Got a question about the Texans?
Life in general?
Drew Dougherty's your guy.
He's been with the Texans since 2009 and is chock full of meaningful, as well as generally useless, information. Fire away by clicking HERE.
Mark "BobbleTexan" Baughman: Dear Drew, We all know first round picks are important! We also know rounds 2-6 are imperative to make good choices. Of those rounds which one is the most imperative in your experience and why?
DD: Mark! Great to hear from you. Hope you and the family are great. Tough question. You want to find contributors in every round, and contributors who thrive. But that doesn't always happen.
In this decade, though, outside of the first round, the third round has been a fruitful one for Houston. In 2020 the Texans snared defensive end Jonathan Greenard. He has 38.5 career sacks, and was a Pro Bowler last season in his first year with the Vikings. Greenard logged eight and 12.5 sacks in two of his final seasons with Houston.
In 2021, the Texans first two picks were third-rounders: quarterback Davis Mills and wide receiver Nico Collins. The former has started 26 career games and is now a valuable backup to Pro Bowler C.J. Stroud, and the latter has become one of the best pass-catchers in the NFL. Collins has cracked the 1,000-yard mark in each of the last two seasons, and has a combined 15 touchdown grabs in 2023 and 2024.
2022 saw Houston draft linebacker Christian Harris in the third, and when he's been on the field, he's been a difference-maker. His finest hour came in a playoff win two Januarys ago, when he tallied a sack, two tackles for loss, eight tackles total and a pick-6 against Cleveland.
In 2023, Tank Dell was the third-rounder, and the last two seasons saw him catch a combined 98 passes for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in 25 games worth of work.
Then last year, Houston took USC safety Calen Bullock in the third, and he wound up picking off five passes.
Like I said, every round is important. But the Texans have really hit on difference-makers, lately, in the third.
James McNeal: Dear Drew, How is Dell doing in his recovery and emotionally?
DD: According to Head Coach DeMeco Ryans, Dell is well in that regard. When Ryans met with the media at the Combine in late February, he shared that Dell is "in great spirits" and in the healing and recovering process.
"That's the main thing about Tank," Ryans said. "He's got a smile on his face while he's going through the rehab process. So, he's headed there. In due time, he'll be back."
Scott Connell: Dear Drew, Why does everyone think the Texans need to draft another receiver? The way I see it, if the quarterback isn't constantly under pressure chances are he'll be able to throw to any one of them.
DD: I'm not sure "everyone" thinks that way. But it's understandable to want to add to the mix at that position. Stefon Diggs is a Patriot now. Dell is still on the comeback trail from a leg injury. Nico Collins missed a month mid-season because of an injury. Those are three key pass-catchers. The Texans added Christian Kirk, Braxton Berrios and Justin Watson to the mix with Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie, III.
I think Houston will likely draft a receiver, but I also think they'll add a couple offensive linemen as well. As far as who they'll pick when…that all depends on who they deem the best player available when they're picking.
