Houston Texans Projected to Make Highly Surprising Draft Pick

A new projection has the Houston Texans making a very surprising pick in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Evan Massey | Feb 18, 2025

Feb 2, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; A detail shot of a Houston Texans helmet prior to a press conference introducing Demeco Ryans as head coach at NRG Stadium. / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

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Houston Texans

As the 2025 NFL offseason gets underway, the Houston Texans are looking to take the next step in their process. They won the AFC South division title once again in 2024 and also went on to win their Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in upset fashion.

Unfortunately, they ran into the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the playoffs and saw their season come to an end.

That being said, the Texans are in a good position. With a strong offseason, they could take another step forward and be a serious Super Bowl contender in 2025.

What moves does Houston need to make in order to reach that level? They need help at wide receiver, on the offensive line, and some defensive attention as well. However, they could also consider bringing in another running back.

Joe Mixon isn't getting any younger. In order to keep him fresh, they could look to bring in a piece that can take some of the workload off his shoulders.

To that end, a new projection has the Texans surprisingly drafting a running back in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Tim Crean of ClutchPoints has predicted that Houston will take North Carolina standout Omarion Hampton with the No. 25 overall pick.

"Hampton is a 6-foot, 220-pound battering ram who doesn’t hesitate when hitting the hole," Crean wrote. "So, while the offensive line does need an upgrade, the other thing that can keep pass-rushers off of Stroud is the threat of a Mack Truck running downhill."

During the 2024 season with the Tar Heels, Hampton ended up carrying the football 281 times for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also showed off his dual-threat ability with 38 receptions for 373 yards and two scores.

Bringing in that kind of backfield threat could help take the offense up a notch. He would also provide the Texans with a long-term option after Mixon.

Taking a running back in the first round would be a surprise, but Hampton might be worth it. Houston would be focusing on adding a playmaker for the present and a potential star for the future with this pick.

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Published Feb 18, 2025

EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.