The Houston Texans are not short on areas of improvement to address in the upcoming draft, and they’ve clearly cast a wide net as they consider what to do with the third pick.
If Travon Walker goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 1 pick, then Aidan Hutchinson seems like the best bet for the Detroit Lions at No. 2. That would still leave the Texans, who pick third, with some quality options at offensive and defensive line, or they could take a defensive back.
For most of the teams in the top 10, there’s a somewhat reasonable shortlist you could create of players likely to be taken by certain teams given their needs. But the Texans are more uncertain than the rest, and for that reason, Rich Eisen shared on his show Wednesday that the buzz in Las Vegas is the Texans are the “wild card” of the first round.
"The Texans can go in any direction," Eisen said. "They can go offensive lineman, they can go another defensive lineman or they can go Sauce (Gardner). I've been told my Sauce (to the Jets) dream could be spoiled by the Texans, who also could go after Kyle Hamilton, as well. They apparently like him too. So (pick) three, right now in a lot of people’s minds is the wild card."
The Texans really could shake things up with the rest of the draft based on their decision at three. If they take Gardner or Hamilton, other teams eyeing a corner or safety might then try to move up so they can get one. The same could go for offensive line if they take Ickey Ekwonu at that spot. Adding to the intrigue is that the Texans also pick at No. 13.
This draft does lack starpower, which makes it fascinating in its own way in that nobody knows who might go where. And for any team that does have a potential first-rounder they like, the Texans might be the ones to blow it all up.
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