John Harris follows the Houston Texans as close as anyone, and each year he breaks down the team's 90-man roster as Training Camp presented by Xfinity begins. The first practice of camp is July 23, 2025.
Quarterback
#7 C.J. Stroud
- College - Ohio State
- 1st round draft pick in 2023 - #2 overall
- 3rd season in Houston
QB1…Threw for 3,727 yards in 2024, 20 TD…the future of this franchise is now and the offense is fully on his shoulders in year three…two playoff wins in his first two years…possessess more playoff wins (two) as the Texans' starting quarterback than any other Texans QB…revamped OL in front of him and WR corps alongside for 2025…massive season for Stroud as he'll be handed the keys to orchestrate the offense at the line of scrimmage more so than in his first two seasons.
#10 Davis Mills
- College - Stanford
- 3rd round draft pick in 2021
- 5th season in Houston
26 games started in his four years in the league…6,167 yards passing and 35 TD…signed one year extension for his fifth year in Houston…has grown and improved each and every year…missed time during minicamp, so hopefully he's healthy and ready for training camp.
#16 Kedon Slovis
- College - Pitt/BYU/USC
- FA signing in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
Got a ton of work this offseason with both Mills and Stroud missing some practice time…throws a pretty ball and possesses movement skills out of the pocket when absolutely necessary…teammate of Jared Wayne's at Pitt during college…will get a ton of reps during preseason games to put pressure on Mills as the backup QB.
#18 Graham Mertz (Rookie)
- College - Florida/Wisconsin
- 6th round draft pick in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Not sure of his health status…tore his ACL on October 12, 2024 in a game against Tennessee…when healthy, he was accurate with the football and made excellent decisions…exhibits true captain behavior and will fit the SWARM Texans' mentality well…loved his addition, just hope he can be healthy enough soon.
Running back/Fullback
#21 Nick Chubb
- College - Georgia
- FA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
The WOW signing of the offseason…signed for just one year, but says his knee feels as good as ever…stated in his OTA/minicamp press conference that he hit all of his offseason testing measurements before signing with the Texans…downhill threat in any scheme…rushed for 6,843 yards in his 85 games in Cleveland in seven years…don't know how much we'll see him in preseason games, but he needs work to acclimate to the new system, new OL…if he's healthy…my goodness.
#22 Jawhar Jordan
- College - Louisville/Syracuse
- 6th round draft pick in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
Lightning quick space player…fantastic in preseason opportunities last year until he was injured late in the last preseason game…can't wait to see how far he's progressed in this training camp…with Mixon & Chubb probably getting some vet rest days, Jordan will get a ton of opps in both run and pass capacities.
#26 J.J. Taylor
- College - Arizona
- FA signing in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
Mark my words, Taylor will make a play or three in preseason games that will get your attention…thick trunk, strong legs and a warrior's spirit…been tough for him to get consistent run during the regular season, but he does well when he gets the opps during TC and preseason games, which has put him in position to get on the 53-man roster.
#27 Woody Marks
- College - USC/Mississippi State
- 4th round draft pick in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Would've pounded the table for him in the draft room…did pound the table in excitement when the Texans did draft him…powerful build…explosive cuts/jump cuts…make-you-miss-ability out in space…quality inside runner with vision…must learn special teams, especially early in his career…83 receptions in his sophomore season at Mississippi State…over 200 receptions in five years in college
#28 Joe Mixon
- College - Oklahoma
- Trade to Houston in 2024, signed contract extension in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
Carried this Texans run game on his back last year…made his second Pro Bowl as a result…ran for over 1k, first Texan to do it since Carlos Hyde in 2019…11 TD on the ground…missed the offseason rehabbing from injury, but projects to be ready for the season…it's Joe Mixon, you already know.
#31 Dameon Pierce
- College - Florida
- 4th round draft pick in 2022
- 4th season in Houston
The most talked about player on the Texans roster, in my world…EVERYONE asks me about Dameon when I'm out and about…had brilliant games at New England and at Tennessee last year…has solid hands and could be used more in that regard…turned into one of the best kick returners in the NFL…how he adapts to this offense and flourishes in this RB competition will be one of the stories in camp.
#33 Dare Ogunbowale
- College - Wisconsin
- FA signing as a rookie in 2017, re-signed in 2022
- 5th season in Houston
Where is this team without Dare Ogunbowale?...the ultimate Swiss Army knife but all of his tools are useful at all times (unlike a Swiss Army knife)…evolved into the team's third down specialist at RB…early in the 2024 season he made plays that directly led to late game wins over Jacksonville and Buffalo…ran for 112 yards and had 19 receptions on the year as well (28 targets in the passing game)...almost don't think of him as a running back anymore…he's seemingly his own positional category
#43 Jakob Johnson
- College - Tennessee
- FA signing in 2025
- 1st year in Houston
Never truly understood how BIG Jakob truly is, until he walked into our radio studio this spring…has soft hands and made a handful of truly remarkable catches in team work in OTAs and minicamp…offense can do unique/different things with him at fullback because of his size and ability to block inside players…intriguing German national who has grown as a football player since he started to play late in his high school years.
