27. Houston Texans: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
Before we get into why the Houston Texans would be making this pick, which would be obvious if you watched them play this season, we need to talk about the projections for Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.
Mauigoa has been all over the place this season when it comes to his projection. At certain points, he's been a lock for the top 10 picks. As the season has gone along, the hype has cooled down a bit and it seems like he's teetering on the edge of the top 25 overall. But Mel Kiper Jr. has him as the 5th-best player in the class. Who knows?
Ultimately, the pendulum often swings back the other direction the closer we get to the draft. So Mauigoa might be long gone by this point. But if he's on the board, the Texans and their "work in progress" offensive line could use him desperately.
28. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Caleb Lomu, OL, Utah
It's extremely difficult to project the Cleveland Browns right now, which I stated before. We know this team has needs all over the place, especially offensively, and this isn't the greatest offensive line class. But they might have to take the best offensive lineman on the board here, and Lomu could very well be that.
The Utah duo was projected all year long as a couple of first-round picks, and that'll ultimately be how it ends up. He's got the look of a plug-and-play starter at the next level and the Browns desperately need that right now.
Again, the quarterback position is something they might have to take a longer-term approach on than just this draft. There's no reason to rush to anything when it's been a miserable situation since 1999 and the 2027 class might be better.