The Houston Texans have an opportunity with five picks in the top-100 of the 2022 NFL draft to collect talent that can bolster the roster and get the AFC South club back to being competitive.
Mark Schofield from the Touchdown Wire released his latest three-round mock draft, and what the Texans do in his latest forecast is a rudimentary way to fix the team.
In the first round, Houston uses their No. 3 overall pick to take Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. With the addition of Thibodeaux, the Texans have a sure edge rusher who can get after the quarterback and star in Lovie Smith’s Tampa 2 scheme.
The Texans don’t neglect the other side of the trenches as they take tackle Charles Cross from Mississippi State. The addition of another first-round tackle adds an interesting twist as to what the club expects of Tytus Howard in the final year of his rookie deal.
Houston gives second-year quarterback Davis Mills another weapon with the selection of Western Michigan receiver Skyy Moore in the second round. Teaming up with Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins should allow the shifty slot receiver opportunities to get his targets.
The Texans also address the running game in a profound way for the first time since 2017 when they selected D’Onta Foreman from Texas in the third round as Houston nabs Iowa State running back Breece Hall with the 68th overall pick. Houston still has Rex Burkhead and Royce Freeman on the roster, but Hall has the chance to become a key part of the run game.
With Houston’s final pick of the third round at No. 80 overall, they add a familiar face for Smith in Illinois safety Kerby Joseph. The former Smith understudy returns to his old coach — this time in the pros — and still playing the Tampa 2 scheme.