*Portions of this article appeared last year in a series looking at the Texans in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft. It's been updated to reflect the addition of linebacker Zach Cunningham.
The Texans don't have a first or a second round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but that could change.
After moving up in the first round in each of the past two drafts, Houston might trade up this year.
Since 2002, 13 players have been selected by the Texans in the second round of the Draft. The team's 2nd-round picks in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2012 were dealt away.
The first notable 2nd-rounder is Chester Pitts. An offensive lineman out of San Diego State taken with the 50th pick of the 2002, Pitts was a mainstay up front for the Texans from his rookie year through 2009.
In 2006, the Texans snared one of the greatest players in team history with the 33rd overall pick when they took linebacker DeMeco Ryans. The Alabama product was the heart and soul of the Texans defense for six seasons, and left the Texans in 2012 as the franchise's leading tackler.
In 2009, Cincinnati defensive end Connor Barwin was the Texans 2nd-rounder. He contributed as a rookie, was lost to injury in Week 1 of his second season, but flourished in year 3. Barwin tallied 11.5 sacks to lead the way for the franchise's first playoff team.
In 2015, Houston moved up in the second round to get Mississippi State's Benardrick McKinney. In his second year as a Texan, he rang up 129 tackles and five sacks. He's only the second player in Texans' history to tally 100 or more tackles and five or more sacks in a season.
| YEAR (pick) | PLAYER | POSITION | SCHOOL |
| 2002 (33) | Jabar Gaffney | WR | Florida |
| 2002 (50) | Chester Pitts | OL | San Diego St. |
| 2003 (41) | Bennie Joppru | TE | Michigan |
| 2006 (33) | DeMeco Ryans | LB | Alabama |
| 2009 (46) | Connor Barwin | DE | Cincinnati |
| 2010 (58) | Ben Tate | RB | Auburn |
| 2011 (42) | Brooks Reed | LB | Arizona |
| 2011 (60) | Brandon Harris | CB | Miami (FL) |
| 2013 (57) | D.J. Swearinger | S | South Carolina |
| 2014 (33) | Xavier Su'a-Filo | OL | UCLA |
| 2015 (43) | Benardrick McKinney | LB | Mississippi St. |
| 2016 (50) | Nick Martin | OL | Notre Dame |
| 2017 (57) | Zach Cunningham | LB | Vanderbilt |
