Houston Texans 2022 Mock Draft: Best Player Available Approach

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.