B
Houston Texans
Grand theft in Round 7, Pick 25: the Texans steal Mondon Jr. and grade out a B.
by Powerful ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 6 picks
· 5 steals
· 0 reaches
Call it larceny. Smael Mondon Jr. sat on the board until the Round 7 slot, and the Texans did not need to be asked twice.
They punted on running back, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Interior defensive lineman is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.
Building through the lines is a philosophy, and they stuck to it.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the running back spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 25 they get a wrecking ball inside. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Tyler Warren slid further than he should have, and slot 58 is lovely value for the tight end. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A interior defensive lineman of that caliber at the Round 3 slot is the definition of value, full stop. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Andrew Mukuba in the 126th overall pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Luke Kandra at pick No. 165 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A top-tier linebacker at a bargain, Smael Mondon Jr. in pick 241, plain and simple. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.