Third Round
With Jadaveon Clowney’s departure, the Texans pass rush undoubtedly suffered. In 2019 they ranked 26th in the league with just 31 sacks, as J.J. Watt appeared in just eight regular season games.
With his inability to stay on the field, edge player Darrell Taylor could be a solution to Houston’s problem in the future. He has the physical makeup that defensive coordinators dream about, with skills to match. The problem though is that he’s yet to unleash all of those skills. Taylor will require a little more development before he can be relied on as an every down player and pass rusher in the NFL.
Taylor currently lacks a go-to pass rush move, and that’s something he will need to find before earning his time on the field. He’s also not likely to be viewed as a defensive end at this point, and is more of a standup pass-rushing linebacker. The Watt era may be over soon (31 years old), so the Texans and O’Brien should take the risk here as Taylor has a high ceiling.
The former Tennessee Vols star may develop into the next big defensive star in the league.