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

Watt is one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL but, what’s weird about Houston is that there’s not much to get excited about outside of him. Furthermore, Watt has been dealing with a number of injuries over the past few years, including only playing in about half of the games in 2019 due to his most recent ailment.

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In Darrell Taylor, the Texans would e getting a player who translates to the NFL for one primary reason: His bull-rushing ability as a pass-rusher off the edge. The Tennessee product can jack up offensive tackles with ease coming off the edge. He has an NFL-caliber frame that college tackles struggled to defend.

Outside of the bull-rush, though, Taylor is far from perfect. Unfortunately, despite his build and frame, the standout for the Volunteers is not a well-versed overall pass-rusher. His power moves are the only tools in his chest. He rarely wins off the edge in any other way and, if he loses with the bull-rush, his counters are lacking right now.

In Houston’s 3-4 base defense, Taylor could fit seamlessly into a standup outside linebacker role. However, he has enough size to be a 4-3 base end as well. The Texans need another consistent pass-rusher and Taylor would be a safe addition that can get after quarterbacks with his bull rush early and, hopefully, develop his arsenal further with pro coaching.

Other Players Available: Bradlee Anae, Alex Highsmith, Khalid Kareem