#44 British Brooks
- College - North Carolina
- UDFA signing in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
One of the most impressive players in TC/preseason last year…earned a 53-man rosters spot and reps at FB and on special teams as a result in the regular season, until he tore his ACL early in the season…built like a brick outhouse…wants to destroy anyone in a different colored jersey…would anticipate more fullback reps, but tailback reps too throughout the preseason.
Wide Receiver
**#3 Tank Dell
- College - Houston
- 3rd round draft pick in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
Won't see Tank for a while, but not sure whether that while starts in 2025 or 2026…going to really miss him, but he's rehabbing each and every day to come back with a vengeance.
#8 John Metchie III
- College - Alabama
- 2nd round draft pick in 2022
- 4th year/3rd season in Houston
This is THAT preseason for Metchie III…started slow last preseason, but he dominated the Giants in week two of the preseason and that propelled him onto the 53-man roster…has transformed his body this offseason and looked great at times in the offseason…had a couple of key catches in the Divisional playoff loss to the Chiefs…40 catches for 412 yards and one TD in 2024
#12 Nico Collins
- College - Michigan
- 3rd round draft pick in 2021
- 5th season in Houston
The alpha in this WR room…one of the best overall WR in the NFL…missed five games last year after a hamstring injury on a 67-yard BOMB TD against Buffalo…however, still went over 1k receiving yards for the second straight season…had seven TD in just 12 games and he only played a quarter of the Bills game and a series in the Titans game…can play inside at slot and run over LB and S on slants and catch-and-run situations…can be the Texans TRUE DEEP threat on the outside as well
#13 Christian Kirk
- College - Texas A&M
- Trade to Texans in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
I asked for him in the offseason and the Texans went and got him…when healthy, he was a monster for the Jaguars receiving corps while he was there…returns to the state where he played his college football…has a HIGH level understanding how to win as an interior receiver in this offense…started well in 2024 with 27 receptions in eight games and then his season was ended by injury…seemed to mesh well with the Texans QB this offseason already.
#14 Jared Wayne
- College - Pitt
- UDFA signing in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
Might be a little mysterious to Texans fans still, but he's improved each and every year…big (6-4, 210 lb) with soft hands and excellent body control…with two highly drafted rookies on the roster, along with Kirk, Justin Watson, Metchie III, he is in for a fight for a roster spot but he'll compete his tail off…that said, he's got a ton of skills that excite the Texans coaching staff.
#17 Braxton Berrios
- College - Miami, FL
- FA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
One of the more exciting space players in the league, whether as an interior receiver or as a punt returner…missed seeing him in the offseason as he rehabbed an injury…even though, he didn't start in New York or Miami, he had seasons of 37 receptions and 46 receptions in back-to-back years, so he could find a role moving the sticks from the interior if he's healthy.
#19 Xavier Hutchinson
- College - Iowa State
- 6th round draft pick in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
One of the SWARM-iest Texans on the roster…whatever he's asked to do, he does it as well as can be asked…finds a way to make plays…was on the receiving end of Stroud's Scramble in the playoffs against Los Angeles…had four receptions for 52 yards in the final game of the season at Kansas City…immensely improved the past couple of seasons…a staunch special teams contributor as a returner, blocker or cover guy…will know this offense inside and out at every single receiver position and often gets WRs lined up during games and practices.
#81 Jayden Higgins (Rookie)
- College - Iowa State
- 2nd round draft pick in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
During offseason practice, it became evident that if Higgins is healthy, he's going to be a major factor for this offense in 2025…drafted early in the second round, but GM Nick Caserio said that they considered drafting him in the first round…6-4 with outstanding ball skills, great agility and serious speed…a few times during offseason practice, it was pointed out to me by those in the building how unique Higgins is.
#82 Jaylin Noel (Rookie)
- College - Iowa State
- 3rd round draft pick in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Higgins' teammate the past two years, teammate of Xavier Hutchinson for a year at Iowa State…outstanding movement skills…gets in and out of breaks like none other…thought he was one of the two or three most outstanding receivers at the 2025 Senior Bowl…team captain at Iowa State…punt return skills, really worked on them during the offseason practices…missed the last two weeks of the offseason practices so hope he's okay and good to go.
