4TH AND INCHES

Executing the vision, 3 players that can immediately help the Houston Texans establish the run

Executing the vision, 3 players that can immediately help the Houston Texans establish the run
Help could be on the way for Damion Pierce and the Texans. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Houston Texans have 4 strong reasons to be excited about what's to come

The Houston Texans want to be an aggressive and attack-first offense under DeMeco Ryans. In order for them to be able to fulfill that blueprint, the team is going to need a lot of reinforcement upfront to create a dominant run game.

While the Texans have a few pieces that are a good start in establishing that vision, such as running back Dameon Pierce and tackles Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard. However, they have a lot of work to do if they want to be able to complete the full puzzle.

One thing the San Francisco 49ers, Kyle Shanahan, Mike Shanahan and Gary Kubiak offenses are known for is their flexibility, not just in play calling, but with players as well. The teams led by the similar style of offense Bobby Slowik will look to implement need depth and beef up front.

Here are three players the Texans could land in the 2023 NFL Draft with their 12th, second and third-round picks.

O'Cyrus Torrence - Florida

Torrence wasn’t a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. Only rated a three-star on multiple sites, he opted to play for Louisiana before transferring to Florida to end his collegiate career.

According to NFL’s Next Gen stats, Torrence has the second-highest rank above all guards in the draft this year. Throughout his entire college career, both at Louisiana and Florida, the 6-foot-5-inch, 347-pound lineman did not give up a single sack.

Torrence’s strengths are that he has a wide body and good use of his hands, which allow him to be an effective run blocker, according to NFL.com. NFL Draft Buzz called him the best run blocker of the 2023 class.

When it comes to landing Torrence, Houston might need to use its 12th overall pick, or possibly trade down a few spots. While the Texans have the No. 33 overall pick, Torrence will likely not fall down to the second round.

Having played right guard his entire collegiate career, Torrence would solidify the right side as Houston could finally leave Howard as right tackle instead of moving him to guard.

Andrew Vorhees - USC

Vorhees is the second-highest rated guard, per NFL Draft Buzz. According to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, a scout of an NFC team said he is known for consistency game in and game out. The biggest drawback with Vorhees is that scouts do not expect him to have a high ceiling.

The 6-foot-6-inch, 325-pound guard is being touted for his strengths in the run game, which include his lateral quickness and ability to attack opposing lineman at the right angles. His physical strength is his biggest asset.

More importantly for the Texans, Vorhees is not expected to be a Day One selection, and could well be available for Houston to take in the second and third rounds. While scouts might not believe Vorhees has a Pro Bowl-caliber future ahead of him, being on the same line with Tunsil and Howard means Vorhees really just needs to do his job.

Vorhees’ biggest weaknesses are the length of his arms and his pass protection blocking. He played five seasons in college.

Jahmyr Gibbs - Alabama

When it comes to the running game, not everything revolves around the offensive line. While a lot of eyeballs are on Texas running back Bijan Robinson to be the first running back taken in the 2023 Draft, Houston does not need to use any of its first two picks at this position.

A nice Day Two pick could be Gibbs out of Alabama. With Pierce already on the roster, the Texans already have a powerhouse, power back. Bringing in Gibbs would be a nice change-of-pace for Houston’s offense.

Gibbs caught 20 or more passes in every single one of his three collegiate seasons. He caught 44 passes for 444 yards in 2022 for Alabama. He also rushed for 926 yards during the 2022 season.

Gibbs is known for his acceleration, cuts, and what separates him is his ability to be a great route runner and pass catcher, according Zierlein’s report. One of his biggest drawbacks is his play in the blocking game out of the backfield.

Because of Pierce, the Texans would not have to worry about needing Gibbs to be an every down back. He will likely be a second-round pick in this year’s draft.

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The Astros are back in action Tuesday night, hosting the White Sox. Composite Getty Image.

The Astros are making noise again — not by bludgeoning teams with a powerhouse offense, but by grinding through games and getting elite production from a patched-together pitching staff. It’s a testament to their depth and resilience that they went 4-2 on a tough road trip while averaging just 3.6 runs per game. Even more impressive? The staff allowed just 2.3 runs per game during that stretch.

It’s fair to be impressed. This is a team still missing key pieces and leaning heavily on unproven arms, yet they’ve built a 2.5-game lead over Seattle in the AL West. If the rotation keeps performing like this, that cushion might not just hold through the All-Star break — it could grow.

Houston's pitching has been the great stabilizer. The Astros rank 1st in strikeouts, 9th in ERA, 4th in WHIP, and 2nd in batting average against. The numbers aren’t carried solely by the stars either. Youngsters like Brandon Walter and Colton Gordon have stepped in admirably. Walter has allowed just two runs combined across his first two starts (6 IP and 5 IP), while Gordon has quietly gone five innings in three straight outings, giving up 1, 4, and 3 runs. Ryan Gusto has been inconsistent — failing to get through five innings in his last three starts — but has kept the damage manageable (3, 2, and 2 runs in those outings).

Meanwhile, the top of the rotation has been lights out. Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown have become one of the most dominant 1-2 punches in baseball, and Lance McCullers Jr. is starting to look like a real contributor again. It’s a staff carrying the team while the bats slowly try to catch up.

That offense, while mediocre overall — 15th in OPS, 20th in runs, 19th in homers, and 18th in slugging — has shown signs of life in recent days. Jeremy Peña and Jake Meyers have provided much-needed sparks. Peña is hitting .370 over the past week with an .851 OPS, while Meyers has been even hotter, posting a .381 average and .934 OPS.

The biggest news off the field this week was the potential end of the Forrest Whitley era. The former first-round pick was designated for assignment, a move that answers an early-season question: Who’s more likely to contribute this year — Whitley or McCullers? The answer is now clear.

Whitley’s DFA also serves as a reminder that not even elite GMs like Jeff Luhnow are immune to draft misses.

As the Houston Chronicle's Greg Rajan points out, Luhnow’s final four first-round picks with Houston all fell short: Whitley (2016), J.B. Bukauskas (2017), Seth Beer (2018), and Korey Lee (2019) have yet to become meaningful pieces for any club. The draft remains a gamble — even for the best.

Still, the Astros are finding answers. Despite an offense that’s still searching for consistency, their pitching — both from the top and the bottom of the depth chart — has been dominant. If that continues, this club won't just hold the lead. They’ll have momentum heading into July.

There's so much more to cover! 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!

*ChatGPT assisted.

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