'Houston Is A Wild Card': NFL Analyst Weighs In On Texans Draft Strategy

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah is convinced that no one has a clue on what the Houston Texans will do in the first round

HOUSTON -- For those who believe they have the answer on what the Houston Texans will do in the first round of the upcoming draft, chances are you don't. Not even some of the best evaluators in the industry aren't sure what the Texans are thinking. 

During his annual pre-draft press conference, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah was asked if he had any inclination on what the Texans could do with a pair of top 15 selections. In short, not even the long-time scout could predict what is going on in general manager Nick Caserio's mind. 

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"Houston is a true wild card to me," Jeremiah said. "They can go in any direction. You always try to talk to friends around the league and try and get a gut on a team. Usually, your buddies will tell you, 'I think this player matches them or that player.' Maybe a couple guys or a couple options."

Since the season's conclusion, Caserio has been open from the get-go of his willingness to trade down from the No. 3 selection. More often than not, teams interested in adding a quarterback are the ones willing to move up.

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For now, it seems as if the fish aren't biting for teams to make an offer to jump inside the top three. Not only that, but Caserio has been clear from the start that Houston would only move down if the value of the return was offered.

"The reality is that very few teams are going to want to come up to (No.) 3," Caserio said Thursday at his pre-draft press conference. “That’s OK. So probably pick at (No.) 3 and then at (No.) 13, could we go up? Could we go down? That's talk." 

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Nick Caserio

Offensive line has been a popular pick for the Texans should they remain at No. 3. Both Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal and N.C. State linemen Ikem Ekwonu have seen their names cemented next to Houston for different reasons. 

Should the Texans select Neal, it's an indication they could view veteran Tytus Howard as a guard than a tackle. 

Should Ekwonu be the selection, Houston is willing to take a risk on a versatile player that can shine at both guard and tackle, thus leading to competition for first-team reps in OTAs and training camp.

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Cornerback also could be an early selection for Houston after coach Lovie Smith's comments on the inconsistencies from the position last fall. 

Houston has met multiple times with Cincinnati's Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner since the NFL Combine. 

A source tells TexansDaily.com that Caserio and the scouting department have also done "extensive homework" on LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

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When asked if trading back was the only option for Houston, Caserio mentioned that if a player were to fall in the range for them to feel comfortable moving up, they would explore the options.

"Some teams are willing to move down," Caserio said. "Some teams say, ‘You know what? I’ve never really thought about that. But OK, maybe we’d consider moving up.'

"It’s important just to be open-minded and be flexible.”

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Derek Stingley Jr. 

Jeremiah praised Caserio's drafting style, stating how "Nick (does a great job of keeping his cards close to the vest because nobody in the league has any clue where Houston could be leaning or what they're going to do." 

The Texans currently own 11 picks in the draft, though Caserio said expand that number to change by the time the final pick has been called on Saturday afternoon.