The Houston Texans sit in an interesting position when eyeing their first-round pick of next month's draft.
At the 25th-overall selection, the Texans sit in a position where they likely won't capture blue-chip prospects that'll be snatched up far ahead of them, but could turn a variety of routes on appealing guys further down the board on either side of the ball.
Many see the offensive line to be a central focus early after their bold moves earlier this offseason, but if the right player falls in their lap outside of that position group, Houston may be best served to go with a best-player available approach.
In the eyes of ESPN draft insider Jordan Reid, one of those ideal fits Houston could end up targeting outside of the offensive line is Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, a wideout in the class generating some intriguing hype following an impressive Pro Day showing.
"After not participating in any testing or positional drills at the combine, Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at his pro day. He also jumped 38 inches in the vertical. With quickness being a main factor in his upfield burst, his 40 time was solid. As a late-first-round or early-second-round pick, Egbuka is one of the cleanest projections in this year's receiver class. He's a diverse route runner, and his sure hands made him a reliable target throughout his career with the Buckeyes. He projects as a high-end No. 2 receiver and would fit well with the Texans (No. 25) or Rams (No. 26) in Round 1."
Egbuka has long been an eye-catching target for the Texans, notably due to the pass catcher's previous connection with his college quarterback C.J. Stroud, but it also wouldn't hurt for Houston to add another layer of receiving talent ahead of next season, especially after losing out on Stefon Diggs to the New England Patriots.
During his last season at Ohio State, Egbuka was a stellar option within their National Championship-winning offense, finishing with 81 receptions, 1,011 yards, and ten touchdowns, further making his case as one of the better talents at his position in the class.
Egbuka can fill in as a versatile option utilized mostly in the slot by Stroud and new offensive coordinator Nick Caley, and potentially act as a catalyst to get this unit up to speed after a shaky year two of the DeMeco Ryans era.
Of course, offensive line still remains a top priority at hand for the Texans, but if Egbuka is up for grabs once pick 25 rolls around on the clock, it'll be massively tempting to rekindle the college quarterback to wide receiver connection, then zeroing in on the offensive trenches later down the board to follow.
Time will tell which way Nick Caserio and Co. opt to turn.
