While the Houston Texans look locked in for the 2026 NFL season, it’s never too early to start gauging the idea of what could be the top need in 2027.
As April’s draft approached, the Texans were rumored to be in on several positions of need, including wide receiver, defensive tackle, and interior offensive line. General manager Nick Caserio ultimately landed on two positions with Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald and Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge, but would that have been different should another move have been made first?
So, what else could use an upgrade in the immediate future following a run toward the Super Bowl?
In CBS Sports’ latest 2027 NFL mock draft, the Texans are on the outside looking in of moving past the wild-card round, thus netting the No. 20 overall pick. Surprisingly, Josh Edwards has Houston passing on targeting a running back or another lineman in favor of a weapon for Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud.
But the strangest part? It’s a tight end Oregon’s Jamari Johnson over a wide receiver.
“Houston has not had a difference-making tight end, and perhaps that is not by design, but it has always been a key element to the San Francisco offenses,” Edwards wrote. “There was some criticism of Kenyon Sadiq’s production this season, but it was partly due to Jamari Johnson’s inclusion.”
Johnson is expected to be one of the breakout players in Eugene next season after Sadiq departed for the pros. As a No. 2 tight end, he finished with just 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns while serving as a fifth option in the passing game, mostly seeing reps on 12 or 13-man personnel groups.
In theory, it’s not a terrible selection, especially given the upside of Johnson as a receiving threat, but the team makes little sense. Houston just spent a top 60 pick on Michigan’s Marlin Klein, who measured in with a near identicial frame and play style as Johnson.
Would the Texans be punting on a second-round pick after one season for another tight end? And if not, would Houston be willing to eat the cost of Dalton Schultz’s final two years of the deal?
Johnson should be the first tight end off the board, but landing in Houston seems far-fetched, especially if the team is picking inside the top 20. To read the full mock draft, click here.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans make surprising pick inside top 20 of new way-too-early 2027 mock draft
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
