B
Houston Texans
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Texans and Mondon Jr.: B.
by Powerful ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 6 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
The Texans did not reach, did not trade up, did not blink. They just waited, and Smael Mondon Jr. fell into pick 235.
For all the activity, running back went untouched, which is hard to explain. They went 4 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for. They trusted the board more than the depth chart.
Good work on the whole, with running back the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a go-to option on the outside, outstanding value to boot. Exactly the need they had to hit.
The board fumbled Kenneth Grant all the way to pick 53, and they scooped it up. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They will replay Jalon Walker at No. 84 for years; that is how good the value is. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A slide stopped in slot 120, with Luke Kandra worth more than the price. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Sonny Styles at the 164th overall pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Taking Smael Mondon Jr. in the 235th pick is close to grand larceny; a linebacker that good had no business lasting this long. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.