If the majority of mock drafts turn out to be true, the Texans will take an offensive lineman with the third overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
After gathering up the more prominent mocks from around the internet, Alabama's Evan Neal was the most-mocked collegiate player to Houston. 16 of 58 mock drafters had the Crimson Tide's left tackle heading to Houston in the first round.
Neal started at least a dozen games at three separate positions up front over the last three seasons, and was the left tackle in 2021 for the Alabama offense.
The Texans currently own 11 picks in this year's Draft, including the 13th overall pick which was acquired earlier this month in the trade with Cleveland. We'll have that Mock Draft Tracker up tomorrow. Texans General Manager Nick Caserio, however, has said whether or not the Texans stay at third overall, or trade back is a "whole separate discussion".
Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux was the second most-mocked player to Houston, as 12 mock drafts projected the Texans taking him. In the last Mock Draft Tracker, Thibodeaux was the most-mocked player to Houston.
The Draft begins Thursday, April 28 in Las Vegas. The last time the Texans selected a player in the first round was 2019, when they picked Alabama State offensive lineman Tytus Howard.
Caserio, Head Coach Lovie Smith and several members of the team's personnel, scouting and coaching staffs have been attending College Pro Days around the country the last few weeks.
The 6-7, 350-pound Neal started 13 games at left guard for Alabama in 2019 before transitioning to right tackle in 2020. He spent 2021 as the left tackle for the Crimson Tide, and in that three-year span started a combined 40 games up front. As of March 30, the 16 experts below believe the Texans will take him with the third overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
| MEDIA OUTLET | LAST UPDATED |
|---|---|
| 1. CBS SPORTS (WILL BRINSON) | 3/29/2022 |
| 2. FTN FANTASY (MATTHEW FREEDMAN) | 3/29/2022 |
| 3. THE DRAFT NETWORK (BRENTLEY WEISSMAN) | 3/28/2022 |
| 4. SHARP FOOTBALL ANALYSIS (RYAN MCCRYSTAL) | 3/28/2022 |
| 5. WALTER FOOTBALL (WALTER CHEREPINSKY) | 3/28/2022 |
| 6. CBS SPORTS (TOM FORNELLI) | 3/27/2022 |
| 7. NBC SPORTS EDGE (THOR NYSTROM) | 3/25/2022 |
| 8. CBS SPORTS (JOSH EDWARDS) | 3/24/2022 |
| 9. USA TODAY (NATE DAVIS) | 3/24/2022 |
| 10. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (IAN CUMMINGS) | 3/24/2022 |
| 11. USA TODAY (DOUG FARRAR) | 3/23/2022 |
| 12. CBS SPORTS (PETE PRISCO) | 3/22/2022 |
| 13. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (MICHAEL RENNER) | 3/17/2022 |
| 14. FOX SPORTS (JASON MCINTYRE) | 3/9/2022 |
| 15. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (DALTON MILLER) | 3/2/2022 |
| 16. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (STEVE PALAZZOLO) | 2/28/2022 |
Thibodeaux was a unanimous All-America selection in 2021, and in three years with Oregon racked up a combined 19 sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss. As of March 30, he was mocked to Houston by 12 different experts.
| MEDIA OUTLET | LAST UPDATED |
|---|---|
| 1. NFL MEDIA (BUCKY BROOKS) | 3/29/2022 |
| 2. USA TODAY (LUKE EASTERLING) | 3/28/2022 |
| 3. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (CAM MELLOR) | 3/26/2022 |
| 4. NFL.COM (CHAD REUTER) | 3/25/2022 |
| 5. NFL.COM (MAURICE JONES-DREW) | 3/24/2022 |
| 6. NFL MEDIA (DANIEL JEREMIAH) | 3/22/2022 |
| 7. FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS (DERRIK KLASSEN) | 3/22/2022 |
| 8. BLEACHER REPORT (SCOUTING DEPT.) | 3/8/2022 |
| 9. FOX SPORTS (ROB RANG) | 2/15/2022 |
| 10. NEWSDAY (NICK KLOPSIS) | 2/15/2022 |
| 11. NFL.COM (CYNTHIA FRELUND) | 2/11/2022 |
| 12. THE DRAFT NETWORK (JOE MARINO) | 2/9/2022 |
Ikwonu was a unanimous All-America selection in 2021, and has a twin brother (Osita) who plays linebacker at Notre Dame. The 11 mock drafts below projected Ekwonu to the Texans at third overall.
