Top Houston Texans Draft Targets to Watch at the NFL Combine

How many reps of 225 pounds can YOU do?

The NFL Combine is fast approaching and the prospective athletes are all practicing for the “underwear Olympics”. While most NFL scouts and front office execs will tell you that their draft boards are set, the NFL Combine is their first hand opportunity to see the potential upside and athletic capabilities of the players vying for a spot on their team.

For Houston, the first rounds of the draft will focus on filling holes left in free agency. Whether it’s cornerback, wide receiver, tight end, or defensive line, Houston has to evaluate their options across the board to continue their hot streak on solid draft classes.

Below are several players confirmed for the combine that are fairly often mocked or aligned with the Texans’ needs. While we won’t know until the week or day-of what specific drills they take part in, these are the most critical ones based on their current draft profile and what they need to prove.

Chop Robinson, DE – Penn State

• Projected Round: 1st-early 2nd
• Most Important Drill: Three-cone drill
• Analysis: Chop Robinson will absolutely be in play for Houston in the first round, but can he separate himself from some of the second-tier defensive ends? We know he possesses elite get-off, ability to turn a corner, and playmaking, but Robinson needs quantifiable data that what we see on tape is certifiably deserving of a first round grade.

T’vondre Sweat, DT – Texas

• Projected Round: 2nd
• Most Important Drill: Weighing in and the shuttle run
• Analysis: This may be harsh, but Sweat’s weight will be one of the pivotal moments of the entire combine weekend. He was supposed to weight around 360 pounds at the Senior Bowl a few weeks ago, but chose not too… which scared some scouts. Could he in fact be bigger? If he can come in at 345-350 pounds, teams will be less wary of his weight concerns heading into the draft.

Troy Fautanu, OL – Washington

• Projected Round: 1st
• Most Important Drill: Broad Jump
• Analysis: Every offensive lineman worth their weight (which is a lot) must demonstrate hip flexibility, power, and dynamic motion. Being able to explode off the line is immeasurably important, but best actually measured by the broad jump. If Houston is truly going to expend another early pick on a lineman such as Fautanu, they need to see his broad jump stand out.

Laiatu Latu, DE – UCLA

• Projected Round: 1st
• Most Important Drill: Physical/health tests and the 3 cone drill
• Analysis: Latu medically retired in 2020 due to a neck surgery, but returned to UCLA in 2022. Late has the talent to be a first round defensive end, but teams will possibly remove him from draft boards all together if they don’t clear his post-surgery physique. More broadyl, the three cone drill is going to demonstrate if Latu is flexible and dynamic enough to excel at the next level beyond his deep bag of pass rushing skills.

Kool-Aid McKinstry, DB – Alabama

• Projected Round: 1st
• Most Important Drill: 40 yard dash
• Analysis: Speed is the name of the game at the NFL Combine. KAM isn’t expected to be the fastest CB in the draft and had on occasion let WRs beat him downfield. His straight-line speed must be better that the anticipated 4.5 seconds for him to warrant a mid-first round grade.

Brian Thomas Jr., WR – LSU

• Projected Round: Late 1st – early 2nd
• Most Important Drill: Vertical jump
• Analysis: When you’re 6’3 and have a stride like a gazelle, you’re going to do fine at the game of football. What analysts need to see is how exceptional Thomas Jr. is at leaping and using that long frame. His height and long arms provide him with the label “red zone target”, but Houston wants to see that and much more to expend a first round pick on him.

Cade Stover, TE – Ohio State

Projected Round: 3rd-4th

Most Important Drill: Shuttle

Analysis: In a weak tight end class, Stover must demonstrate his mobility abilities and speed. There’s a clear first and second in this class – Brock Bowers and J’Tavion Sanders – but not much. Stover can separate himself from the pack with a shuttle drill that is extremely indicative to TE success at the next level.

Cooper DeJean, DB – Iowa

Projected Round: 1st-2nd

Most Important Drill: W Drill

Analysis: If the NFL Combine matters for anyone, it matters for DeJean. The first legitimate caucasian cornerback prospect in quite some time doesn’t want to give teams any reason to devalue his draft prospects any more than they want to already. DeJean’s ability to dominate the W drill, which combines breaking down, raw speed, hip mobility, and positioning, will confirm if he stands out compared to other prospects.

Audric Estime, RB – Notre Dame

Projected Round: 4th

Most Important Drill: pass catching drills

Analysis: Estime can run the rock, that is for sure. He’s a stout runner who will contribute at the next level, but if he wants to be a three-down back he has to perform well in all pass catching drills at the Combine.

Cam Hart, DB – Notre Dame

Projected Round: 3rd-4th

Most Important Drill: backpedal drill

Analysis: A cornerback with a 6’3 frame is going to immediately be billed as inflexible and upright. It’s not their fault that they are tall! Hart is a long-term and long-armed prospect that could develop, if given the right coaching, into an elite outside cornerback. He must demonstrate that his size isn’t a hindrance to his agility and quickness.