For the first time since 2019, the Houston Texans are finally making a selection on day one of the draft. The team will have an additional fourth-round selection from the 2020 trade that brought Brandin Cooks to town, as well as other moves that sent Shaq Lawson and Bradley Roby away. A team that relied on one-year contract players to be even somewhat competitive last year, the Texans have a number of positions that need to be filled. Most importantly, they need an identity under new head coach Lovie Smith. With the third overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they have the opportunity to define their direction quickly.
To help with this mock draft, I used The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Team Mock Drafts.
Round 1, Pick 3: Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
A late first-round projection in January, Walker had an outstanding showing at the NFL combine. He showed off the elite athleticism that was a standard on the Georgia Bulldog defense. Walker is a former defensive tackle that shed weight and moved to the outside for his junior year and increased his production. More than his 4.51-second 40-yard dash time, he pops off the page, and a vacancy off the edge, Walker is ready to shine.
For more on Walker, check out our scouting report on him.
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Round 2, Pick 37: Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA
Houston isn’t looking to make a run this season, no matter how dysfunctional the AFC South may look. Woolen at 37th overall is a look to the future, grabbing a prospect that has elite potential. Despite Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor in the division, it is still a passing league. Having a 6’4″, 205 lb cornerback with 4.26-second 40-yard speed and a 42” vertical plays into that. Helping coverage on the backend, of course, allows the pressure upfront to get home.
Desmond King and Terrance Mitchell won’t be back next year, while Lonnie Johnson is entering the final year of his deal. Woolen, a converted wide receiver at UTSA, can rotate in and compete for a starting role in camp. With the opportunity to continue his transition under NFL coaches, Woolen could be ready to emerge in 2023. Still, with the rare blend of speed and size at the position, he’s worth the selection here.
Round 3, Pick 68: Damone Clark, LB, LSU
One of the “mercenary contract” veterans likely leaving the Texans is Christian Kirksey. The man in the middle of Smith’s 4-3 defense in 2021, his leadership and play will leave a gap, with a lack of depth behind him. Tae Davis is the only real option to replace him, with practice squad players behind him. Clark projects as an “eventual plus starter”, and grabbing him in the third is a strong “best talent available” while also filling a need. Walker was a 2021 Dick Butkus Award finalist, garnering second-team All-American honors, as well as being named second-team All-SEC. He has ideal size at 6’3”, 240 lbs. He led the SEC in tackles and will bring more championship-caliber talent along to the rebuilding Texans.
Round 3, Pick 80: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
Young quarterbacks need a safety blanket, and the tight end position often fits that role. As it stands, the Texans don’t have a tight end option on the roster for second-year quarterback Davis Mills outside of Brevin Jordan, who was a fifth-round pick in 2021. They have to address it in free agency and/or the draft and, in all likelihood, they’ll do both. Ruckert out of Ohio State is a strong selection here.
Ruckert is a big target at 6’5”, and caught 26 passes as part of the Buckeyes’ loaded offense, three of them for scores. That’s about the attention he could look to draw from Mills, as both Jordan Akins and Pharaoh Brown caught 24 and 23 passes from the position last year. What Ruckert really has going for him is his blocking ability, which is elite. A late second-round projection, him being available at this point in the mock draft was a shock. It wasn’t a hard selection to make, and shouldn’t be tough for Houston if he’s there.
For more on Ruckert, check out our scouting report on him.
Round 4, Pick 135: Zamir White, RB, Georgia
Entering the 2022 season, the Texans had Rex Burkhead, Phillip Lindsay, Mark Ingram, and David Johnson on the roster. Ingram was traded midseason, and Lindsay and Johnson both have played through their deals. Burkhead played through his too but received a new one-year contract in January. With uncertainty at the position and room for flesh blood, White is a good fit out of Georgia.
The Bulldogs are quickly becoming “running back university” with Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, and Sony Michel all coming from the program. White has an injury history, which is likely why he isn’t a higher prospect, having torn each of his ACLs once in college. Still, he bounced back last season with 160 carries for 856 yards and 11 touchdowns, including 13 carries for 84 yards and a score in the National Championship. He would be a good running mate with Burkhead.
Round 6, Pick 181: Thayer Munford, iOL, Ohio State
Munford may be listed as a guard on draft boards, but he might be a better fit moving to tackle where he initially started. Laremy Tunsil is the starting left tackle, but could be a cap casualty after next season as cutting him then would generate $18 million in cap space. Tytus Howard is Tunsil’s current backup, and the 2019 first-round selection should be moving to start soon. Stealing Munford in the sixth round is quite the find, especially for the long play. His position versatility also allows him to find the field quickly. He is a good investment whether or not Mills is the quarterback of the future.
Round 6, Pick 203: Alex Wright, EDGE, UAB
Drafting Walker in the first round is a start toward building up the defense, which should be a focus to give the young offense time off the field in-game to adjust. Wright is a raw but massive prospect on the outside who can still add mass. Listed at 6’7”, 270 lbs, he has size, which you can’t teach. Pairing him with a talent like Walker should allow him to benefit from matchups. Wright should be able to contribute immediately on special teams and in rotation while he bulks up and hones his craft.
Round 6, Pick 205: Leon O’Neal Jr., SAF, Texas A&M
O’Neal was a starter his final two seasons at Texas A&M and is a good on-ball defender. A full-package safety, O’Neal was third on the Aggies with 58 tackles, while successfully defending five passes. He also played well near the line, recording a sack as well as three tackles for loss. Justin Reid’s rookie deal has expired, leaving Eric Murray as the top option deep for the Texans. O’Neal should be able to contribute by the end of the season, if not sooner for Houston. At 6’1”, 210 lbs, he has ideal size and has already competed with the best competition college football has to offer.
Round 7, Pick 242: Tre Turner, WR, Virginia Tech
It isn’t often that a player with a starting-caliber grade falls to the seventh round, but Turner did, and he fits well with the Texans. Cooks has three years left on his contract, though the Texans can save $8 million in cap space by releasing him this year. Whether Cooks is on the roster or not, Nico Collins and Davion Davis aren’t enough to pair with Phillip Dorsett for a year. Turner has decent size at 6’1” but maybe a bit light at 184 lbs. However, he also recorded a 4.51-second 40-yard time at the combine. Still, a late flier on a converted basketball talent is good value with a final-round pick.
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