Houston Texans' Mock Draft 4.0: CJ Stroud Gets Much-Needed Help

Here's the final seven-round mock draft for the Houston Texans ahead of tonight's NFL Draft.

Nov 23, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (13) warms up before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL Draft is finally here, and Houston Texans' fans will now get to see the franchise's picks for the future.

General manager Nick Caserio has been active this offseason after making multiple moves on the offensive line and grabbing a key weapon in Christian Kirk. His draft record over the past two years has been solid, as he nailed early picks like CJ Stroud, Will Anderson and Kamari Lassiter.

Here's the final seven-round mock draft for the Texans ahead of tonight's NFL Draft.

Round 1, Pick No. 25: Josh Simmons (OT, Ohio State)

Sep 2, 2023; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Simmons (71) lines up during the NCAA football game at Indiana University Memorial Stadium. Ohio State won 23-3. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State's star offensive tackle Josh Simmons was my first-round pick in my last mock draft, and I'm sticking with him in this one.

Clearly, the offensive line needs more juice after CJ Stroud was the second-most sacked quarterback in the regular season last year behind Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams. And with the team moving off of Laremy Tunsil, Simmons could lead the Texans' newly-revamped front line. Despite suffering a season-ending injury in the middle of the Buckeyes' National Championship run, his senior-year tape was good enough to put him in round one consideration.

Round 2, Pick No. 58: Tate Ratledge (IOL, Georgia)

Nov 29, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Tate Ratledge (69) reacts after a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during overtime at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

There aren't many glaring needs to the Texans' roster outside of the offensive line, so doubling down in the trenches is worth it at pick No. 58. In my last mock draft, I took Purdue's Marcus Mbow here, but I decided to change it up for the final edition and select Georgia's Tate Ratledge.

The 23-year-old guard has been a staple in the Bulldogs' offensive line unit over the past couple seasons, as he's allowed only two sacks since 2022. He's excelled as both a pass and run blocker against some of the best competition in College Football, which makes him an automatic "plug-and-play" guy day one.

Round 3, Pick No. 79: Jalen Royals (WR, Utah State)

Sep 30, 2023; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Utah State Aggies wide receiver Jalen Royals (1) makes the catch against UConn Huskies defensive back D'Mon Brinson (3) in the second quarter at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The acquisition of wide receiver Christian Kirk this offseason will allow for Houston to wait on taking one in the early rounds of the draft. However, with Tank Dell's status still up in the air for the 2025 season, the Texans could grab Utah State's Jalen Royals in round 3 to fill in.

Royals has experience lining up everywhere on the field, as he's played both in the slot and on the line of scrimmage throughout his time in college. Despite only playing in seven games last season, he still managed to record 839 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 55 receptions. The former Aggie is a "do-it-all" receiver and would be a nice weapon for Stroud in the passing game.

Round 3, Pick No. 89: CJ West (IDL, Indiana)

Nov 9, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Kalel Mullings (20) runs with the ball while Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman CJ West (8) defends in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

This year's draft class is rich with defensive tackles, and Houston still could add a little more juice on the other side of the line. Indiana's CJ West is a perfect fit for the Texans, as he's proven to be a force in the run game at the collegiate level. West finished the 2024 with a PFF run defense grade of 88.1, while also touting a 10.1 percent pass-rush win rate from the interior. He would be a key rotational piece for head coach DeMeco Ryans' young defense.

Round 5, Pick No. 166: Brashard Smith (RB, SMU)

Dec 7, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs running back Brashard Smith (1) runs during the second quarter against the Clemson Tigers in the 2024 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Running back Joe Mixon has been nothing short of phenominal since the Texans signed him. He became the first player since Carlos Hyde in 2019 to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season. But Houston's offense still lacks a true third-down back, which makes SMU's Brashard Smith a logical pick in round five. Smith, a former wide receiver that converted to running back, managed to rush for over 1,300 yards in his final collegiate season while also snagging 41 receptions for 337 yards.

Round 7, Pick No. 236: Jaylin Smith (DB, USC)

Roun 7, Pick No. 241: Joshua Gray, (OL, Oregon State)

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