Pick a mock draft, any mock draft and the Houston Texans are predominantly linked to Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. No matter what happens with the first two picks, pending Thibodeaux doesn’t go within the opening two selections, the former Duck is headed to Houston.
According to Mark Schofield from the Touchdown Wire, the Texans take Thibodeaux, which is increasingly the “dog bites man” of mock drafts. However, Schofield’s forecast of the draft board makes Houston’s pick of Thibodeaux have more of a “man bites dog” feel.
Houston has a number of needs this off-season. One of which is their pass rush. As evaluators dive into Aidan Hutchinson, George Karlfatis, Jermaine Johnson and David Ojabo, Kayvon Thibodeaux seems to be sliding. Once viewed as a surefire top five selection, that seems in doubt. Something tells me his Combine performance is going to change the narrative, and he works his way back towards the top of the draft rather quickly. He checks many of the boxes teams are looking for in a top-flight edge rusher, and the Texans find a potential cornerstone piece to their defensive front.
Unlike most mock drafts where the Texans are getting hand-me-downs in the choice between Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Thibodeaux, Houston actually picks the Oregon defensive end over Hutchinson.
In the mock, the Jacksonville Jaguars go with Alabama tackle Evan Neal with the No. 1 overall pick. Then, the Detroit Lions take Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with the very next pick.
After Houston takes Thibodeaux, the New York Jets grab Hutchinson with the No. 4 overall pick.
The first quarterback doesn’t come off the board until No. 8 overall when the Atlanta Falcons pick Liberty’s Malik Willis.
If the Texans add Thibodeaux, he will be joining a young nucleus of defensive linemen in Ross Blacklock, Jonathan Greenard, and Roy Lopez, who seek to take the next step in Lovie Smith’s system.