Houston Texans 7-Round 2022 Mock Draft: Building A Strong Defense

Round 2, 37th Overall: Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State

It wouldn’t be very surprising if the Houston Texans come away with an edge rusher in the first round, but it’s possible that they wait until day two of the 2022 NFL Draft to address that need. In this Texans mock draft, that’s exactly the scenario, but there are plenty of great options. One of those, the selection here, is Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie.

Ebiketie was born in Cameroon, later coming over to the states. At Albert Einstein High School, Ebiketie dominated as a senior, playing both linebacker and receiver. He had 21.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss while amassing 298 receiving yards and three touchdowns as well. Ebiketie ended up at Temple, and transferred to Penn State for the 2021 season.

Ebiketie enjoyed his best season of production with the Nittany Lions in 2021. With 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss, Ebikeite was a menace throughout Big Ten play. What stands out is the twitch and explosion he plays with. Ebiketie can turn the corner with ease because of the first step explosion, violent and quick hand usage at the top of his rush, and ridiculous closing speed. He can win inside and can hold up on the edge against the run, while also working through the trash in pursuit.