NFL Draft: Texans Select Florida Gators RB Dameon Pierce in 4th Round

Florida Gators running back Dameon Pierce is set to join the Houston Texans' backfield.

Photo: Dameon Pierce; Credit: Alex Shepherd 

Florida Gators running back Dameon Pierce has been selected by the Houston Texans with the 107th pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

AllGators predicted Pierce to the Texans with this exact pick on Monday in our final mock draft, and we believe Pierce should be expected to contribute immediately in Houston's backfield.

With a plethora of picks this year due to several trades including the

Deshaun Watson

blockbuster, Houston is looking to upgrade just about every position on its roster through the draft.

The running back room — frankly, every position on the Texans' offense — needs some young talent, even after re-signing one and signing two veterans in free agency to inexpensive deals. Houston's rushing offense ranked dead last in the league last year and needs massive improvement.

Pierce presents good value in the fourth round when the Texans own back-to-back picks, especially since Houston is set to have made five picks by this point.

Pierce developed into an extremely well-rounded running back at Florida over the years. He immediately impressed during his freshman season as a physical, downhill rusher who had a knack for making defenders miss, but Pierce grew immensely as a receiver and pass protector during the 2020-21 seasons when he took on a larger role in the Gators' offense.

During his four-year UF career, Pierce earned 329 rushing attempts that he took for 1,806 yards and 23 touchdowns, adding 45 receptions for 422 yards and five scores through the air. Pierce scored a touchdown once every 7.4 touches as a senior, with 16 on the season.

His combine and pro day numbers mostly hover around average for running backs — 40th percentile 40-yard dash (4.59 seconds), 51st percentile vertical (34.5 inches) and 54th percentile broad (119 inches) jumps — but Pierce's 86th percentile 10-yard split (1.51 seconds), 390-pound max on the bench 705-pound max squat offer tons of intrigue.

Due to his questionable lack of extensive usage by the Gators' former coaching staff, Pierce enters the NFL with plenty of tread left on his tires, never topping 106 carries in a single season (2020). 

Pierce is the third Florida player to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, following cornerback Kaiir Elam (Buffalo, first round) and defensive lineman Zachary Carter (Cincinnati, third round). 

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