Help on the defensive front is still the most popular choice for Houston, according to mock drafters.
But the experts are divided on who the Texans will pick 23rd overall.
The 2024 NFL Draft is still over two months away, but the latest round of mock drafts are out this week. HoustonTexans.com gauged 36 of the more prominent mockers, and of those 36, six (16.7%) predicted Houston would select Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson and six (16.7%) believe the Texans will take defensive tackle Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton of Illinois.
Robinson was the most-mocked player to Houston in the first edition of the Mock Draft Roundup, and he accrued more choices in this round. But so did Newton.
Additionally, there were three players who also were mocked to the Texans by three experts apiece: offensive lineman Troy Fautanu of Washington, Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy, II and LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas, Jr.
UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu and cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo and Kool-Aid McKinstry of Alabama were mocked to Houston by two experts, apiece.
The real draft begins Thursday, April 25 in Detroit.
Overall, 26 of 36 (72.2%) of the mock drafts see the Texans adding a defensive player in the first round.
10 of the 36 think Houston goes with a defensive end, and 10 more believe they'll go with a defensive tackle.
Six of the 36 predict the Texans taking a cornerback.
| MOCK DRAFT | TEXANS SELECTION |
|---|---|
| 1. HOUSTONTEXANS.COM/DRAFTTAKEOVER.COM (JOHN HARRIS | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 2. NFL.COM (LANCE ZIERLEIN) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 3. FANTASY LIFE (MATTHEW FREEDMAN) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 4. THE RINGER (DANNY KELLY) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 5. CBS SPORTS (RYAN WILSON) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 6. NFL.COM (DANIEL JEREMIAH) | DE CHOP ROBINSON, PENN STATE |
| 1. ESPN (MEL KIPER, JR.) | DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 2. CBS SPORTS (JOSH EDWARDS) | DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 3. USA TODAY (NATE DAVIS) | DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 4. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (TREVOR SIKKEMA) | DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 5. 33RD TEAM (CONNOR LIVESAY) | DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 6. BLEACHER REPORT (SCOUTING DEPARTMENT) | DT JER’ZHAN NEWTON, ILLINOIS |
| 1. NFL.COM (BUCKY BROOKS) | OL TROY FAUTANU, WASHINGTON |
| 2. WALTER FOOTBALL (WALTER CHEREPINSKY) | OL TROY FAUTANU, WASHINGTON |
| 3. THE ATHLETIC (DIANTE LEE) | OL TROY FAUTANU, WASHINGTON |
| 1. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (LUKE EASTERLING) | DT BYRON MURPHY, II, TEXAS |
| 2. THE DRAFT NETWORK (KEITH SANCHEZ) | DT BYRON MURPHY, II, TEXAS |
| 3. DRAFT COUNTDOWN (SHANE HALLAM) | DT BYRON MURPHY, II, TEXAS |
| 1. USA TODAY (DOUG FARRAR) | WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR., LSU |
| 2. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (OLIVER HODGKINSON) | WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR., LSU |
| 3. THE ATHLETIC (NICK BAUMGARDNER) | WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR., LSU |
| 1. CBS SPORTS (TOM FORNELLI) | DE LAIATU LATU, UCLA |
| 2. SPORTING NEWS (VINNIE IYER) | DE LAIATU LATU, UCLA |
| 1. ESPN (MATT MILLER) | CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY, ALABAMA |
| 2. FANTASY PROS (ANDREW ERICKSON) | CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY, ALABAMA |
| 1. NFL.COM (CYNTHIA FRELUND) | CB QUINYON MITCHELL, TOLEDO |
| 2. SHARP FOOTBALL ANALYSIS (RYAN MCCRYSTAL) | CB QUINYON MITCHELL, TOLEDO |
| WALTER FOOTBALL (CHARLIE CAMPBELL) | DE JARED VERSE, FLORIDA STATE |
| PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (ADAM CAPLAN) | DT LEONARD TAYLOR, III MIAMI |
| OURLADS | DE BRALEN TRICE, WASHINGTON |
| CBS SPORTS (CHRIS TRAPASSO) | CB COOPER DEJEAN, IOWA |
| THE ATHLETIC (DANE BRUGLER) | OL TALIESE FUAGA, OREGON ST. |
| FOX SPORTS (ROB RANG) | OT PATRICK PAUL, HOUSTON |
| PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (IAN CUMMINGS) | OL KINGSLEY SUAMATAIA, BYU |
| NFL.COM (CHAD REUTER) | OL TYLER GUYTON, OKLAHOMA STATE |
| NFL.COM (ERIC EDHOLM) | CB NATE WIGGINS, CLEMSON |
