The Houston Texans have some work to do to hang with the best teams in the AFC. Here is their latest 2020 NFL mock draft. Who will help them get better?
The Houston Texans have made the AFC playoffs the last two years with quarterback Deshaun Watson as their star player. While they were able to get a playoff win this past January vs. the Buffalo Bills on Wild Card Weekend, Houston remains the only franchise in the NFL without a conference championship appearance to date.
Okay, they’ve only been around for less than 20 years, but that doesn’t matter. The Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars only predate them by a few years. Carolina has been to two Super Bowls and Jacksonville has played in three AFC Championships already. Houston has the quarterback to win big, but do the Texans have the roster to win multiple playoff games?
Houston does have eight draft picks to satisfy their seven draft-day needs this spring. Primary needs for Houston are at guard, offensive tackle and at cornerback. Secondary needs include out on the edge, at linebacker, tight end and safety. So Houston is in a position to address all seven of their needs, plus get another player to work with in the compensatory part of the seventh round.
Of course, it should be noted that Houston does not have a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. This is because the Texans traded it away to the Miami Dolphins for their former franchise left tackle Laremy Tunsil, you know, to fill the need from trading Duane Brown to the Seattle Seahawks not that long ago. Regardless, here is the latest 2020 NFL mock draft for the Texans.
First Round
Houston does not have a first-round pick this year because of the Tunsil trade with the Dolphins.
Second Round
57
John Simpson
G Clemson Tigers
Again, not having a first-round pick may prove detrimental to the Texans’ chances of getting better. However, they are in prime position to land one of the better guard prospects in the draft with the No. 57 overall selection. Houston should take John Simpson out of Clemson with this pick.
Simpson was part of two national championship teams in college, playing in a third national title bout as a senior in 2019. It took a few years for him to crack the starting lineup, but Simpson was key in the Tigers’ success during the last two years in the trenches. He was Third-Team All-ACC in 2018, backing that up with All-American honors and a First-Team All-ACC designation in 2019.
At 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, Simpson has the frame to be an effective blocker on the offensive interior for years to come. Let’s not overlook a really big key here. He’ll be tasked of keeping arguably the greatest Clemson player ever in Watson upright professionally. They were teammates for one season back in 2016.
Taking a guard in the first two rounds, or really any round, doesn’t get a fanbase excited about the draft. However, this is the Texans’ biggest need and they’d be getting a player who has a great chance of making an impact from day one. With Houston’s track record of getting the most out of former Dabo Swinney players, drafting Simpson makes a ton of sense here.