25. Houston Texans: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
It would be pretty shocking to see Matthew Golden fall this far in the 2025 NFL Draft because he’s being considered possibly the WR1 of the class right now, but that’s why we explore these scenarios.
The Houston Texans have had a really odd offseason, reshaping their offensive line after trading starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil as well as former first-round pick Kenyon Green. There are obviously players who provide a bandage on the offensive line, but Houston doesn’t have that right now at wide receiver.
The loss of players like Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell could end up being detrimental to the offense and to quarterback CJ Stroud, even though he still has a top-teir guy in Nico Collins. Getting additional playmakers at receiver is going to be a necessity and Matthew Golden wouldn’t have to go very far in this scenario. His strong hands and ability to play from the slot could perfectly complement Collins’s game.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
The Los Angeles Rams have spent so much capital in the NFL Draft the last handful of years upgrading the trenches on both sides of the ball, and now they really need to invest in guys who can take advantage of that on the back end.
They’re going to be able to get pressure up front, but do the Rams currently have guys at cornerback who can make game-altering plays on the ball? There’s only so much you can ask out of Ahkello Witherspoon.
The Rams need someone like Maxwell Hairston for their secondary. Hairston has big-time speed at the position (4.28 in the 40-yard dash) and had three interceptions returned for touchdowns over the last two seasons. He’s a fun playmaker in the secondary.