Texans Meet With Two Cornerback Prospects at Senior Bowl

Early indications of where the Houston Texans may go with their first-round pick come from Mobile, where they've met with prospects during the Senior Bowl.

The Houston Texans have found themselves in the fortunate position to have both cap space and premium draft capital to spend on high-level talents.

An integral part of the pre-draft process goes down this week as the Senior Bowl is underway in Mobile. Teams will have the chance to find initial measurements with prospects, as well as the opportunity to gather practice film and interviews.

The all-star event also gives a glimpse into potential targets for each team, as they’ll often meet with prospects at the same position and/or projection. Early in the week, the Texans began some of their draft work by meeting with early-round cornerback prospects.

Sep 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) is hit by Toledo Rockets cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) as he catches a touchdown pass during the first half of the NCAA Division I football game at Ohio Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch Ncaa Football Toledo Rockets At Ohio State Buckeyes

According to Cody Stoots, Houston met with Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and Penn State cornerback Kalen King in Mobile.

Cornerback is a position of need for the Texans given their propensity for giving up explosive plays. The defense ranked 20th in expected points added per dropback and was gashed frequently on play-action passes.

Both King and Mitchell are potential options for Houston at 23, where they’ll pick due to the Deshaun Watson trade with the Cleveland Browns. While King’s stock has fallen after an up-and-down 2023 season, Mitchell is quickly emerging as a late riser in the draft process.

Mitchell has been strong throughout the one-on-one portions of the Senior Bowl practices, which are notoriously difficult for defensive backs. He’s a physical playmaker whose recovery speed will be sought after come April. It wouldn't be surprising if Mitchell was long gone by 23 based on his current trajectory.

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The Texans are set to churn much of their roster, with a sizable portion of the roster headed to free agency. That includes veteran corners Steven Nelson and Desmond King, vacating some snaps for younger, more explosive players like the Penn State and Toledo products.

It’s far too early to pencil in any position for Houston’s first-round pick, but if the Senior Bowl has given any indication, defense will be a priority this offseason.