AND THE HOUSTON TEXANS SELECT...

Josh Jordan's mock draft 3.0: The rule of three

Josh Jordan's mock draft 3.0: The rule of three
Photo by Brian Ray/Hawkeyesports.com

They say good things come in threes. Hopefully, that's the case with my 3rd mock of the year. I have the Texans taking a player that would be an immediate upgrade, and will give the team some stability where there's currently a huge weakness. The Houston Texans have the 23rd pick, so let's take a look at how the draft board might stack up.

1. Arizona Cardinals- Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray

Composite photo by Brandon Strange

All signs point to the Cardinals drafting Kyler Murray.

2. San Francisco 49ers- Ohio State DE Nick Bosa

The 49ers take the best player on the board despite trading for Dee Ford.

3. New York Jets- Kentucky Edge Josh Allen

Passing on Josh Allen would be a mistake, and they need somebody to pressure Tom Brady.

4. Oakland Raiders- Alabama DL Quinnen Williams

Mike Mayock knows what he's doing. He'll take the best player on the board, and that's Williams.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Michigan DE Rashan Gary​​

The Bucs have to improve on defense. They roll with Gary to hide their weak secondary.

6. New York Giants- Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins

All this talk about Eli Manning playing several more years for the Giants is just a smoke screen. The Giants select their future QB here.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars- Florida OT Jawaan Taylor

The Jags want to run the ball and play good defense. They appear committed to Leonard Fournette, so they improve their o-line with the best right tackle in the NFL Draft. If Cam Robinson comes back healthy from his ACL, the Jaguars will love their starting tackles.

8. Detriot Lions- Mississippi State DE Montez Sweat

Matt Patricia is all about defense, and they have to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers. Trubisky and Cousins aren't too shabby either. Hopefully his heart condition doesn't push him down the board.

9. Buffalo Bills- Washington State OT Andre Dillard

The Bills might actually have an offensive line worse than the Texans. This pick is a no-brainer as they get the best left tackle available.

10. Denver Broncos- LSU LB Devin White

The Broncos had an elite defense the last time they won a Super Bowl. Devin White will make an immediate impact.

11. Cincinnati Bengals- Missouri QB Drew Lock

12. Green Bay Packers- Houston DL Ed Oliver

13. Miami Dolphins- Clemson DL Christian Wilkins

14. Atlanta Falcons- Oklahoma OT Cody Ford

15. Washington Redskins- Alabama OL Jonah Williams

16. Carolina Panthers- Iowa TE T.J. Hockenson

17. New York Giants- Michigan LB Devin Bush

18. Minnesota Vikings- Iowa TE Noah Fant

19. Tennessee Titans- Clemson Edge Clelin Ferrell

20. Pittsburgh Steelers- LSU CB Greedy Williams

21. Seattle Seahawks- Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown

22. Baltimore Ravens- Ole Miss WR D.K. Metcalf

23. Houston Texans- Kansas St. OT Dalton Risner

I had the Texans selecting LSU corner Greedy Williams in my first mock, and had them taking Ole Miss tackle Greg Little in Mock Draft 2.0. This time, I have the Texans drafting a right tackle because there aren't any left tackles that are worth drafting this high. Also, with the Texans signing Matt Kalil, they are not locked in to taking a left tackle in the first round. I also think that current Texans left tackle Julién Davenport is a better bet to be a decent starter than current right tackle, Seantrel Henderson. Henderson can't stay on the field because of non-stop injuries, so the Texans need a right tackle just as much as they need a left tackle. Remember when the Texans had Eric Winston at right tackle? Yeah, those were good times. Hopefully Risner can have that type of impact.

24. Oakland Raiders (via Bears)- Florida State Edge Brian Burns

25. Philadelphia Eagles- Washington CB Byron Murphy

26. Indianapolis Colts- Mississippi State S Johnathan Abram

27. Oakland Raiders (via Cowboys)- Alabama RB Josh Jacobs

28. Los Angeles Chargers- Clemson DL Dexter Lawrence

29. Kansas City Chiefs- NC State C Garrett Bradbury

30. Green Bay Packers (via Saints)- Mississippi State DL Jeffery Simmons

31. Los Angeles Rams- Georgia CB Deandre Baker

32. New England Patriots- Alabama TE Irv Smith Jr.

Be sure to check out my show MoneyLine with Jerry Bo on ESPN 97.5. We're on every Sunday from 10-noon,

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How the Astros face a familiar power with new questions

Cam Smith continues to swing a hot bat! Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.

Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.

One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.

 

Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.

The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.

Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.

Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.

There's so much more to get to! 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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