Houston Texans hone in on defense in 7-round 2020 mock draft

The Houston Texans have been trading away this offseason, causing the team to take steps back. They aim to move forward in this 7-round mock draft.

The Houston Texans roster was in good of shape as any team in the NFL to start the offseason. Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins were cornerstone offensive pieces to build with. Of course, head coach/general manager Bill O’Brien blew all that up.

In one of the most shocking trades in recent memory, Houston sent Hopkins to the Cardinals rather than pay him, getting a second-round pick, a 2021 fourth-rounder and David Johnson while also giving up a 2020 fourth-round pick. They weren’t done with the wild trades there, however.

More recently, the Texans made a deal with the Rams for Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round pick, sending LA the No. 57 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. While Cooks is a good player, he’s not on the level of Hopkins, has a bigger cap hit and just doesn’t compute after the initial trade that sent Hopkins to Arizona.

After those deals, Houston needs more help on the roster still, especially on defense. Besides an aging and increasingly injury-prone JJ Watt, the defense needs hope. They need to bolster the secondary and the pass rush. On offense, the offensive line continues to need work even after adding Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard. And addressing those needs is the goal in this 7-round mock draft six days away from the start of the 2020 NFL Draft.

This mock draft was compiled using the NFL Mock Draft Database’s Draft Simulator.

The Houston Texans are in desperate need of help in the secondary. Last season, they landed Gareon Conley via trade and Vernon Hargreaves on waivers. But both young players still have a lot of growth ahead to be viable starting options.

Jaylon Johnson comes out of Utah with good athleticism for the position. He’s a physical player who knows how to track the ball downfield. However, his best attribute is the stuff you can’t teach. His film study and instincts are apparent on his film. He routinely jumps routes to make plays on the football. Those traits give him the ability to be a ball-hawking playmaker in the Texans secondary.

If the Texans can get Johnson with the No. 40 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, that would be an absolute steal. He has Round 1 talent with his ability to cover in man and make plays. Johnson would immediately make a young cornerback group both stronger and deeper while adding a player who can force a turnover anytime he’s on the field.

Other Players Available: Jeremy Chinn, A.J. Terrell, Terrell Lewis