The preeminent NFL Draft podcast in the game is the NFL Stock Exchange featuring former Senior PFF Analyst Trevor Sikkema and NBC’s Connor Rogers. If you haven’t already, go subscribe to their YouTube channel; you’ll be a better football fan for it.
Each year, they subject themselves to a seven-round, seven-hour mock draft for charity. They and special guests made each pick of the upcoming draft. Below are draft picks they selected for the Houston Texans. My analysis for each pick is below and includes
several options that were available (or that I would have taken in past mock drafts) during their mock.
Round 1, Pick 28: Caleb Banks, DT – Florida
- Grade: C-
- My choice: Emmanuel Pregnon, OG – Oregon or Kenyon Sadiq, TE – Oregon
“but when Banks is right… can you image Banks at his 2024 form in the Texans defense?”
Analysis: This was my worst-case scenario for the Texans in the first round; seven offensive lineman were drafted plus Kayden McDonald was off the board. Perfect storm of need not matching value by the 28th pick.
NFSE hit the nail on the head when they said “when you watch the top 10 best plays from Caleb Banks over the last two years, you go ‘yup, top 15 player, easy…’ the kid has all the talent in the world and a team like the Houston Texans can take swing for a player like the Houston Texans”.
Banks re-injured his foot during the NFL Combine preparation. The fracture will supposedly keep him out of practice until June. However, Banks is quickly racking up lower leg injuries, a major red flag for defensive lineman who rely heavily on their extremities to be dynamic and handle massive lineman.
If he hits, he immediately elevates the entire defense and absorbs pressure and attention away from our star defensive ends. If he misses, it will set back the defensive line group for multiple years. Ultimately, the risk is not worth it with Banks.
Round 2, Pick 38: Jadarian Price, RB – Notre Dame
- Grade: B-
- My Choice: Peter Woods, DT – Clemson or Keldrick Faulk, DE – Auburn
Analysis: Another reach for a player with as many questions as answers. Price has fully recovered from his 2022 Achilles tear and played exceptionally well in a backup role behind generational prospect Jeremiyah Love. The NFLSE analysts noted that Houston’s backfield “has no juice” and Price would be the the X-factor the team needs.
Picking a running back to be a part of a three-part rotation this early feels extravagant. I do agree Houston will draft an offensive weapon on Day Two given who they are visiting with in the pre-draft process.
Don’t get me wrong, Houston would walk away with an high-end prospect in a RB class where the talent drop off is steep. Price’s true impact and value would not be felt until 2028.
Round 2, Pick 59: Logan Jones, OC – Iowa
- Grade: C
- My Choice: Peter Woods, DT – Clemson
Analysis: Offensive lineman Keyland Rutledge and Gennings Dunker went a few picks before and would have been significant upgrades over Jones.
Unfortunately, it’s right position, but wrong player. Jones is my fifth center on the Texans Big Board and both Connor Lew and Jake Slaughter were available. However, Jones is a four-year starter and First-team AP All-American and won the Rimington Trophy (nation’s top center).
The Texans will run a man and gap scheme next year while Jones is exclusively a zone blocker. His small frame and shorter arms will limit his power at the next level. How the Texans would implement him with their bigger, grittier guards would be interesting.
Round 3, Pick 69: Anthony Hill Jr.,
- Grade: A
- My Choice: Anthony Hill Jr.
Analysis: Finally, a great value pick from the NFLSE boys. The ship has been righted.
Hill Jr. needs one year to learn, develop, and frankly unlearn several bad habits from Texas. The hyper-athletic Hill Jr. is young, tenacious, and a clear leader. Speed. Speed. Speed. Hill Jr. has the requisite length to win at the next level. His coverage skills are in their infancy and he can add to his blitz package, but the tools are perfect for a long-term starting LB in DeMeco Ryans’ defense.
As a Longhorn fan, I am all-in for this selection.
Round 4, Pick 106: Julian Neal, CB – Arkansas
- Grade: B+
- My Choice: Darrell Jackson Jr, DE – Florida State, Jalon Kilgore, S – South Carolina
“Really great athlete. Someone who can play behind the two staring corners in Lassiter and Stingley and gives (Houston) really good depth.”
Analysis: This was a ‘best player available’ choice by the pod, but also fits with Caserio’s history of drafting DB depth.
A fifth year senior with four seasons at Fresno State, Neal possesses elite size and length to remain as an outside corner at the next level. Neal took a while to gain steam in college, but has three years of production and fits extremely well into the Texans scheme. A true strong zone-coverage defender, he’s also a gritty run-defender at corner. Neal will compete with second-year CB Jaylin Smith to be CB3.
Round 5, Pick 141: Caden Curry, DE – Ohio State
- Grade: B+
- My Choice: LT Overton, DE – Alabama or Emmett Johnson, RB – Nebraska
Analysis: The podcast contemplated either defensive end depth or offensive line depth. Either would make sense here. Curry would max out as a situational rusher for third down opportunities with extremely small arms and limited flexibility. His relentless motor, experience, and fit are fantastic as a Day Three addition, but his ceiling is limited as a long term prospect.
Round 5, Pick 167: Isaiah World, OT – Oregon
- Grade: A
- My Choice: Isaiah World
Analysis: A tight end would work well here, but Trevor added a developmental offensive tackle to the group whose ceiling is extremely high. World will start or spend the entire season on IR due to a torn ACL in his left knee during the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Indiana.
He measured in at 6’7”, 320-pounds and possesses NFL-ready quickness. His injury and struggles against smaller, speed-oriented defensive ends tanked his draft stock, but this late-round lottery pick is a great value and opportunity.
Round 7, Pick 243: Josh Cuevas, TE – Alabama
- Grade: B+
- My Choice: Nick Barrett, DT – South Carolina, Josh Cuevas, TE – Alabama, or
Analysis: Cuevas is another “my guy” of this class and was selected in the fifth round of my mock draft earlier this month. His frame is a bit small for an in-line tight end, but his fluidity and route running were strong and certainly worthy of a roster spot.
Overall analysis: While the first three picks were the right positions, I would be extremely tense to see them develop. The mid-round selections however feature several of my favorite players and are strong, long-term fits. This class checks all the boxes positionally that Houston needed to add depth to. What will need to be determined is how many immediate starters or contributors arise from this group.
