Texans rebuild entire roster in new building-from-scratch NFL player draft

USA Today

06-07-2025

What would happen if the Houston Texans were forced to rebuild their roster? Better yet, what if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told every team that much like in Madden, a fantasy draft was the new norm for the 2025?
How many Texans would show up with the AFC South champions? How many would join rivals like Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Tennessee? Which players from Houston would be considered first-round talents?
NFL.com's Chad Reuter put together a hypothetical seven-round draft where teams would build their team from scratch and the order would be the order of the 2025 NFL draft, but then reversed order every round. So the Texans might select at No. 25 for Round 1, but they'd be at Pick No. 40 in Round 2.
So, how did the Texans fare? Let's just say DeMeco Ryans should be ecstatic about the selections to build a foundation around his defese for the long haul.
NFL building-from-scratch player draft: Houston Texans
Analysis
From a defensive standpoint, this group would be an excellent start to contend from the jump, plus Houston would get a few No. 1 options at critical positions on the offensive line and wide receiver position.
However, the Texans ignored a pair of premium positions at tackle and tight end.
In Round 1, C.J. Stroud was off within the first 20 picks, but Derek Stingley and Will Anderson were still in on the board. Without the right option at QB, Houston lands perhaps the league's best defensive tackle in Jones, who's posted back-to-back double-digit sack seasons in 2022 and 2023.
While Stingley was still on the board at No. 40, passing on the league's consensus top corner in Surtain would be foolish. Yes, Stingley has been one of the league's elite defensive backs over the past two seasons, but the All-Pro defender from Denver just won Defensive Player of the Year after being targeted on just 10.9% of his coverage snaps this season -- the lowest rate among 83 cornerbacks with 300 or more coverage snaps.
In Round 3, Danielle Hunter was selected within the first five picks, taking him out of the conversation before any deal could be struck. The same goes for former Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil (No. 71), Anderson (No. 73) and Nico Collins (No. 76). Outside of receiver Drake London and offensive tackle Jake Matthews, Humphrey, who likely is now the league's top center following Frank Ragnow's retirement, makes the most sense.
In Round 4, pickings are slim at quarterback. Tyler Shough was the only other quarterback left on the board. So Richardson, who still has upside and a runner, might fit in Nick Caley's offense just fine.
In Round 5, Houston secures a former Pro Bowler off the edge in Lawrence, though Rashan Gary might have more upside because of his age. Last season with the Cowboys, Lawrence only played in four games, so perhaps a change of scenery could do wonders for his career.
In Round 6, Winfield is a great addition on the back end who will fit Ryans' S.W.A.R.M. mentality with a hard-hitting demeanor. In Round 7, the Texans finally land a receiver with Aiyuk, who, despite coming off a torn ACL, likely was the best option among pass-catchers.