The Texans have been one of many busiest franchises this offseason as they’ve signed their justifiable share of recent gamers in free company, handed out huge contracts to a number of members of their younger core, and traded away elite left sort out Laremy Tunsil.
As issues stand, the offensive line stays one of many weakest place teams on the roster. After buying and selling away Tunsil, they’ve added various new guards and former Vikings and Jaguars left sort out Cam Robinson. Not one of the guards really transfer the needle, however Robinson is a positive sufficient substitute for Tunsil within the quick time period.
So the place do the Texans go along with their first-round choose? When wanting on the Texans roster, the offensive line and inside linebacker room are the 2 positions that stand out essentially the most when it comes to needing assist. The difficulty is that just one inside linebacker earned a first-round grade this yr and he’s at present off the board. If the Texans wish to discover a new second-level defender within the draft, they need to wait till Day 2.
If that’s the case, then there’s just one actual place to select right here.
With the twenty fourth choose within the SB Nation Group Mock Draft, Battle Pink Weblog’s Kenneth Levy is deciding on Texas offensive sort out Kelvin Banks Jr., retaining the highly-regarded prospect within the Lone Star State.
24.) Houston Texans: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Levy: Kelvin Banks Jr. being accessible at 24 was too good to be true. Banks is a three-year starter at Texas and was the anchor for an offensive line that will see all 5 starters drafted. His consistency, play power, and footwork are elite in a category missing many true tackles. Analysts do convey his potential at guard, however his top, size, lack of decrease physique thickness, and superior footwork could be disadvantageous with a transfer inside.
Evaluation: If the board finally ends up falling like this earlier than the Texans choose, they’ve bought to run up the cardboard with Banks’ identify on it. I believe this can be a dream scenario. I do know the staff signed Robinson to play left sort out, however Banks is just too good of a prospect to not be taken right here after a stunning fall. The Texans additionally signed veteran Trent Brown to a really low cost contract to probably begin at proper sort out and if he does bounce again sufficient and keep wholesome to play there, then you definately’ve bought a wealth of our bodies to search out your greatest beginning 5. Whereas I imagine Banks’ skillset matches greatest as a sort out, he has greater than sufficient capacity to play guard and develop there if Houston determines that’s his greatest long-term match with the staff.
High 5 remaining gamers:
- James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
- Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
- Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston School
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
- Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
Ed Valentine of Massive Blue View and the Giants are again on the clock after buying and selling again up into the primary spherical with the Vikings. They nonetheless want a brand new quarterback after passing on Shedeur Sanders earlier within the spherical. Will this be the choose to safe the way forward for the franchise?