After a week of conversations, the sense leaving Indy is that Houston will target a defensive prospect should it stay at No. 23. Several scouts told Texans Daily not to be surprised if edge rusher or cornerback were the target positions.
Two names consistently brought up in coversations were Penn State's Chop Robinson and Missouri's Darius Robinson. Neither edge rusher is a finished product, but they won't have to be early on in their careers opposite Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr.
Chop Robinson's on-paper production wouldn't warrant a first-round grade, but his athletic traits are too good to pass up. Despite recording 11.5 sacks during his two seasons with the Nittany Lions, his blend of speed and footwork allowed him to add pressure, thus helping other defensive linemen end the play.
Chop Robinson posted the second-fastest 40-time among edge rushers at 4.48. He also excelled with a 10-8" broad jump, the second-longest behind Houston Christian Jalyx Hunt.
Darius Robinson first caught Houston's eye with a breakout performance at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. He followed that up with a less-than-ideal 4.95 40-time and 35-inch vertical.
One scout said Darius Robinson wins with power. He's not a finesse guy and will never win with swat-and-swim moves, but his low center of gravity will overpower offensive tackles, allowing him to force his way into the backfield for a potential takedown.
"He's got position flexibility to where he could shift inside on third-down passing-rushing sets," an NFC Scout said to Texans Daily. "He played defensive tackle in 2022 before shifting to the edge last offseason."
One name at cornerback to monitor is
Alabma's Kool-Aid McKinstry. Despite dropping a bit in the rankings, that says on the progression of Mitchell and Alabama teammate Terrion Arnold rather than regression from McKinstry.
The Texans already have Alabama ties on the roster, including Ryans On top of that, all four of Houston's first-round picks have come from major institutions, largely due to an easier translation period.
And imagine the marketing for a second? Derek Stingley Jr. on one side and McKinstry cruising on the other? Doesn't 'Kool-Aid And Sting' sound like a buddy-cop show from the mid-2000s on TNT?
McKinstry, a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide, had to pull out of the workouts early due to a Jones fracture in his right foot but is expected to work out at Alabama's Pro Day. He broke up 23 passes and recorded two interceptions at Alabama.
All three players said during press conferences that they had formal meetings with the Texans last week. McKinstry said his interview was
"very positive" as they talked more so about his background and decision to play for Nick Saban.
Other potential first-round defensive candidates include Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newtown, Washington edge rusher Braelen Trice, Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins, and
Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean.
So, you want the Texans to draft a wide receiver in the first round? You shouldn't since the talent in Rounds 2-4 could be just as productive at a lesser price.
The consensus around Lucas Oil Stadium was that this year's receiver class could be special. Yeah yeah, fans hear it every year, but as many as eight receivers could land within the first 32 picks.
How many could go top-50? One scout said there are at least a dozen after Saturday's workouts, including a handful of options that were considered fringe Day 2 talents.
Florida State's Keon Coleman and Oregon's Troy Franklin could potentially be trade-up candidates at No. 59 after their combine performances. Both met with Houston formally last week and seemed to have positive feedback about the team.
Georgia's
Ladd McConkey might be on a shortlist of names catching Houston's eye. He was incredibly productive during his three seasons in Athens and blew scouts away with
his 4.39 40 and 36-inch vertical.
Should the Texans wait until the third round, Florida's Ricky Persall and Michigan's Roman Wilson are options. Pearsall posted a 4.41 time, but his 10-9 broad jump and 6.64 three-cone drill made a stellar impression.
Wilson, whose game-tying catch helped Michigan win its first national title, is a fluid slot option that works the middle of the field thanks to his slip-and-slide moves. Last season, Houston struggled to find consistency in the slot.