Defense is still the overwhelming favorite for the Texans at 23.
A new round of mock drafts have been released in the days following the Combine week in Indianapolis, and NFL Draft prognosticators, on the whole, believe the Texans will select a defensive player with the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 Draft.
HoustonTexans.com combed the worldwide web for the more prominent mock drafts, and of the 46 surveyed this time, Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton was the most-mocked player to Houston. Newton, who is 6-2, 304 pounds, had 7.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss last fall for the Fighting Illini. Seven (15.2%) experts predicted he would be the Texans' first-round selection.
UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu was mocked to the Texans by five (10.9 %) different experts, while LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas, Jr. and Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins were each mocked to Houston by four media members apiece.
In all, just over 80 percent of the 46 mock drafts predicted Houston would select a defensive player. 30.4 percent believe the Texans will take a defensive tackle, and 23.9 percent apiece mocked a defensive end or cornerback to the Texans.
The real draft begins Thursday, April 25 in Detroit.
| MOCK DRAFT | TEXANS SELECTION |
|---|---|
| 1. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (GORDON MCGUINNESS) | DT JOHNNY NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 2. HOUSTON CHRONICLE (JONATHAN ALEXANDER) | DT JOHNNY NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 3. CBS SPORTS (RYAN WILSON) | DT JOHNNY NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 4. 33RD TEAM (MARCUS MOSHER) | DT JOHNNY NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 5. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (LUKE EASTERLING) | DT JOHNNY NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 6. FANTASY LIFE (MATTHEW FREEDMAN) | DT JOHNNY NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 7. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (TREVOR SIKKEMA) | DT JOHNNY NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 1. HOUSTONTEXANS.COM/FOOTBALLTAKEOVER.COM (JOHN HARRIS) | DE LAIATU LATU, UCLA |
| 2. THE ATHLETIC (DANE BRUGLER) | DE LAIATU LATU, UCLA |
| 3. ESPN (JORDAN REID) | DE LAIATU LATU, UCLA |
| 4. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (ADAM CAPLAN) | DE LAIATU LATU, UCLA |
| 5. CBS SPORTS (TOM FORNELLI) | DE LAIATU LATU, UCLA |
| 1. LOS ANGELES TIMES (SAM FARMER) | WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR. LSU |
| 2. NFL.COM (DANIEL JEREMIAH) | WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR. LSU |
| 3. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (OLIVER HODGKINSON) | WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR. LSU |
| 4. THE ATHLETIC (NICK BAUMGARDNER) | WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR. LSU |
| 1. NFL.COM (CHARLES DAVIS) | CB NATE WIGGINS, CLEMSON |
| 2. CBS SPORTS (KYLE STACKPOLE) | CB NATE WIGGINS, CLEMSON |
| 3. SHARP FOOTBALL (BRENDAN DONOHUE) | CB NATE WIGGINS, CLEMSON |
| 4. SHARP FOOTBALL ANALYSIS (RYAN MCCRYSTAL) | CB NATE WIGGINS, CLEMSON |
| 1. NFL.COM (LANCE ZIERLEIN) | CB QUINYON MITCHELL, TOLEDO |
| 2. SHARP FOOTBALL ANALYSIS (RYAN MCCRYSTAL) | CB QUINYON MITCHELL, TOLEDO |
| 3. NFL.COM (CYNTHIA FRELUND) | CB QUINYON MITCHELL, TOLEDO |
| 1. SPORTING NEWS (VINNIE IYER) | DT BYRON MURPHY, II TEXAS |
| 2. NFL.COM (BUCKY BROOKS) | DT BYRON MURPHY, II TEXAS |
| 3. 33RD TEAM (CONNOR LIVESAY) | DT BYRON MURPHY, II TEXAS |
| 1. CBS SPORTS (CHRIS TRAPASSO) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 2. BLEACHER REPORT (SCOUTING DEPARTMENT) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 3. CBS SPORTS (JOSH EDWADS) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 1. ESPN (MEL KIPER, JR.) | OL TYLER GUYTON, OKLAHOMA ST. |
| 2. NFL.COM (CHAD REUTER) | OL TYLER GUYTON, OKLAHOMA ST. |
| 1. ESPN (MATT MILLER) | CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY, ALABAMA |
| 2. FANTASY PROS (ANDREW ERICKSON) | CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY, ALABAMA |
| USA TODAY (DOUG FARRAR) | CB TERRION ARNOLD, ALABAMA |
| CBS SPORTS (WILL BRINSON) | DL AUSTIN BOOKER, KANSAS |
| PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (IAN CUMMINGS) | DB COOPER DEJEAN, IOWA |
| THE ATHLETIC (DIANTE LEE) | OL TROY FAUTANU, WASHINGTON |
| THE DRAFT NETWORK (KEITH SANCHEZ) | DT BRADEN FISKE, FLORIDA STATE |
| WALTER FOOTBALL (CHARLIE CAMPBELL) | DT KRIS JENKINS, MICHIGAN |
| WALTER FOOTBALL (WALTER CHEREPINSKY) | OL JORDAN MORGAN, ARIZONA |
| FOX SPORTS (ROB RANG) | OT PATRICK PAUL, HOUSTON |
| ESPN (FIELD YATES) | CB ENNIS RAKESTRAW, MISSOURI |
| THE RINGER (DANNY KELLY) | DE DARIUS ROBINSON, MISSOURI |
| DRAFT COUNTDOWN (SHANE HALLAM) | DT T’VONDRE SWEAT, TEXAS |
| OURLADS | DE BRALEN TRICE, WASHINGTON |
| USA TODAY (NATE DAVIS) | DE JARED VERSE, FLORIDA STATE |
