Fansided

Houston Texans full 2018 NFL mock draft

By John Buhler

STARKVILLE, MS - NOVEMBER 19: Mississippi State Bulldogs offensive lineman Martinas Rankin (55) during the game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs on November 19, 2016. Arkansas defeated Mississippi State by the score of 58-42 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MS - NOVEMBER 19: Mississippi State Bulldogs offensive lineman Martinas Rankin (55) during the game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Mississippi State Bulldogs on November 19, 2016. Arkansas defeated Mississippi State by the score of 58-42 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
BIRMINGHAM, AL – DECEMBER 29: South Florida Bulls defensive tackle Deadrin Senat (10) during the Birmingham Bowl between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the South Florida Bulls on December 29, 2016. South Florida defeated South Carolina by the score of 46-39 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, AL – DECEMBER 29: South Florida Bulls defensive tackle Deadrin Senat (10) during the Birmingham Bowl between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the South Florida Bulls on December 29, 2016. South Florida defeated South Carolina by the score of 46-39 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Sixth Round

With C.J. Fiedorowicz retiring at the age of 26, it might be wise for the Texans to target a replacement at tight end in the upcoming draft. Perhaps they go with another standout from the Big Ten West in the form of Troy Fumagalli of the Wisconsin Badgers?

Fumagalli is 6-foot-5, 247 pounds. Though he only did the bench press at the combine, Fumagalli’s frame and pass-catching ability could be a huge gain for the Texans. In four years in Madison, Fumagalli had 135 catches for 1,627 yards and seven touchdowns. He increasingly became part of the Badgers passing attack as an upperclassmen.

With the increase of multi-faceted pass rushers, having a strong offensive interior is paramount to success at the NFL level. Being able to find an undervalued player at an increasingly important position of guard is crucial. Look for the Texans to take somebody like K.J. Malone out of LSU at No. 211 in the sixth round.

Malone is 6-foot-4, 303 pounds. He has 33 1/2 inch arms and 9 1/4 inch hands. He ran a 5.34 40-yard dash at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. While Malone is a fringe starting-level prospect, versatility at guard is crucial for him. Being able to dominate in the running game while LSU could help him make a roster, and maybe even get some early playing time.

Cornerback might only be a tertiary need for the Texans, but it’s not like they have appropriately replaced A.J. Bouye yet. Keep in mind that Bouye went undrafted out of UCF. Maybe the Texans can find another great, under the radar player in Virginia Tech Hokies cornerback Brandon Facyson?

Facyson is 6-foot-1, 203 pounds. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at the scouting combine and had 16 reps at 225 in the bench press. In five years in Blacksburg, Facyson had 131 total tackles (91 solo, 40 assists), 39 pass breakups, 9.0 tackles for a loss of yardage, five interceptions, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

Seventh Round

Since the Texans will have satisfied all of their draft needs at this point, they may just end up going with the best player available at No. 222. Though he’ll probably end up climbing up some teams’ draft boards, taking South Florida Bulls defensive lineman Deadrin Senat would be a safe bet.

Senat is 6-feet, 314 pounds. He ran a 5.16 40-yard dash at the combine and had 35 reps at 225 at the bench press. In four years in Tampa, Senat had 178 total tackles (104 solo, 74 assists), 23.5 for a loss of yardage, 7.0 quarterback sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Next: 15 greatest NFL Draft Steals of all-time

*Houston does not have a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. This was part of the Duane Brown trade with the Seattle Seahawks. It initially included cornerback Jeremy Lane going to the Texans, but he failed his physical.

Home/Houston Texans