AND THE HOUSTON TEXANS SELECT...

Josh Jordan's mock draft 1.0

Josh Jordan's mock draft 1.0
Alabama RB Josh Jacobs. Photo via: Alabama/Facebook

It's that time of year again and now that the NFL Combine is over, it's time to start all the mock drafts. The Houston Texans have the 23rd pick, so let's take a look at how the draft board might stack up.

1. Arizona Cardinals- OU QB Kyler Murray

Kliff Kingsbury, Kyler Murray

Murray is a great fit in Kingsbury's offense.

Composite photo by Brandon Strange

Kingsbury gets his QB and the Cardinals move on from Josh Rosen.

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

49ers get some help rushing the passer, and this guy will make an immediate impact.

3. New York Jets- Kentucky Edge Josh Allen

The Jets add Josh Allen to help get after the QB.

4. Oakland Raiders- Alabama DL Quinnen Williams

Williams made a huge splash at the Combine and the Raiders take the best player on the board.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Michigan DE Rashan Gary

The Bucs need some help on the edge, and they get exactly that with Gary.

6. New York Giants- Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins

Haskins is sitting there for the taking at #6.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars- Mississippi State DE Montez Sweat

The Jags need to get their defense back to dominance, and a pass rusher just might do the trick. This dude can RUN!

8. Detroit Lions- LSU LB Devin White

Matt Patricia gets a playmaker at linebacker, and he's fast too.

9. Buffalo Bills- Washington State OT Andre Dillard

The Bills have to address the offensive line and protect their young QB.

10. Denver Broncos- Florida OT Jawaan Taylor

Corner might be an option, but right tackle Jared Veldheer is a free agent in 2020, and they have to protect Flacco.

11. Cincinnati Bengals- Oklahoma OT Cody Ford

12. Green Bay Packers- Iowa TE Noah Fant

13. Miami Dolphins- Duke QB Daniel Jones

14. Atlanta Falcons- Alabama OT Jonah Williams

15. Washington Redskins- Missouri QB Drew Lock

16. Carolina Panthers- NCST OL Garrett Bradbury

17. Cleveland Browns- Ole Miss WR D.K. Metcalf

18. Minnesota Vikings- Michigan LB Devin Bush

19. Tennessee Titans- Clemson DL Christian Wilkins

20. Pittsburgh Steelers- Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown

21. Seattle Seahawks- Clemson Edge Clelin Ferrell

22. Baltimore Ravens- Ohio State WR Parris Campbell

23. Houston Texans- LSU CB Greedy Williams

The Texans would love to take an offensive tackle, but they're desperately in need of help at corner too. I believe that all the tackles worth taking will be gone by the time the Texans pick, so they get a stud corner and a steal with Williams.

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

25. Philadelphia Eagles- Washington CB Byron Murphy

26. Indianapolis Colts- Houston DL Ed Oliver

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

28. Los Angeles Chargers- Clemson DL Dexter Lawrence

29. Kansas City Chiefs- Temple CB Rock Ya-Sin

30. Green Bay Packers (via Saints)- Kansas State OL Dalton Risner

31. Los Angeles Rams- Georgia CB Deandre Baker

32. New England Patriots- Iowa TE T.J. Hockenson


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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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