Houston Texans: 5 best NFL Draft picks of all-time

DeAndre Hopkins (2013: first round, 27th overall)

As the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, DeAndre Hopkins was not even the first wide receiver taken off the board. That title goes to Tavon Austin, who the Rams selected with the eighth pick in the draft.

Three years later, Houston Texans fans find themselves fortunate that the Rams valued Austin’s athleticism over Hopkins’ productivity.

Austin has compiled just 1,133 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during his career, and although he managed to add 434 yards and four scores on the ground last season, the former West Virginia star has not come close to matching Hopkins’ production on the field.

As a rookie out of Clemson, Hopkins started all 16 games, taking a backseat to seven-time Pro Bowler Andre Johnson. In 2014, he took on the role of Houston’s go-to receiver. Last season, he made the first of what has the potential to be many Pro Bowl appearances.

Hopkins has compiled 3,533 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns during his first three seasons in the NFL, with his production increasing steadily each year. Now, entering his fourth season in the league and coming off a 1,521-yard, 11-touchdown performance, he has established a case as one of the top-five wide receivers in the NFL.

With the Texans finally acquiring a potential franchise quarterback in 25-year-old Brock Osweiler, Hopkins could be on the verge of another career-best performance. If the team acquires a legitimate No. 2 receiving option to draw attention away from him in this year’s draft, this becomes even more likely.

Next: No. 3