Analyst Challenges Texans to Make Bold Draft Decision

The Houston Texans have a critical draft ahead of them.

Jared Koch | Mar 25, 2025

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio speaks during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Houston Texans

The major theme of the Houston Texans' offseason up to this point has centered around change on the offensive line.

Following a brutal year in which quarterback C.J. Stroud saw shaky protection upfront by being the league's second-most sacked quarterback, combined with his eight sacks during the Texans' elimination game in the postseason vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, the urgency was apparent from the Houston brass to make a change.

But the Texans have taken an interesting approach to the matter, effectively shipping out prominent names like Laremy Tunsil, Shaq Mason, and Kenyon Green, while bringing in a flurry of new names via free agency and the trade market.

It's been a whirlwind of additions and subtractions in the offensive trenches, but in the eyes of many, there are still a lot more questions than answers on the Texans' line. which could make for major concerns on what's to come for the season ahead.

With that in mind, The Athletic's Mike Jones sees one path forward for the Texans come draft time: use multiple early picks on a left tackle and interior lineman.

"Offensive line help remains a high priority for a team that surrendered the third-highest sack total in the NFL last season. C.J. Stroud is a quality young quarterback, but the Texans will never see him fully ascend to stardom if they do not invest in protecting him," Jones said. "Houston did sign ninth-year pro Cam Robinson to a one-year deal and added veterans Trent Brown and Laken Tomlinson, but they need a long-term solution and upgrades on the interior. The goal should be to emerge from the draft having used multiple early-round picks on a left tackle and an interior lineman."

On the surface, the Texans seem primed to select help on their offensive front early in this year's draft. Regardless of their acquisitions within the first weeks of the offseason, many of those names are set to be on short-term, one-year deals. Houston needs to add younger pieces for the future to develop and grow alongside Stroud, and April is a perfect opportunity to do so.

Especially as Houston has continued to stay diligent in reinforcing the roster around the edges with moves to bring in talent on both ends–– most notably wide receiver Christian Kirk and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson–– it allows the Texans to truly double down on the offensive line if they so choose. If Houston can get some luck to come their way and get a few young studs to fall in their laps come draft time, this offensive line could find much more confidence than it holds now.

The Texans will uncover the answers for whats to come in this year's draft starting on Thursday, April 24th in Green Bay, WI.

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