Houston Texans' three biggest needs for the 2024 NFL Draft after free agency

While we would all like the 2024 season to kick off, the Houston Texans simply are not ready yet. They have other needs that have to be filled. They still have to hit the 2024 NFL Draft and grab some players in a few key positions. They still have some boxes they need to check […]

Justin Churchill — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer
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While we would all like the 2024 season to kick off, the Houston Texans simply are not ready yet. They have other needs that have to be filled. They still have to hit the 2024 NFL Draft and grab some players in a few key positions. They still have some boxes they need to check before we get near kicking the season off.

But this is a smart fan base, and you guys know that. You also know that this upcoming draft is crucial, as the Texans are riding on getting this right before they have to pay stud quarterback C.J. Stroud. So, this draft will be graded very harshly because the window isn't as big as you think.

The Texans need to target their needs to hit on the draft and improve their chances of winning a Super Bowl in the future. But what are their biggest needs?

Texans' three biggest needs in 2024 NFL Draft

Wide receiver

The Texans have one of the best wide receiver duos in the league, Nico Collins and Tank Dell, who played just 11 games and racked up 700 yards and seven touchdowns, but they need a third guy. As things currently sit, their third-best receiver, who happens to be the slot wide receiver, is Noah Brown. Now, this is not a place where I will disrespect Noah Brown because he has made big plays at times, but that is easily a position the Texans can upgrade at.

This draft is so deep at wide receiver that the Texans not having a first-round pick should be no issue. I'd fully expect them to go with a wide receiver on day two or early in round four on day three. They could go after a guy like Malik Washington at Virginia Tech or even Jacob Cowing at Arizona to play in the slot. Or, if they wanted to, they could move Dell to the slot and go with another big-body, fast wide receiver to play on the outside like Javon Baker from UCF, who they have already had a top-30 visit with.

Cornerback

This is also a pretty deep position in this upcoming draft, and quite a few guys could go in the first round. However, with the moves the Texans recently made, like signing Jeff Okudah, which would be a low-risk, high-reward type of move, the Texans need a backup plan at the position.

It's obvious they need a player to play at a high level, especially Stingley, and this draft has plenty of players who can play. My favorite guy who may be available at pick No. 42 when the Texans pick is Kamari Lassiter from Georgia or Ennis Rackstraw from Missouri. If they can nail this pick, that defense can be scary for a very long time.

Linebacker

A few weeks ago, I would have gone defensive tackle here, but after some moves improving the depth, it's obvious that the linebacker room needs a ton of improvement. Christian Harris is fine, but he's still super young and raw. He will be great, but his running mate, Henry To'o To'o, still needs a lot of work, and behind him, it's much worse. 

Blake Cashman's departure to the Minnesota Vikings certainly hurts this team. However, there are some fine players at the position in this draft who could help. Guys like Jeremiah Trotter from Clemson, Jaylan Ford from Texas, or even Ty'Ron Hopper from Missouri would be good fits to help add to the depth or even get some reps with the starting unit if they make a good enough impression.

There are also a few other needs, like offensive line depth, defensive tackle depth, safety, etc, but these are the three I felt the Texans need to address the most in the upcoming draft.

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