What the Houston Texans do at No. 3 overall will no doubt determine the rest of the draft.
If the Texans go with an offensive lineman in the first round, and a safety in the second, or maybe a running back — or perhaps a safety with No. 3 overall, a cornerback in the second — you get the picture.
The Texans could find themselves down to their second third-round pick and have yet to address the pass rush. If that is the case, there is a name Houston should keep in mind.
According to Ryan Wilson from CBS Sports, Minnesota edge rusher Boye Mafe provided some decent reps at the Senior Bowl this past week to lend to the notion he could be a part of the collaborative effort to get after opposing quarterbacks.
If you told us Boye Mafe was the MVP we wouldn’t have questioned you. He showed off that quick first step during the week in one-on-one drills, giving offensive tackles fits. That theme continued Saturday where, like Winfrey, Mafe had two sacks, three tackles for loss while also forcing a fumble.
The superb week for Minnesota’s Boye Mafe continues
Strip Sack 😈 pic.twitter.com/Nyr7eKDIb7
— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) February 5, 2022
And this, where it feels like Mafe almost materializes out of nowhere to run through the quarterback:
Absolute domination from @GopherFootball EDGE Boye Mafe at this year’s @seniorbowl!
Explodes off the snap, perfectly times a quick swipe, and surges into the pocket.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE
— PFN Draft (@PFNDraft) February 5, 2022
Mafe is a Day 2 pick all day long, and his effort this week in Mobile only solidifies that.
The Texans used a third-round pick on Jonathan Greenard from Florida in 2020. In his rookie year, while J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus were still on the roster, Greenard added 1.0 sack. In 2021, Greenard followed up with 8.0 sacks.
Similarly, the Texans could have the same type of player with Mafe.
Where Mafe would need to improve his game as soon as he arrived would be stopping the run. Houston gave up 4.6 yards per carry, tied for the fifth-most in the NFL. The Texans also gave up 142.2 rushing yards per game, the second-most in the league.
