Day 3 of the 2018 NFL Draft is here, and Houston Texans fans get more opportunity to evaluate their team's selections.
After sitting out the first round Thursday, the Texans made their first selection near the top of the third round. It was the first of three selections scheduled for the third round.
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(Saturday) 4:35 p.m.
The Texans selected cornerback Jermaine Kelly, of San Jose State, with the 222nd overall pick (7th round).
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4 p.m.
With their final two of three picks in the sixth round, the Texans selected tight end Jordan Thomas (211th overall) and edge rusher Peter Kalambayi.
Thomas, who stands at 6-feet 6-inches and weighs 265 pounds, is described as a physical specimen out of Mississippi State.
Kalambayi, 6'3, 252 pounds, played at Stanford with first round pick Jordan Reid.
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2:40 p.m.
With their first of three picks in the sixth round, the Texans selected defensive end Duke Ejiofor, out of Wake Forest.
Ejiofor also attended Alief Taylor High School in the southwest Houston area.
Earlier in the day, The Texans drafted Texas Tech wide receiver Keke Coutee in the fourth round with the 103rd overall selection.
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10 p.m. - With their final third-round pick in the NFL Draft, the Houston Texans selected tight end Jordan Akins from UCF.
9 p.m. - With the 80th overall pick in the NFL Draft, the Texans selected Mississippi State tackle Martinas Rankin.
8:31 p.m. - The Honey Badger is excited about the Texans' newest addition!
8:30 p.m. - Welcome to Houston, Justin Reid! The Texans selected the Stanford safety in the third round, 68th overall.
5:30 p.m. - The Texans are ready.
Another great throwback pic from when the Texans had the top pick.
Before the first round got underway Thursday night, J.J. Watt tweeted out this little reminder of how he was received when he was picked in 2011.
Texans fans were still well represented at AT&T Stadium despite the team not having a first round selection.
LAST SEASON: Texans won AFC South in past two seasons before failing to make postseason in 2017 as they dealt with numerous injuries, including to rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson and superstar defensive end J.J. Watt.
Best news of dreadful season was play of Watson in seven games before he tore anterior cruciate ligament in right knee in practice. He threw for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns, giving Texans hope they've finally found franchise quarterback after years of misfires and disappointment.
Another bright spot was continued improvement of 2014 top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney. Defensive end finished second in NFL with career-high 21 tackles for losses and his 9 1/2 sacks, 21 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles were also career bests. He had career-high 59 tackles and started all 16 games for first time in career after struggling with injuries in first two NFL seasons before playing 14 games in 2016. - The Associated Press
THEY NEED: LT, RT, TE.
THEY DON'T NEED: QB, WR, DE.
USA Today Sports' Lindsay H. Jones take a look at the Texans' needs:
1. Protecting franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson has to be the Texans’ top priority after the line gave up 54 sacks last season. Although guard Zach Fulton and right tackle Seantrel Henderson were added in free agency, left tackle remains a major hole after Duane Brown was sent to the Seahawks in a midseason trade.
Advice: With no picks in the first two rounds, the Texans have limited recourse for finding a potential early starter at left tackle. Houston could try to move up if a player like Texas’ Connor Williams were to fall.
2. The outlook at cornerback is better after the signing of Aaron Colvin and the return of veteran Johnathan Joseph, but the Texans need more help in the secondary after giving up 30 passing touchdowns last year.
Advice: In a deep defensive back draft, the Texans should have plenty of options when they start picking in the third round, including Wisconsin’s Nick Nelson, Florida’s Duke Dawson and Florida State’s Tarvarus McFadden.
3. The Texans need to keep giving Watson weapons, and tight end is one position where they clearly could upgrade, especially after the retirement of C.J. Fiedorowicz. Houston has a pair of veterans Ryan Griffin and Stephen Anderson, but the draft could provide an opportunity to add a developmental prospect.
Advice: Wait until the third day of the draft for prospects like Wisconsin’s Troy Fumagalli or Notre Dame’s Durham Smythe.
OUTLOOK: Texans desperately need to upgrade offensive line to better protect Watson after trading franchise left tackle Duane Brown to Seattle last season. But it will be tough in draft because they don't have pick until third round. Houston sent first-round pick in this year's draft to Cleveland last year to trade up to get Watson, and previously shipped second-round pick in 2018 to Browns as part of deal to get rid of Brock Osweiler. That leaves new general manager Brian Gaine, taking over after Rick Smith took leave of absence to care for ailing wife, with eight picks in Rounds 3-7 seven to try and find some pieces to upgrade team looking to bounce back after last year's nosedive.