Houston Texans 7-Round 2022 Mock Draft: Beefing Up The Defense

Round 1, 3rd Overall: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia

The comments are flooding in with this Houston Texans selection. The Texans do have a solid rusher in Jonathan Greenard, who had an eight-sack season in 2021. He’s someone who can be a a very good number two, but finding an elite pass rusher is important for this defensive unit that’s going to rush four and play a lot of zone behind it.

From a current value standpoint, it feels a bit early to select Travon Walker. However, the ceiling is enormous. People who are 272 pounds shouldn’t move the way Walker does. His explosive get off, combined with the speed and power combination, is one that shouldn’t be limited to defending the run like he did at Georgia. The run defense floor is nice, but swinging on the potential as a pass rusher is worth it for Houston in the top five of an odd class at the top.

Round 1, 13th Overall: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

The 13th pick is where the Houston Texans could go a number of directions. They need a top corner on the outside, some help on the interior offensive line, and could get ahead of the run at safety (or take Kyle Hamilton on the off chance he falls).

Instead, the Texans get ahead and select the first linebacker, one that can roam around a be a playmaker in Smith’s defense. The lack of a consensus top guy muddies the water a bit as to who the Texans might target at the position, but Devin Lloyd makes sense, as he just makes plays everywhere. With the length to disrupt passing windows and get off blocks as a rusher, combined with instincts and closing speed downhill, and coverage chops, Lloyd can be a playmaker early in his NFL career.