The Houston Texans didn’t expect to be part of the draft conversation in the first week of October. Athlon Sports draft analyst Luke Easterling opened his latest 2027 NFL draft report by taking attendance of the teams already in the room, and he called Houston’s arrival “a bit of a shock.”
If the draft were held today, the Texans would pick first. Houston, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Miami and the Los Angeles Chargers are all 0-4, and the Texans sit on top of Tankathon’s current order on the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker. Easterling also wrote that this could be “the rare year where a quarterback doesn’t go No. 1 overall,” and his reason is Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, the top player on his board.
Why Houston wouldn’t take a quarterback
Easterling’s read on the passers is part of it. He wrote that none of the top quarterback prospects has managed to “truly establish themselves as legit contenders for the No. 1 overall pick,” with Texas’ Arch Manning and Oregon’s Dante Moore both struggling with consistency. Houston also has its quarterback. C.J. Stroud threw for 347 yards and two touchdown passes in Sunday’s 34-30 loss to Dallas and earned a 92.1 overall grade, according to PFF.
Smith has 44 catches for 823 yards and nine touchdowns through five games this season, and Easterling has already sent him to Houston in a mock draft. He would line up across from Nico Collins, who returned from a hamstring injury against the Cowboys and posted a 90.7 grade, according to PFF.
The argument against the pick comes down to need. Easterling’s team needs list has interior offensive line first for Houston and receiver fourth, and Sunday showed why. Right guard Ed Ingram finished with a 28.2 pass-blocking grade and left guard Keylan Rutledge with a 43.0, according to PFF.
There are 13 games left, so the order will move. The Texans’ 0-4 start has them first for now, but they visit the winless Titans on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, and a win would take Houston out of the top spot. A loss would keep the Texans there and keep Smith’s name attached to them for another week.
