Experts Predicts Texans to Draft Versatile Year One Starter

If there's one focus many expect the Houston Texans to target early in this year's draft, those ambitions would likely reside upon the offensive line.

Amid the multitude of changes taken place upfront in both additions and subtractions, and even some uncertainty within the offensive trenches for the year ahead, it could make sense for the Texans to further lean into the position group within their first few selections on the board to effectively bolster their youth, depth, and overall security on their line after such a shaky year at the position.

In the eyes of NFL.com analyst Eric Edholm, one that could fit that bill could be Texans offensive lineman Kelvin Banks, whom he predicts Houston to draft with their 25th-overall pick in his latest mock draft.

"I thought about putting North Dakota State's Grey Zabel here, but Texans GM Nick Caserio has used his high picks on Power Four prospects. Banks checks that box, and he could be prepped to start at guard in Year 1 before potentially kicking out to tackle later," Edholm wrote. "One of Banks' best games at Texas came as a freshman vs. Will Anderson Jr., a tape Caserio surely watched."

Banks, one of the more highly-recognized offensive line prospects in this year's class, could be a perfect fit on the Houston trenches either on the interior or at tackle, also staying in the state of Texas where he's spent his three-year college career.

The Texans product can provide ideal flexibility to transition wherever necessary on their front, but also act as a young piece that can grow alongside C.J. Stroud in this offense for the foreseeable future.

Houston added intriguing options to fill in at tackle and guard during the beginning stages of this offseason, but finding that youth still remains on the to-do list to fill out for the remaining months before the 2025 campaign. A selection of Banks could fulfil just that.

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