The Texans selected Ohio State wide receiver Braxton Miller (6-1, 201) in the third round (85th overall) of the NFL Draft. Houston's offense gained two speedy wide receivers in as many days of the draft, following the selection of first round pick Will Fuller.
"I think we're going to play him (Miller) in a few different places, but definitely the slot is one of them," Bill O'Brien said Friday. "There are a lot of different things that he can do for us in the slot, we think he can do things for us on the outside, there's things that he can do for us at the number three spot, special teams, he can help us in that area too. Like I said, very excited to get going with him."
Miller was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year his sophomore and junior years (2012, 2013) and two-time All-Big Ten first-team quarterback (2012, 2013). Miller converted from quarterback to receiver before the start of the Buckeyes' 2015 season after missing 2014 with a shoulder injury. While his
time at receiver has been short, the Texans feel good about Miller's transition from quarterback.
"He hadn't had the reps at the position obviously, but what you saw at the Senior Bowl, at least what we saw at the Senior Bowl, was a guy that has the ability to play the position, who looked very natural to us," General Manager and Executive Vice President Rick Smith said.
During the draft process, the Texans met with Miller at the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine, and spent the day with him at Ohio State. O'Brien and Miller's history also goes back to the head coach's days at Penn State when the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions faced each other. As a junior in 2013, Miller accounted for five touchdowns and threw for a career-high 252 yards in less than three quarters against Penn State. He was named Big Ten Player of the Week.
" Me and Coach Bill O'Brien have a couple historic moments together when he used to coach at Penn State," Miller said. "Coach (Mike) Vrabel is a coach out there and my former teammate John Simon. It's a lovely place to be, too. They need offensive playmakers like me. That's one place I really looked at and I really wanted to go to."
The Texans moved up in the first and second rounds, adding two players out of Notre Dame. Houston drafted wide receiver Will Fuller with the No. 21 overall pick and center Nick Martin 50th overall.
| Round | Overall | Player | Position | School |
| 1 | 21 | Will Fuller | WR | Notre Dame |
| 2 | 50 | Nick Martin | C | Notre Dame |
| 3 | 85 | Braxton Miller | WR | Ohio State |
| 4 | 119 | Tyler Ervin | RB | San Jose State |
| 5 | 159 | K.J. Dillon | S | West Virginia |
| 5 | 166 | D.J. Reader | NT | Clemson |
The first round of the NFL Draft occurred Thursday night, while the second and third rounds were Friday evening. Rounds four through seven will take place Saturday afternoon.
