second round. The Northern Iowa standout played a very good game against Iowa State earlier this fall, and is one of the better run blocking tackle prospects. He gets out in space with ease and can reach the second level to sustain blocks. He’s got the athleticism and tools to be a great pass protector as well.
The All-Star circuit will bring more buzz for Penning, and he’d be a great bookend opposite Tunsil for whoever ends up at quarterback for the Texans.
Round 3, 66th Overall: Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia
Corner is another position that the Houston Texans will likely look at early. In a deep class, there will be plenty of talent available on day two. With Terrance Mitchell, Lonnie Johnson, and Jimmy Moreland the only corners set to be on the roster for 2022, getting a lockdown corner is necessary.
Derion Kendrick has had some off-field issues recently regarding his dismissal at Clemson, but he’s flourished so far in the Georgia Bulldogs defense. He plays very patient in man coverage, and has a physical element to his game throughout receivers’ stems and when lined up in press coverage. He’s also feisty at the catch point and has the potential and technique to be a future CB1.
Round 3, 87th Overall: Ainias Smith, Unicorn, Texas A&M
Yes, the Texans held on to Brandin Cooks, and Nico Collins is getting good reps as a rookie. But, adding to the receiver room is still the right call for the next young quarterback who takes the reins.
Ainias Smith could be considered a running back, but he’s gotten reps in the slot and primarily helps out the Aggies offense as a receiver. He would be fantastic in the slot, where he could utilize his short area burst, wicked twitch, and natural hands to separate quickly and make plays after the catch. Nyheim Hines is a good comp, but Smith might be able to do even more in the passing game.
Round 4, 132nd Overall: James Empey, OL, BYU
As mentioned previously, the offensive line for the Houston Texans is in shambles and needs some stability. With tackle addressed, the next place to look is center. It might look like a shallow class at this point, but there are always talented prospects who slip through the cracks in the fall, because it isn’t a flashy position.
James Empey is an intriguing player from BYU who hasn’t gotten much hype yet. He did appear on Bleacher Report’s early big board though. Empey has dealt with injuries in his time with the Cougars, but he’s an intelligent player with great skills in pass protection.
Round 5, 144th Overall: Phil Jurkovec, QB, Boston College
Ah, finally the quarterback. Does Mills really become the long term guy? It doesn’t seem very likely, as Mills probably would’ve benefited more from staying at Stanford. There’s no guarantee that Tyrod Taylor stays, so getting another young arm to compete with Mills makes sense.
Phil Jurkovec has missed nearly all of the 2021 season, and right now there’s a chance he returns to school. However, with the shaky QB class that is the 2022 NFL Draft, Jurkovec could opt in. He has a strong arm and is a confident passer from the pocket. He’s got good movement skills within the pocket amongst chaos, and can be accurate to every level of the field.
Round 6, 182nd Overall: Isaiah Pola-Mao, S, USC
The hope for the Houston Texans is that they can retain safety Justin Reid after the season, but he may opt to go sign with a contender. Either way, outside of Eric Murray, this team needs serious help on the back end.
Isaiah Pola-Mao is a toolsy talent on day three here. He has the size and length to be disruptive at the catch point and in passing lanes. Pola-Mao has potential to play on the roof of a defense and has done a good job near the line of scrimmage in run defense as well.
Round 6, 193rd Overall: Keondre Coburn, DL, Texas
The defensive line was a dominant unit for a long time in Houston, and getting back to that point would help to reach the peak of the AFC South once again. After adding Hutchinson earlier, getting someone to help in the middle is the next step.
Keondre Coburn has the size and ability to be a good nose tackle in this defense. He can eat up space in the middle and has flashed the ability to get after the quarterback.
Round 7, 247th Overall: Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin
Yes, the Texans just drafted Brevin Jordan back in April, but he’s more of a receiving tight end than someone who will work inline to help out the line in pass protection.
Wisconsin’s Jake Ferguson can do both, and he’s done so for a long time in Madison. He’ll be able to contribute in the run game as a blocker and help when the Texans want added protection on deep shots down field. Ferguson also has strong hands and good ball skills, along with the ability to threaten the seam.