Breaking down Texans' picks in latest 4-round 2025 mock draft from NFL.com
Following the NFL's free agency frenzy, which included the Houston Texans reshaping their offensive line by trading away five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, Chad Reuter of NFL.com put together his latest four-round mock draft.
So, taking into account the signings made, the changes that occurred, and the needs that still remain, let's break down the Texans' selections in Reuter's mock.
Pick 25: Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota
Yes, the Texans need a stable left tackle for the long haul, but Nick Caserio won't overreach for a prospect. Instead, he'll trade back, stock up on picks and build a foundation of young talent for the price of one Day 1 selection.
Ersey is a talented left tackle prospect with three years of starting experience in one of the college football's top conferences, but his 6-foot-6 frame limits him from dropping low to reach the point of attack against faster defensive ends. It's why he's a consensus Day 2 prospect, so the Texans should try to move down and gain an extra Day 2 pick if Ersey is the right fit for Cole Popovich's line.
"Signing Cam Robinson gives Houston some insurance at left tackle after the Laremy Tunsil trade, and the addition of Trent Brown provides more bookend depth. But both veterans have missed time due to injury in the past and they're stop-gap solutions on one-year deals," Reuter wrote. "Thus, the Texans select Ersery here to start this year or next. Protecting C.J. Stroud must be a long-term plan."
Pick 58: Joshua Farmer, DL, Florida State
Adding Sheldon Rankins to the defensive tackle room provides stability on the interior, thus pushing the need for a three-rech down the pecking order. Rankins is coming off a down season in Cincinnati and Tim Settle will be a free agent next ofseason, so finding long-term depth should at least be an option on Day 2.
Farmer's a powerful interior pass rusher with long arms and strong hands to win his one-on-ones against small guards. He's a no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point bull-rusher who can win a single punch and punish those not paying attention. In Houston, he'd be an ideal fit for what DeMeco Ryans covets in his linemen at 300 pounds.
Pick 79 (via WAS): Shemar James, LB, Florida
Christian Harris is going into a contract season while Azeez Al-Shaair failed to live up to the 2023 hype from his time in Tennessee. While neither is in jeopardy of losing their starting job, the Texans need more than Henry To'oTo'o to serve as depth behind the starting duo.
James last season was one of the lone bright spots for a Gators' defense that struggled defending the run. He finished with 64 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks during his last season in Gainseville while flashing as a high-floor backup option. The problem with the selection? Tate Ratledge, a fan favorite and an immediate upgrade to start at guard over newly acquired Ed Ingram, is still on the board. He landed a pick later with AFC South rival Indianapolis.
Pick 89: Savion Williams, WR, TCU
Even after adding Christian Kirk via trade, plus the signings of Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios, Houston needs a stable No. 3 option. Enter Williams, a 6-foot-4 prospect with immense potential but also concerns. The TCU No. 2 target is a strong player with upside on the outside, but he's very raw as a route-runner and unreliable in winning 50-50 passes.
Utah State's Jaylen Royals is also on the board, so he might be a better fit as the Z-type receiver in place of the injured Tank Dell.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Breaking down Texans' pick from NFL.com's mock draft
Topics
-
Breaking down Jaguars' picks in latest 4-round 2025 NFL mock draft
Let's break down the Jaguars' picks in Chad Reuter's latest 4-round NFL mock draft.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Breaking down Colts picks in latest 4-round 2025 NFL mock draft
Let's break down the Colts' picks in Chad Reuter's latest four-round 2025 NFL mock draft.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Breaking down the steelers picks in new mock draft
Breaking down picks in new 4-round mock draftYahoo Sports - 1d -
Breaking down the Steelers picks in new 7-round mock draft
Breaking down the Steelers picks in a new seven-round mock draft.Yahoo Sports - Mar. 15 -
Jaguars pass on potential top pick, trade down in latest NFL mock draft
In the latest mock draft from NFL .com, the Jaguars pass on the potential top pick and instead trade down.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Instant reactions to Jaguars picks in latest 7-round 2025 NFL mock draft
Following the NFL's free agency frenzy, who did the Jaguars pick in the latest 7-round mock draft from Pro Football Network?Yahoo Sports - 9h -
Instant reactions to Colts picks in latest 7-round 2025 NFL mock draft
Here are our instant reactions to the Colts selections in the latest 7-round mock draft from Pro Football Network.Yahoo Sports - 10h -
Latest composite 2025 NFL mock draft
Breakdown of the first round of the 2025 NFL draft using a composite of four mock drafts to see latest mock trends.Yahoo Sports - Mar. 14 -
Jaguars pick NFL combine superstar in The Athletic's latest mock draft
In the latest beat writers mock draft from The Athletic, the Jacksonville Jaguars took an NFL combine superstar with the fifth overall pick.Yahoo Sports - 3d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Ohio State Women's Ice Hockey falls to Wisconsin in National Championship Game
The Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Ice Hockey team lost to Wisconsin in the National Championship Game, 4-3 in overtimeYahoo Sports - 17m -
LSU baseball drops game three to Texas, losing first SEC series of the year
LSU baseball got off to a good start on Friday night, but Texas won games two and three to claim the series from the TigersYahoo Sports - 18m -
Ohio State falls to Wisconsin in bid to repeat as NCAA women's hockey national champion
This was the the third consecutive national championship game matchup between the Buckeyes and Badgers.Yahoo Sports - 19m -
Ohio State falls to Wisconsin in bid to repeat as NCAA women's hockey national champion
This was the the third consecutive national championship game matchup between the Buckeyes and Badgers.Yahoo Sports - 19m -
Spalletti: ‘Chose wrong Italy line-up, but some players were afraid’
Luciano Spalletti admits he perhaps ‘got the starting line-up wrong’ and that some younger players were ‘afraid’ in the bizarre 3-3 draw with Germany, which might change his choices in future....Yahoo Sports - 20m
More in Sports
-
2025 NCAA Tournament bracket: College basketball scores, March Madness TV schedule, streaming, where to watch
Follow the Road to the Final Four all month long with an updating bracket and TV scheduleCBS Sports - 13m -
Kyle Larson takes Homestead, gets 30th career win
Kyle Larson passed Alex Bowman with six laps remaining in NASCAR's Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, giving the Hendrick Motorsports driver the 30th win of his career at one of ...ESPN - 13m -
Kyle Larson takes Homestead, gets 30th career win
Kyle Larson passed Alex Bowman with six laps remaining in NASCAR's Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, giving the Hendrick Motorsports driver the 30th win of his career at one of ...ESPN - 13m -
Michigan State vs. New Mexico odds, March Madness predictions: 2025 NCAA Tournament picks from proven model
The SportsLine Projection Model has revealed its New Mexico vs. Michigan State picks for the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on SundayCBS Sports - 14m -
Ohio State Women's Ice Hockey falls to Wisconsin in National Championship Game
The Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Ice Hockey team lost to Wisconsin in the National Championship Game, 4-3 in overtimeYahoo Sports - 17m