#84 Justin Watson
- College - Penn
- FA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
The forgotten piece in this receiving corps…not forgotten by the staff, but most fans fail to bring him up when discussing the receivers…6-4, well built, reliable and tough…an Ivy Leaguer, so he's cool to me, of course…played in a TON of big games and produced in those situations as well…starting in 2020, he's played in four Super Bowls, four Conference Championship games and has three Super Bowl rings.
#85 Daniel Jackson (Rookie)
- College - Minnesota
- UDFA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Tough and competitive, Jackson won't wow anyone with elite traits…GREAT hands, though, and catches everything thrown his way…caught 75 passes for 863 yards and four TD in his final season at Minnesota…TD catch against Michigan in the Big House in 2024 was ridiculous
#88 Johnny Johnson
- College - Oregon
- UDFA signing in 2022
- 4th season in Houston
Seen Johnson improve each and every season…even though he hasn't had a chance to stick consistently on the 53-man roster, his game has improved each year…became a better catch-and-run receiver, sticking his foot into the ground and getting upfield after the catch…will, again, get a ton of opps in preseason games to fight for a 53-man roster spot.
#89 Xavier Johnson
- College - Ohio State
- FA signing in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
Intrigued by Johnson after what I saw him do at Ohio State…was a teammate of C.J. Stroud…played some WR and some RB…in the Peach Bowl against Georgia in the 2022 season (Stroud's last game in college), Johnson caught a Stroud pass for a TD right before the half…since he's been here, his receiver skills have improved…quick and elusive after the catch.
Tight end
#9 Brevin Jordan
- College - Miami, FL
- 5th round draft pick in 2021
- 5th season in Houston
We missed Brev last year…point blank, end of story…can play ANY of the TE positions and is one of the better athletes on this team…hurt in week two against Chicago and missed the entire season…not sure when he'll be cleared medically, but hopefully he can get opps in the preseason and showed that speed and tenacity that highlights his all-around skills.
#42 Luke Lachey (Rookie)
- College - Iowa
- 7th round draft pick in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Thought he would just be an inline Y-TE, but he has SOFT hands…receives the ball very well…injuries at Iowa curtailed much of his last two seasons…Dad played OT in the NFL (former Ohio State All-American)…wouldn't surprise me if Lachey's ability to get open AND catch the ball creates opps for him throughout the preseason and perhaps beyond.
#83 Irv Smith Jr.
- College - Alabama
- FA signing in 2024, re-signed in 2025
- 2nd season in Houston
Smith Jr. re-signed with the Texans late in the offseason…so incredibly glad that he did…tough as all get out, he'll fight his guts out in the run game…better hands than you'd think…competitor whose Dad was a first round draft selection in the 1990s.
#86 Dalton Schultz
- College - Stanford
- FA signing in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
112 catches in his first two years in Houston in 32 games…had only two TD in 2024 v. five in 2023…does a little bit of everything in this offense…reliable in every facet of the tight end universe…five straight seasons of 53+ receptions for Dallas (three seasons) and Houston (two seasons)
#87 Cade Stover
- College - Ohio State
- 4th round draft pick in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
Said OFTEN this offseason that he's my "breakout candidate" for this offense in 2025…OC Nick Caley is a former TE coach, so one of these TEs could easily fit into that category…one of the hardest workers on the roster…tough, physical and honest, almost to a fault…told us a few times how valuable it was to go through ups and downs as a rookie…if he takes that year one to year two leap, as I expect, look the heck out.
Offensive line
#54 Jarrett Patterson
- College - Notre Dame
- 6th round draft pick in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
Started at center to start the 2023 season…took over as the starting center to finish the 2024 season…fewer and fewer protection mistakes took place when he was in the starting lineup…will be in a fight for the starting position…smart as can be…tough as hell…found money in the Texans' draft pockets after being a 6th round pick in 2023.
#57 Blake Fisher
- College - Notre Dame
- 2nd round draft pick in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
Started every game at right tackle after the Texans Week 14 bye…faced some serious dudes out on the edge…year one to year two leap is desperately needed for Fisher to lock down the right tackle position for 2025 and beyond…feisty and tough and needs to stay healthy.
#60 Jake Andrews
- College - Troy
- Claimed on waivers in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Not a soul mentioned Andrews' name prior to the first open-to-the-media OTA practice…when he lined up at center with the first group, people started finally asking the right questions…a former HS wrestler…saw him at the Senior Bowl and thought he'd be a Texan after that Draft…hasn't played a ton of NFL football due to injuries, but new OL coach Cole Popovich is quite familiar with him after coaching Andrews at Troy.
#65 Eli Cox (Rookie)
- College - Kentucky
- UDFA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Huge fan of Cox at Kentucky, reminded me of Andrews, honestly…four year starter at center in the SEC…47 starts in 56 career games…two-time captain…didn't miss any of the last 38 games of his career…stout and thick…perfect center body but he can move and play in the zone game as well.
