B
Houston Texans
The Texans won the night they stopped Mondon Jr. from sliding. Grade: B.
by Powerful ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 6 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
Every so often the board makes a mistake, and the Texans were there to profit. Smael Mondon Jr., the No. 99 name on the board, should have been long gone before the 165th pick.
The cost of the Jackson reach is exactly the players who went right after him. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped wide receiver, which is a strange place to end up.
Running back was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but wide receiver.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 25th overall pick they get a load in the middle at a price that makes it sweeter. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Donovan Jackson at the Round 2 slot is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Tyler Warren at No. 89 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Kevin Winston Jr. in pick No. 126 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Circle this one: Smael Mondon Jr. at the 165th pick is a fall that decides a draft. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They read the board right and Donovan Edwards was the payoff at slot 241. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.