Texans could look to the NFL Draft to replace Jadeveon Clowney
Ranking 20 edge players in the 2020 NFL Draft
Mar 30, 2020, 8:35 am
Texans could look to the NFL Draft to replace Jadeveon Clowney
The 2020 NFL Draft is only a few weeks away and it's been announced that the show will go on. The event will not be as planned, with the usual pomp and circumstance, but the 32 NFL teams will make their selections. In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, NFL organizations will have to make picks while dodging an unusual terrain of land mines. Teams may not have all of the medical, correct measurements, etc, but they'll be on even footing with the rest of the league during these odd times.
In my first draft piece of 2020, I focused on the wide receivers that could be selected by the Houston Texans to replace recently traded, DeAndre Hopkins. As we near the draft, I'll continue to put out my positional rankings at places of need for the Texans. This being in hopes of giving you an idea of which players may be available and who I believe would be the best additions.
This article will focus on the players available in the 2020 NFL Draft that may help to replace the recently traded (before 2019 season), Jadeveon Clowney.
Houston still employs Whitney Mercilus, after his latest contract with the franchise and fan favorite, JJ Watt. Mercilus showed last year that he couldn't be the number one guy when the situation called for it. Clowney was traded and Watt was injured when Mercilus disappeared from the Texans stat sheet. Houston will need to add an edge presence early in the draft that can develop with an aging Mercilus and banged up JJ Watt. Watt has only played in 32 of his last 64 regular season games. While he was able to play in all 16 games in 2018, he missed 13 in 2016, 11 in 2017 and eight last season.
Houston needs to add talent and youth to the position to go with a promising Jacob Martin and developing Charles Omenihu. Here are 20 pass rushers from the 2020 NFL Draft.
PROSPECT | COLLEGE | HT & WT (ARMS) | GRADE |
Chase Young | Ohio State | 6'5 - 264 (33' 3/4") | Top 5 |
AJ Epenesa | Iowa | 6'5 - 275 (34' 1/2") | 1st Round |
K'Lavon Chaisson | LSU | 6'3 - 254 (32' 1/4") | 1st/2nd Rd |
Jonathan Greenard | Florida | 6'3 - 263 (34' 7'8") | 2nd Round |
Jabari Zuniga | Florida | 6'3 - 264 (32' 7/8") | 2nd Round |
Jonathan Garvin | Miami | 6'4 - 263 (34") | 2nd Round |
Yetur Gross-Matos | Penn State | 6'5 - 266 (34' 7/8") | 2nd/3rd Rd |
Alton Robinson | Syracuse | 6'3 - 264 (32' 3/8") | 3rd Round |
Terrell Lewis | Alabama | 6'5 - 262 (33' 7/8") | 3rd Round |
Darrell Taylor | Tennessee | 6'4 - 267 (33") | 3rd Round |
Alex Highsmith | Charlotte | 6'3 - 248 (33' 1/8") | 4th Round |
Anfernee Jennings | Alabama | 6'2 - 256 (32' 7/8") | 4th Round |
Julian Okwara | Notre Dame | 6'4 - 252 (34' 3/8") | 4th Round |
Trevis Gipson | Tulsa | 6'3 - 261 (33' 7/8") | 5th Round |
Bradley Anae | Utah | 6'3 - 257 (32' 1/8") | 5th Round |
Curtis Weaver | Boise State | 6'2 - 265 (32' 3/8") | 5th Round |
Jason Strowbridge | UNC | 6'4 - 275 (32' 3/8") | 6th Round |
Derrick Tuszka | ND State | 6'4 - 251 (31' 3/8") | 6th Round |
Khalid Kareem | Notre Dame | 6'4 - 268 (34' 3/8") | 6th Round |
Kenny Willekes | Mich State | 6'3 - 264 (31' 1/4") | 7th Round |
The Houston Texans have two picks in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. They traded away their first round pick as part of the Laremy Tunsil trade and acquired an extra second rounder after trading DeAndre Hopkins. Here's all of their current draft picks in the 2020 NFL Draft:
#40 Overall - 2nd Round
#57 Overall - 2nd Round
#90 Overall - 3rd Round
#111 Overall - 4th Round
#171 Overall - 5th Round
#240 Overall - 7th Round
#248 Overall - 7th Round
#250 Overall - 7th Round
Houston needs to use an early pick on a wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback and could also look to draft for the offensive line, running back, defensive line and possibly a young, cheap, backup quarterback for Deshaun Watson. The Texans will have to decide between going with one of their positions of need early and even consider trading up or trading back to acquire more draft picks. Do they package picks and move into the first round? If they did, would it be someone on this list or would their desire to replace Hopkins seem more urgent?
If Houston was to trade into the first round, with the intention of upgrading their pass rush, AJ Epenesa, should be the desired target. He's a poor-man's JJ Watt. When you watch his games, you see the similarities in mannerisms and movement skills. He's not going to be JJ Watt, but if he's even 70% of that, then I would gladly trade up into the first to secure him at a rookie wage for up to five seasons.
It would seem unlikely that Houston would trade up and minimize the amount of top picks that they have. They've paid a premium for the picks they do have and have big needs that need to be answered through the draft. Luckily, it's a deep wide receiver draft and while it's not a strong pass rush class for premium talent, there are some guys in the second round, that would seem to be the perfect fit. Greenard, Garvin and Gross-Matos seem to fit the plus arm length that the Texans look for in the draft. This is probably the sweet spot in which the Texans draft capital and positional talent meet.
If the Texans feel good about the talent they have at the position for 2020 with Watt, Mercilus, Martin, Omenihu, Brennan Scarlett and a returning from injury, Duke Ejiofor, then they could wait until day three of the draft. If Houston does look to select pass rushers after the third round, the three guys that would make the most sense would be Alex Highsmith, Trevis Gipson and Anfernee Jennings.
Look at the picks and the players and tell me what would you do if you were making the call?
In the next article, I'll be looking at cornerbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have 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!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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