After trading with Philadelphia for the No. 83 pick, the Texans selected Louis Nix III, former Notre Dame nose tackle. The Texans had two picks in the third round of the NFL Draft. Houston first selected tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz of Iowa with the 65th-overall pick and then traded back into the third round to pick up Nix at No. 101. The Texans gave up their fourth-round pick (No. 101) and fifth-round pick (No. 141) to move up.
"We made a move here to go back into the third round to pick up a big nose tackle who is a really good scheme fit for us in the defense that we're going to play," general manager Rick Smith said following Friday's draft. " We had him rated high so for us to have an opportunity to do that and go back and get him; you put him with JD (Jadeveon Clowney) and on the offensive side we were able to get one of the most versatile players in the draft, in our opinion."
At 6-foot-2 and 331 pounds, Nix started 30 of 34 games at nose for the Fighting Irish, recording 123 tackles (44 solo) that included 14 tackles for losses and six deflected passes.
In his conference call following his selection, Nix discussed the opportunity to play alongside J.J. Watt and first-overall selection Jadeveon Clowney.
"I've never thought ever in life that would happen, but having the chance to play next to Clowney, J.J. Watt, and everybody else on the defense, I'm just super excited and happy," Nix said. "I know that everybody plays a part in this, that we can always make this a successful defense and a successful team and I just want to be a part of it and I am."
Houston's first pick on Saturday will be a compensatory pick at No. 135. Rounds four through seven will begin at 11 a.m.
