The general consensus is that the Houston Texans will be selecting an offensive lineman in the first round of the NFL Draft to patch up a unit that was among the league's worst this past season.
However, Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team is predicting the Texans to go in an entirely different direction.
In his most recent mock draft, Valentino has Houston selecting Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher Jalon Walker with the 25th overall pick, this even though the Texans already have Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. along their front seven.
"I'm lower on Jalon Walker than most media members, as he's a bit small to be a full-time edge rusher and isn't the most comfortable player in coverage as a middle linebacker," Valentino wrote. "He'll need a creative defensive mind who moves him between the SAM linebacker role in base fronts and as a blitzer on third downs. DeMeco Ryans is that man in Houston."
There are some who view Walker as a potential top-10 pick, so seeing the pass rusher plummet all the way down to Houston would certainly be surprising. Not to mention the fact that it would be pretty jarring to see the Texans select Walker to begin with.
Houston's most glaring holes are clearly on the offensive side of the ball, where the Texans not only need help in the trenches, but also in their receiving corps.
Walker is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he registered 60 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, so his production was solid.
Perhaps the Texans would nab Walker at No. 25 if they felt he was the best player available, but it still seems like a rather odd potential selection for Nick Caserio and Co.
