The Texans have been one of the busiest franchises this offseason as they’ve signed their fair share of new players in free agency, handed out massive contracts to several members of their young core, and traded away elite left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
As things stand, the offensive line remains one of the weakest position groups on the roster. After trading away Tunsil, they’ve added a number of new guards and former Vikings and Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson. None of the guards truly move the needle, but Robinson is a fine enough replacement for Tunsil in the short term.
So where do the Texans go with their first-round pick? When looking at the Texans roster, the offensive line and inside linebacker room are the two positions that stand out the most in terms of needing help. The issue is that only one inside linebacker earned a first-round grade this year and he’s currently off the board. If the Texans want to find a new second-level defender in the draft, they should wait until Day 2.
If that is the case, then there’s only one real position to pick here.
With the 24th pick in the SB Nation Community Mock Draft, Battle Red Blog’s Kenneth Levy is selecting Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., keeping the highly-regarded prospect in the Lone Star State.
24.) Houston Texans: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Levy: Kelvin Banks Jr. being available at 24 was too good to be true. Banks is a three-year starter at Texas and was the anchor for an offensive line that may see all five starters drafted. His consistency, play strength, and footwork are elite in a class lacking many true tackles. Analysts do convey his potential at guard, but his height, length, lack of lower body thickness, and superior footwork would be disadvantageous with a move inside.
Analysis: If the board ends up falling like this before the Texans pick, they’ve got to run up the card with Banks’ name on it. I think this is a dream situation. I know the team signed Robinson to play left tackle, but Banks is too good of a prospect to not be taken here after a surprising fall. The Texans also signed veteran Trent Brown to a very cheap contract to potentially start at right tackle and if he does bounce back enough and stay healthy to play there, then you’ve got a wealth of bodies to find your best starting five. While I believe Banks’ skillset fits best as a tackle, he has more than enough ability to play guard and grow there if Houston determines that’s his best long-term fit with the team.
Top five remaining players:
- James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
- Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
- Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
- Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
Ed Valentine of Big Blue View and the Giants are back on the clock after trading back up into the first round with the Vikings. They still need a new quarterback after passing on Shedeur Sanders earlier in the round. Will this be the pick to secure the future of the franchise?