CB, OT should be targets early
Lance Zierlein's Texans draft primer
Apr 25, 2019, 10:46 am
CB, OT should be targets early
The Houston Texans are in a precarious spot because they have quality core players on the roster, but they are dangerously low in talent and/or depth at offensive tackle and at cornerback. While we're at it, they need more depth at wide receiver and running back to help fortify the offense's explosiveness.
With all of that said, let's take a look at what you need to know headed into the draft.
Offensive line: The Texans need at least one and maybe two tackles in this draft. The supply doesn't match the demand for the left tackle spot so the Texans will need to consider any good tackle, right or left, when they get their shots. The Texans could also look for more competition at both guard and center in this draft.
Cornerback: Brien Boddy-Calhoun, Johnathan Joseph and Bradley Roby are all on one-year deals so there is a chance that all three will be gone next year - along with Aaron Colvin if he doesn't get things figured out. The Texans may have to address cornerback more than once in this draft and keep firing into next year.
Running back: Lamar Miller has done fine, but he's playing at a replaceable level and the Texans could look to add running back depth to compete with both Miller and D'Onta Foreman for carries. Foreman will be on a short leash this year and will need to show and prove or he could be gone after the year.
Wide receiver: Based upon the amount of private visits and the interest level the Texans have shown at the wide receiver position, it is obvious that position will be targeted. Will Fuller can't stay on the field and KeKe Coutee's soft tissue injury wouldn't heal properly. The Texans will be looking for depth that could turn into a future starter, but it may not be until later in the draft.
Defensive line: There is a belief in league circles that Jadeveon Clowney could be on the trade block as you read this. If that is the case, the Texans will absolutely need to be prepared to look at depth/talent on the edge.
Andre Dillard, LT, Washington State: The most gifted left tackle in this draft will likely go way before the Texans pick and I don't expect them to trade away their valuable picks to get their hands on him unless he drops far enough to where it may cost them a future third next year.
Greg Little, LT, Ole Miss: He's solid and a multi-year starter in the difficult SEC West, but he's below average in the running game and might be more of an early second round talent. The value of left tackle could push him up.
Kaleb McGary, RT, Washington: He check the traits boxes and the toughness that the Texans will covet under GM Brian Gaine and head coach Bill O'Brien. This might be a shade early for him, but there are teams who like his potential and toughness.
Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas St: Risner has played right tackle and center and should have no problem moving to guard if needed. Because Risner is so versatile and so consistent, he could find his way into the first. I'm higher on Risner than most.
Byron Murphy, CB, Washington: Murphy doesn't have great length or speed (4.55 forty) so I struggle with whether or not to put him as a target for the Texans, but he's ultra-competitive and has 20 passes defensed including 6 INTs in just 20 career games.
Greedy Williams, CB, LSU: He's long and fast and has terrific ball skills, but he's slender and he's not the toughest tackler out there. Some teams worry that Greedy seemed to shut down the competitiveness late in the season.
Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple: He is a graduate transfer from Presbyterian who went to Temple for his last year and immediately was given a single digit number in the off-season representing the toughest players on the team. He's a former championship wrestler with great strength and physicality but average speed. He fits the personality the Texans are looking for.
Lonnie Johnson, CB, Kentucky: If the Texans traded back, Johnson could be a target. He's big, long and fast and showed the ability to get into the receiver's face in press and choke them off at the snap. He struggled to find the football and gave up too many touchdowns over two years, but some defensive back coaches believe that is coachable and they see Johnson has a high upside talent. He's got the traits that the Texans will typically covet at that position.
Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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