#69 Ed Ingram
- College - LSU
- Trade to Houston in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Selected in the second round by the Vikings a few years ago…traded to Houston this past offseason to compete for a guard position…built like a tank with very little body fat…in a staunch competition to get on the field at guard, but curious how new surroundings could help him after some struggles early in his career.
#70 Juice Scuggs
- College - Penn State
- 2nd round draft pick in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
Played the best ball of his NFL career at right guard in the second half of the 2024 season…injuries slowed him down a bit in his first two years…started the 2024 season at center, then transitioned to guard…19 starts in his career…when healthy, he produced some excellent moments, especially once he went to guard…the competition for the interior spots is going to be fierce, but Juice is up for it.
#71 Tytus Howard
- College - Alabama State
- 1st round draft pick in 2019
- 7th season in Houston
Amazing to think Tytus is in his seventh year…spoke often this offseason about making the change to guard and that he's up for the challenge…in years past, I don't know that he saw the value/reasons for a move to guard, but he does now…I thought he played some of his best football at guard last year…stood up to Chris Jones (Chiefs) in the Divisional playoff game, such that Jones had to move outside to DE to get pressure on the QB…thicker and more powerful than he's ever been, but he's still got agility to be an excellent guard, right or left side.
#72 Jaylon Thomas
- College - SMU
- FA signing in 2023
- 3rd season in Houston
Stay healthy…Thomas is built like a tank and when it seemed last year that he was ready to make some headway, he got injured…played tackle in college, but he's seems more suited to play guard in the future…will get plenty of opps in training camp with competition at all five spots…JUST STAY HEALTHY
#73 LaDarius Henderson
- College - Michigan/Arizona State
- 7th round draft pick in 2024, sat out rookie season due to injury
- 2nd year/1st season in Houston
Strangely enough after rehabbing an injury all last year, he's the one OL most Texans fans asked me about this offseason…guard and tackle reps at both Arizona State and Michigan in his college career…played left tackle for the 2023 National Champion Wolverines…strong upper body, but after rehabbing the lower body, how he moves will determine where this goes for him and the Texans OL…will get as many reps in practice, joint practices and preseason games that he can handle
#74 Cam Robinson
- College - Alabama
- FA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Former Jag/Viking signed a one year deal with the Texans…impressively built to say the least…never liked facing him when he was in Jacksonville…adds some leadership and some mauler tendencies in the run game, in particular…looked spry and active for a guy in his ninth season in the league.
#75 Laken Tomlinson
- College - Duke
- FA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
I get it…after spending some time in our radio studio this spring with him, I totally understand why he's a Texan…SWARM-y…smart and tough…experienced…willing to put team over self…heading into the twilight of his career, but has good football left in him…has played left guard throughout his career and did that throughout OTAs and minicamp here as well…Pro Bowler back in 2021.
#76 Austin Deculus
- College - LSU
- 6th round draft pick in 2022, re-signed in 2024
- 4th season in Houston
When he returned to Houston for the back end of the 2024 season, he was even more improved than I remembered him…thought he struggled a bit in the 2024 preseason but looked much better in game action at the end of last season…matured for sure and his game has improved…possesses a nasty side and can see that in his run blocking improvement…just stay healthy and stack good days…at that point, who knows…nothing will surprise me with how he's grown already.
#77 Trent Brown
- College - Florida
- FA signing in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
Big Trent is bigger than the biggest OL you've ever seen…however, the key for him is being fully healthy…only played three games last year in Cincinnati due to injury and last played a full slate in 2022…But, BUT, he's a heck of a leader and helps young guys a ton with an offense that he's quite familiar…if he's healthy??? That could be fun.
#78 Zach Thomas
- College - San Diego State
- Claimed on Waivers in 2024
- 2nd season in Houston
Joined the Texans midway through the 2024 campaign…tackle and guard reps throughout his time here and his time in New England…the versatility can help him throughout TC and preseason games, getting 40-45 reps per game at different spots…with only eight spots on game day, having the ability to play all five spots will come in handy.
#79 Aireontae Ersery (Rookie)
- College - Minnesota
- 2nd round Draft pick in 2025
- 1st season in Houston
The only OL the Texans drafted and just one of two rookies in the entire group (Eli Cox being the other)...enormous and strong…made Bruce Feldman's Freaks' List back in college…ran a 5.01 in the 40-yard dash at 6-6, 330 lb…Relative Athletic Score was 16th out of 1379 tackles since 1987…plays the game with an edge and much better in the run game at this point than in pass protection…improving in that arena, though…at the Senior Bowl, he dominated dudes in the run game…will need some time adapting to the varied pass rushers that dominate this league, though.