| MEDIA OUTLET | LAST UPDATED |
|---|---|
| 1. SPORTSNET NEW YORK (RALPH VACCIANO) OL IKEM EKWONU, NC STATE | 3/29/2022 |
| 2. CBS SPORTS (RYAN WILSON) | 3/28/2022 |
| 3. SHARP FOOTBALL ANALYSIS (BRENDAN DONOHUE) | 3/28/2022 |
| 4. SI.COM (ZACK PATRAW) | 3/26/2022 |
| 5. NEW YORK POST (STEVE SERBY) | 3/26/2022 |
| 6. SPORTING NEWS (VINNIE IYER) | 3/25/2022 |
| 7. THE RINGER (DANNY KELLY) | 3/23/2022 |
| 8. COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS (PETE FIUTAK) | 3/23/2022 |
| 9. ESPN (MEL KIPER, JR.) | 3/22/2022 |
| 10. ESPN (TODD MCSHAY) | 3/9/2022 |
| 11. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (BRAD SPIELBERGER) | 3/8/2022 |
A consensus All-American last autumn, Hamilton picked off a combined eight passes in three seasons with Notre Dame. Nine separate mock drafts tabbed Hamilton to Houston.
| MEDIA OUTLET | LAST UPDATED |
|---|---|
| 1. ESPN (MIKE TANNENBAUM) | 3/30/2022 |
| 2. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (AUSTIN GAYLE) | 3/28/2022 |
| 3. CBS SPORTS (KYLE STACKPOLE) | 3/19/2022 |
| 4. THE DRAFT NETWORK (KYLE CRABBS) | 3/7/2022 |
| 5. SB NATION (JAMES DATOR) | 3/7/2022 |
| 6. PEWTER REPORT (JON LEDYARD) | 2/23/2022 |
| 7. THE DRAFT SCOUT (MATT MILLER) | 2/14/2022 |
| 8. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (SAM MONSON) | 1/31/2022 |
| 9. THE DRAFT NETWORK (BRYAN PEREZ) | 1/24/2022 |
On a Georgia defense littered with playmakers, Walker contributed six sacks and 37 total tackles to the National Champions in 2021. Six different experts predicted the Texans will take Walker third overall.
| MEDIA OUTLET | LAST UPDATED |
|---|---|
| 1. CBS SPORTS (CHRIS TRAPASSO) | 3/30/2022 |
| 2. ATHLON SPORTS (BRYAN FISCHER) | 3/29/2022 |
| 3. DRAFT COUNTDOWN (SHANE HALLAM) | 3/21/2022 |
| 4. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (TREVOR SIKKEMA) | 3/18/2022 |
| 5. THE ATHLETIC (DANE BRUGLER) | 3/8/2022 |
| 6. NFL.COM (LANCE ZIERLEIN) | 3/8/2022 |
A Heisman finalist in 2021, Hutchinson is projected by many to be the first overall pick in this year's Draft. But the three experts below predicted he'd fall to the Texans at third overall.
As a freshman on the 2019 National Champs, Stingley was a leader of the Tigers defense. He's been a popular choice to the Texans at 13th overall, and one mock drafter is predicting Houston will take him third overall.
| MEDIA OUTLET | LAST UPDATED |
|---|---|
| WALTER FOOTBALL (CHARLIE CAMPBELL) | 3/28/2022 |
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