The mock drafters don't have a clear-cut favorite player for the Texans to take at 12th overall.
But the majority of experts think they'll add help up front on the defense.
A new crop of mock drafts came out over the last week, and of the 29 we gathered here at HoustonTexans.com, 16 (55.2 percent) predict Houston will draft a defensive lineman with the second of their 12 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. Three defensive linemen--Clemson's Myles Murphy, Georgia's Nolan Smith and Iowa's Lukas Van Ness--were each mocked to the Texans by four experts apiece. USC wide receiver Jordan Addison was also a Texans' pick at 12 in four separate mock drafts.
Ohio State pass-catcher Jaxon Smith-Njigba was mocked to the Texans by three different prognosticators, while TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston and Clemson defensive lineman Bryan Bresee were Texans picks in two mock drafts apiece.
Houston also owns the second overall selection this year, and nearly 80 percent of mockers had the Texans taking 2021 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young of Alabama.
The NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 27 in Kansas City, Missouri.
| MOCK DRAFT | TEXANS SELECTION |
|---|---|
| 1. USA TODAY (DOUG FARRAR) | WR JORDAN ADDISON, USC |
| 2. 33RD TEAM (SCOUTING DEPARTMENT) | WR JORDAN ADDISON, USC |
| 3. SPORTING NEWS (VINNIE IYER) | WR JORDAN ADDISON, USC |
| 4. NFL.COM (BUCKY BROOKS) | WR JORDAN ADDISON, USC |
| 1. NFL.COM (DANIEL JEREMIAH) | DL MYLES MURPHY, CLEMSON |
| 2. USA TODAY (JEFF RISDON) | DL MYLES MURPHY, CLEMSON |
| 3. THE RINGER (DANNY KELLY) | DL MYLES MURPHY, CLEMSON |
| 4. USA TODAY (LUKE EASTERLING) | DL MYLES MURPHY, CLEMSON |
| 1. ESPN (MEL KIPER, JR) | DL NOLAN SMITH, GEORGIA |
| 2. ESPN (MATT MILLER) | DL NOLAN SMITH, GEORGIA |
| 3. DRAFT COUNTDOWN (SHANE HALLAM) | DL NOLAN SMITH, GEORGIA |
| 4. THE ATHLETIC (DANE BRUGLER) | DL NOLAN SMITH, GEORGIA |
| 1. CBS SPORTS (RYAN WILSON) | DL LUKAS VAN NESS, IOWA |
| 2. WALTER FOOTBALL (CHARLIE CAMPBELL) | DL LUKAS VAN NESS, IOWA |
| 3. NFL.COM (LANCE ZIERLEIN) | DL LUKAS VAN NESS, IOWA |
| 4. HOUSTON CHRONICLE (BROOKS KUBENA) | DL LUKAS VAN NESS, IOWA |
| 1. HOUSTON CHRONICLE (JONATHAN ALEXANDER) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 2. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (IAN CUMMINGS) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 3. WALTER FOOTBALL (WALTER CHEREPINSKY) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 1. CBS SPORTS (CHRIS TRAPASSO | DL BRYAN BRESEE, CLEMSON |
| 2. CBS SPORTS (JOSH EDWARDS) | DL BRYAN BRESEE, CLEMSON |
| 1. ATHLON SPORTS (BRYAN FISCHER) | WR QUENTIN JOHNSTON, TCU |
| 2. BLEACHER REPORT (SCOUTING DEPARTMENT) | WR QUENTIN JOHNSTON, TCU |
| ESPN (TODD MCSHAY) | DL JALEN CARTER, GEORGIA |
| HOUSTONTEXANS.COM/FOOTBALLTAKEOVER.COM (JOHN HARRIS) | WR JALIN HYATT, TENNESSEE |
| SHARP FOOTBALL ANALYSIS (RYAN MCCHRISTAL) | DL CALIJAH KANCEY, PITT |
| USA TODAY (NATE DAVIS) | TE MICHAEL MAYER, NOTRE DAME |
| PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (TREVOR SIKKEMA) | OL PETER SKORONSKI, NORTHWESTERN |
| CBS SPORTS (KYLE STACKPOLE) | CB DEVON WITHERSPOON, ILLINOIS |
