Texans' Slow Start Lands Them No. 1 Pick in Latest NFL Mock Draft

The Houston Texans' sluggish 0-2 start to the new NFL season has already garnered a few overreactions as to what could be in store on the horizon.

And those overreactions seem to be creeping into some early NFL mock drafts for 2027––so much so that one of the latest predictions from Sports Illustrated has pinned Houston with the No. 1 pick on the board.

Texans Land No. 1 Pick in Latest Sports Illustrated Mock Draft

Sports Illustrated's Gilbert Manzano recently put together a first round mock draft following the first two weeks of the NFL season, where the draft order decided by Tankathon had slotted the Texans in as the No. 1 pick.

And with that pick, the Texans would wind up taking Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who many view as the best overall prospect coming into this year's class.

"Houston passing on a quarterback in this scenario isn’t really a testament to C.J. Stroud being the long-term answer at the position. This is more about the lack of an Andrew Luck–like QB prospect in this class and Smith truly being a once-in-a-generation player," Manzano wrote. "Smith is the kind of player who can help a quarterback such as Stroud find consistency and elevate his game. He’s a 6'3", 223-pound menace downfield with a rare combination of size and speed. Smith has drawn comparisons to Julio Jones—he’s that good."

Now, the idea of Smith coming aboard this Texans offense as a potent weapon within the receiving room is certainly an interesting fit to imagine.

Especially when looking back at Houston's last two games of this season and the offensive struggles they've taken on, having another stout receiver next to Nico Collins would do wonders for this scoring attack as a whole, and especially if it were someone like Ohio State's top prospect.

It's not often you can get your hands on a once-in-a-generation pass-catcher like Smith has proven to be at the college level, and for those that aren't in need of a quarterback within this year's draft class––a bucket the Texans might fall into––then maybe receiver might be the way to go.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a catch during the NCAA football game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

However, while the idea of adding Smith to this Texans offense would be a dream, seeing that actually come to fruition obviously has a slim chance of happening for obvious reasons.

While Houston's winless through two games, that trend won't be holding up forever. This offense will have several games in which they're clicking to pair with their elite defense, and finally put some wins on the board to escape from the hole of being two games back from .500 where they currently stand.

So far, the offense has looked disjointed, the defense hasn't quite risen to their near-league-best levels that they were at last year, and against two potent scoring units like the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, it's led to Houston being down in the count early this season.

Because of that, many are going to be pushing the panic button as to what the rest of the Texans' season might look like, and while losing two straight games to open the season does put any team on notice, this team has climbed out from bigger deficits before––being as recently as last season when they kicked off the year at 0-3.

A No. 1 pick being the outcome would certainly be a welcomed addition to Houston's roster if it came down to it, and especially for a wide receiver talent like Smith. However, such a pursuit remains far from the focus in sight for this playoff-ready group looking to make a leap into the Super Bowl.

Instead, they'll be trying to get back on track for Week 3 this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts.

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