Houston Texans: 2025 NFL Draft Class
Houston Texans
2025 NFL Draft
Nine (9) Players Drafted
- 2.02 — Jayden Higgins
WR, Iowa State - 2.16 — Aireontae Ersery
RT, Minnesota - 3.15 — Jaylin Noel
WR, Iowa State - 3.33 — Jaylin Smith
DB, USC - 4.14 — Woody Marks
RB, USC - 6.11 — Jaylen Reed
S, Penn State - 6.21 — Graham Mertz
QB, Florida - 7.08 — Kyonte Hamilton
DL, Rutgers - 7.39 — Luke Lachey
TE, Iowa
Sports Info Solutions
Below, I've clipped intel from each prospects reports on the SIS NFL Draft Site, including their overall grade, how they graded in certain critical and positional factors, as well as scouting notes.
- Overall Grade: Each player was graded based on how the scout thought they would perform in the NFL by the beginning of their second year. Their projected role by Year 2 is shown in (parentheses) alongside their scouting grade and a brief description.
- Critical and Positional Factors: Each factor is graded on a scale from 1-9. If a player has no below the line or above the line grades, meaning they graded out as sufficient (5) or good (6) in all factors, they won't have a callout in their profile below.
Jayden Higgins, WR
SIS Grade: 6.6 (#3 WR): 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory)
Aireontae Ersery, RT
SIS Grade: 6.5 (Lower End Starter): Only a 1 position player
Jaylin Noel, WR
SIS Grade: 6.5 (#3 WR): 3rd WR - Capable starter (I/O flex mandatory)
Jaylin Smith, DB
SIS Grade: 5.8 ("Middle of the Road" Backup): #4 CB w/o SPT or #5 CB; non-starter - Quality SPT player if #5
Woody Marks, RB
SIS Grade: 6.3 (Role Playing Starter): 3rd down difference maker
Jaylen Reed, SAF
SIS Grade: 5.9 (Top Backup): Box/SS type; Old school SAF - 1st & 2nd down
Graham Mertz, QB
SIS Grade: 5.9 (Career #2): Backup QB with a developmental ceiling. May have one or more good level or better positional factors, but has at least one critical factor with a defined ceiling (average or less) that will block his ability to ascend into a good quality backup or Win With starter.
Kyonte Hamilton, DT
SIS Grade: 5.8 (Role Playing Backup): Base or Sub oriented role playing reserve
Luke Lachey, TE
SIS Grade: 5.8 (#2 Backup): With Y or H ability
UDFA Signings
WR Daniel Jackson, Minnesota
C Eli Cox, Kentucky
DI Junior Tafuna, Utah
LB K.C. Ossai, Louisiana
CB Aijah Huzzie, North Carolina
LS Austin Brinkman, West Virginia
Minicamp Invites
None reported as of 4/28/2025
3-Round Mock Draft
2025 Houston Texans Mock
3-Round Mock Draft Logic
- 1.25 (25)
Tyler Booker, OG - 2.26 (58)
Kaleb Johnson, RB - 3.23 (87)
Anthony Belton, OT - 3.25 (89)
Charles Grant, OT
SIS Scouting Reports — Grade (Scale)
- Tyler Booker, OG — 6.7 (Strong Starter)
- Kaleb Johnson, RB — 6.6 (Lower-end Starter)
- Anthony Belton, OT — 6.5 (Lower-end Starter)
- Charles Grant, OT — 6.3 (Limited Starter or Multi-Position Backup)
The Texans are reportedly eyeing Kelvin Banks Jr. or Tyler Booker with their 1st Round selection, and they've reached out to teams to (presumably) try and land Banks.
Booker is available, though, because of a poor pre-draft process with a slow forty time. That won't matter much to HC DeMeco Ryans, who certainly believes Booker embodies the SWARM mentality.
What's that stand for, DeMeco? Apparently it's: Special Work Ethic and Relentless Mindset.
Maybe it's supposed to be written SWRM like an early aughts electronica band? I don't know. Whatever, it's neither here nor there.
The point is: the Texans are going heavy on rebuilding their offensive line to keep C.J. Stroud upright and they're also doing a lot of work on this running back class — particularly at the top, even though it's several rounds deep.
The Texans met with Omarion Hampton at the Combine and brought in Quinshon Judkins and Kaleb Johnson for Top 30 visits. All powerful backs, which makes me think they may be interested incorporating more gap-scheme rushing concepts.
They also met with Jaydon Blue, Brashard Smith, and Jarquez Hunter, though—all more or less third-down receiving backs/returner types—so who knows, really.
I just know the Texans are doing their damndest to try and find the best avenues for keeping C.J. Stroud upright and mitigate his struggles under pressure.
As far as Anthony Belton and Charles Grant, both project as high-upside swings who could become mainstay tackles but likely would be depth options Year 1 (and maybe Year 2).
Grant, who attended William & Mary, had several teams' O-line coaches attend his Pro Day workout, including the Ravens, Broncos, Giants, Steelers, and Falcons.
Brad Beatson
Other Potential Picks
- Day 1: Omarion Hampton, Shemar Stewart, Nic Scourton, Josh Conerly Jr., Matthew Golden, Grey Zabel
- Day 2: Kyle Kennard, Quinshon Judkins, Elijah Arroyo, Shavon Revel, T.J. Sanders, Femi Oladejo, Andrew Mukuba
- Day 3: Quinn Ewers, Jaydon Blue, Brashard Smith, Isaiah Bond, Allen Walker, B.J. Mayes, Chase Lundt, CJ Ogbonna, Dalevon Campbell, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Jarquez Hunter