SOTT Seven Round Mock Draft Version 1.0: Texans defensive front receives much-needed help

A Houston Texans seven-round mock draft where the defensive front has talent added and a wide receiver is added to help give Deshaun Watson another weapon.

Patrick D. Starr | Apr 6, 2020

Jason Getz-USA Today

The NFL Draft is a few weeks away and the State of the Texans is deciding to take part in mock drafts leading up to draft day. Using CBS' Josh Edwards Big Board and Fan Speak's Mock Draft simulator, we picked for the Houston Texans in a seven-round mock draft.

The Texans' needs as we seem them post-free agency can be read here and we used that as a guide entering our mock draft.

We recorded our thought process as the picks went on and more importantly we have remade the front seven for the defense. The Texans defensive front struggled last season without Jadeveon Clowney and missing J.J. Watt for half of the regular season. The lack of pass rush was part of their undoing in the Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Plus, we made sure we took care of the wide receiver position in the process too.

Here is the first installment of the State of the Texans' seven-round mock draft.

Texans Seven-Round Mock Draft (4.6.2020)

Round 2 Pick 40 - Terrell Lewis - Alabama - Edge | Linebacker

At pick 40, Neville Gallimore was on the board and the 21st overall prospect. Also seeing edge presence Terrell Lewis on the board from Alabama ranked 54th on the board is on my mind.

We are taking Lewis here due to the positional impact being able to play the edge and be a moveable player in the Texans scheme. Injuries are a concern with Lewis but his value as a player is too good to pass up.

Leaving Alabama early as a redshirt junior, Lewis posted 31 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks in 11 games. He also was able to put up 16 quarterback hits as a pass rusher.

Round 2 Pick 57 - Michael Pittman, Jr. - USC- Wide Receiver

With our second pick of the second round, we were hoping that our receiver of choice was still on the board and he was. The addition of Michael Pittman Jr. from USC helps with our outside threats behind Kenny Stills and Will Fuller.

For the Trojans in 2019, Pittman had 101 receptions for 1,275 yards (12.6 average) and 11 touchdowns in 13 starts.

Round 3 Pick 90 - Raekwon Davis - Alabama- Defensive Line

With the third round arriving, this was easily the toughest selection to this point. Plenty of talent on the board with running back J.K. Dobbins, defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, Raekwon Davis and cornerback Amik Robertson it was hard to go wrong.

The need up-front for the Texans seems to be an issue and letting a player like Raekwon Davis slip away is too costly. His size and upside will be a plus addition to the defensive front.

Davis in 2019, saw him post 47 total tackles, three tackles for loss and a .5 sack in 12 starts.

Round 4 Pick 111 - Justin Madubuike - Texas A&M - Defensive Line

Sometimes the draft board falls your way and in this case, it did. Madubuike is still sitting on the board and adding him up-front with Davis gives the Texans plenty of help now and upside for the future.

In 12 games, Madubuike led the Aggies with 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He was the Defensive MVP as a sophomore.

Round 5 Pick 171 - Javaris Davis - Auburn - Cornerback

Needing Cornerback help, having Auburn’s Javaris Davis sitting there will help with his ability to play inside and outside. He is a little shorter than the Texans like at cornerback at 5-8 but his speed, quickness, and playing in the SEC are big draws in thinking he can handle the NFL game.

Starting 13 games, Davis had 43 tackles, one for loss, two interceptions, and six pass breakups.

Round 7 Pick 240 - A.J. Dillon - Boston College - Running Back

Texans need a big back for short-yardage situations and in the 7th round, Boston College running back A.J. Dillon is waiting for the picking. Nearly 250 lbs., Dillon could be a vital player to the Texans offense, especially in short-yardage and red-zone situations.

Starting all 12 games, Dillon rushed for 1,685 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards a rush and 140.4 yards a game. He also caught 13 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown this past season.

Round 7 Pick 248 - Cameron Brown - Penn State - Linebacker

Cam Brown, linebacker, fits a positional depth need and more importantly puts him on track to push for a special team's job. Brown started all 13 games in 2019, recording 72 tackles, 5.5 for loss, two sacks, and four pass breakups to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors.

Round 7 Pick 250 - Isaiah Coulter - Rhode Island - Wide Receiver

Seventh-round is the time to take a shot at developmental players and not compete to sign players in the free-agent process post-draft. Adding Rhode Island Isaiah Coulter is exactly that. At 6-2 and 198 lbs, Coulter ran a 4.45 40-yard dash with a 36.0 vertical and a 121.0 broad jump.

In 2019, Coulter averaged 14.4 yards a reception with 72 receptions with 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns.

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Published Apr 6, 2020

PATRICK D. STARR