The experts are divided on who the Texans will pick 12th overall.
Houston owns a pair of first-rounders in the 2023 NFL Draft which begins tonight in Kansas City. Alabama defensive lineman Will Anderson, Jr. was the most-mocked player to the Texans at 2nd overall, but there's no majority for Houston's next pick.
Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was mocked to Houston on 14 (29.2%) of 48 mock drafts, with Kentucky quarterback Will Levis right behind him on 11 (22.9%) of 48 mocks.
Smith-Njigba was also the most popular choice in the previous Mock Draft Roundup a few weeks ago. The Buckeye was limited because of injury in 2022, but turned in a sterling 2021 campaign. He led Ohio State with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns that season.
Houston owns 12 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, which begins at 7:00 p.m. CT.
| MOCK DRAFT | TEXANS SELECTION |
|---|---|
| 1. ESPN (TODD MCSHAY) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 2. HOUSTON CHRONICLE (JONATHAN ALEXANDER) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 3. FOX SPORTS (JOEL KLATT) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 4. CBS SPORTS (PETE PRISCO) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 5. LOS ANGELES TIMES (SAM FARMER) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 6. SHARP FOOTBALL ANALYSIS (RYAN MCCRYSTAL) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 7. ESPN (MATT MILLER) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 8. FANTASY PROS (THOR NYSTROM) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 9. WALTER FOOTBALL (WALTER CHEREPINSKY) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 10. SPORTSNAUT (BENJAMIN ALLBRIGHT) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 11. FAN NATION (COLE THOMPSON) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 12. YARDBARKER (SETH TRACHTMAN) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 13. NFL.COM (ERIC EDHOLM) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 14. BLEACHER REPORT (SCOUTING DEPARTMENT) | WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, OHIO STATE |
| 1. CBS SPORTS (CHRIS TRAPASSO) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 2. THE ATHLETIC (DANE BRUGLER) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 3. CBS SPORTS (WILL BRINSON) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 4. NFL.COM (CHARLES DAVIS) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 5. NFL.COM (BUCKY BROOKS) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 6. USA TODAY (NATE DAVIS) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 7. THE RINGER (DANNY KELLY) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 8. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (TREVOR SIKKEMA) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 9. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (ADAM CAPLAN) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 10. WALTER FOOTBALL (CHARLIE CAMPBELL) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 11. DRAFT COUNTDOWN (SHANE HALLAM) | QB WILL LEVIS, KENTUCKY |
| 1. NFL.COM (LANCE ZIERLEIN) | OL PETER SKORONSKI, NORTHWESTERN |
| 2. PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS (CRIS COLLINSWORTH) | OL PETER SKORONSKI, NORTHWESTERN |
| 3. CBS SPORTS (RYAN WILSON) | OL PETER SKORONSKI, NORTHWESTERN |
| 4. PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (ARIF HASAN) | OL PETER SKORONSKI, NORTHWESTERN |
| 5. FOX SPORTS (JASON MCINTYRE) | OL PETER SKORONSKI, NORTHWESTERN |
| 1. ESPN (MEL KIPER, JR) | QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON, FLORIDA |
| 2. CBS SPORTS (JONATHAN JONES) | QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON, FLORIDA |
| 3. CHICAGO TRIBUNE (BRAD BIGGS) | QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON, FLORIDA |
| 1. USA TODAY (JEFF RISDON) | DL NOLAN SMITH, GEORGIA |
| 2. NFL.COM (CHAD REUTER) | DL NOLAN SMITH, GEORGIA |
| 3. 33RD TEAM (SCOUTING DEPARTMENT) | DL NOLAN SMITH, GEORGIA |
| 1. GALLERYSPORTS.COM (JOHN MCCLAIN) | QB HENDON HOOKER, TENNESSEE |
| 2. PRO FOOTBALL TALK (PETER KING) | QB HENDON HOOKER, TENNESSEE |
| 1. WASHINGTON POST (JASON LACANFORA) | RB BIJAN ROBINSON, TEXAS |
| 2. ESTABLISH THE RUN (EVAN SILVA) | RB BIJAN ROBINSON, TEXAS |
| 1. HOUSTONTEXANS.COM/FOOTBALLTAKEOVER.COM (JOHN HARRIS) | WR JORDAN ADDISON, USC |
| 2. NFL.COM (PETER SCHRAGER) | WR JORDAN ADDISON, USC |
| NFL.COM (DANIEL JEREMIAH) | DL WILL ANDERSON, ALABAMA |
| PRO FOOTBALL NETWORK (TONY PAULINE) | DL JALEN CARTER, GEORGIA |
| CBS SPORTS (KYLE STACKPOLE) | CB CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ, OREGON |
| USA TODAY (DOUG FARRAR) | WR ZAY FLOWERS, BOSTON COLLEGE |
| SPORTING NEWS (VINNIE IYER) | QB C.J. STROUD, OHIO STATE |
| CBS SPORTS (TOM FORNELLI) | DL TYREE WILSON, TEXAS TECH |
