NFL DRAFT
3 prospects the Houston Texans must consider with pick No. 67
Apr 29, 2021, 11:54 am
The Texans are set to make their 1st selection in the 3rd round. Composite image by Jack Brame.
The Houston Texans arguably have the worst draft capital heading into the 2021 NFL Draft. Their first selection will come in the third round as a result of acquiring Laremy Tunsil in 2019. Although the team will be missing out on the top-66 prospects, the Texans still have an opportunity to draft a foundational player at pick No. 67.
The first round of the NFL Draft is set to begin Thursday night at 7:00 CT on ESPN, the NFL Network and ABC. Here are three prospects the Texans should consider with their top pick in this year's draft.
1) Kyle Trask, QB, Florida
The unpopular opinion surrounding the Texans heading into this year's draft is whether they should select a quarterback with their first pick. Houston has a bevy of holes on the roster — mainly on the defensive side of the ball. But the uncertainty surrounding Deshaun Watson has left the Texans' quarterback situation in a snafu state.
Should Watson's legal troubles sideline him for all the 2021 season, there is a chance the Texans will hold on to their disgruntled QB in hopes of rebuilding his trade value. The acquisitions of Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Finley have given the Texans a short-term answer under center for next season. But what about the long-term plans? If Kyle Trask is still on the board at pick No. 67, the Texans should add the Florida quarterback to their roster.
Is Trask on the level of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields or Zack Wilson? No. But he has the upside to develop into a solid starting NFL quarterback — something the Texans will be seeking beyond the 2021 season.
One of Trask's most valued attributes is his size. At 6-foot-5, Trask has the ideal built for a QB — one who can see over defenders when observing play downfield. While throwing for 7,386 yards and 69 touchdowns, Trask established himself as an intelligent decision-maker in the pocket with the ability to take care of the ball. The Houston native only committed 15 interceptions during his collegiate career at Florida.
Trask's erratic mechanics as a passer is one of the main reasons he may fall to the third round. But the chance to develop alongside QB coach Pep Hamilton would give Trask an opportunity to translate his college success to the NFL.
Other prospects to consider at this position: Kellen Mond and Davis Mills
2) Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
The primary defensive goal for the Texans in 2021 is to create turnovers. The Texans finished last in the league in turnovers, with a franchise-low nine in 2020. A part of Houston's lack of turnovers came from its secondary, which recorded only three interceptions. To improve their secondary, the Texans need to target a prospect with the knack to find the ball. And Stanford's Paulson Adebo would be a logical selection.
Adebo's top skill set as a defensive back is his hands. He is a former high school wideout who uses his experience as a receiver to track the ball once in the air, which often leads to a pass deflection or interception. Despite appearing in 22 games in four years, Adebo recorded 34 deflections and eight interceptions at Stanford. Amid receiving First Team All-Pac 12 honors in 2018, Adebo led the conference in interceptions with four.
In addition to his talents to make plays on the ball, Adebo is a physical defensive back whose size (6-foot-1) would be invaluable when matchup up with the opposing team's bigger receivers. He is one of the most underrated corners in this year's draft. If not for opting out of the 2020 season, Adebo's draft stock would have been higher.
Other prospects to consider at this position: Aaron Robinson and Robert Rochell
3) Dayo Odeyingbo, EDGE, Vanderbilt
The Texans need a significant upgrade to their defensive front — especially following the departure of J.J. Watt. It will take more than one player to replace Watt's Hall-of-Fame contributions. But edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo from Vanderbilt would help with the Texans' transition out of the Watt era.
At 6-foot-5, 285lbs, Odeyingbo can use his athletic physique to rush pass blockers to create havoc in the opposing team's backfield. His most supreme talent is his ability to get after the quarterback. Odeyingbo finished his career with the Commodores, recording a total of 12.0 sacks in three seasons. During his final season, Odeyingbo posted a pass-rush grade of 77.8, according to Pro Football Focus.
Other prospects to consider at this position: Payton Tuner and Robert Rochell
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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