Re-Grading the Houston Texans 2025 Draft

The biggest star from the Texans 2025 draft ended up being fourth-round draft pick ended up being running back Woody Marks. Houston needed Marks to step in and become a regular contributor on offense after Joe Mixon missed the entire season with an offseason, and Marks ability to take on some of the load from the running game helped the Texans out of a tough spot. In addition to running the ball effectively, Marks ended up becoming a consistent check-down for C.J. Stroud when the deep ball was not open.

Houston also found several contributors to the Texans’ defensive secondary, including cornerbacks Jaylin Smith and Jaylen Reed. Smith became a rotational corner, while Reed, a steal, demonstrated high football IQ and made key plays, such as two fourth-quarter interceptions and a critical pass breakup against the Tennessee Titans, to help the Texans during their 9-game win streak. Meanwhile, third-round wide receiver Jaylin Noel did not make as big an impact but became a regular contributor to special teams as a kick returner.

Houston Texans 2025 Draft Re-Grade = B+

The big wins in the 2025 draft for the Texans were offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery and the addition of running back Woody Marks. However, the Texans did not get as lucky with cornerback Jaylin Smith, who struggled to find a consistent role within Houston’s defensive scheme and was rotated between several positions without establishing a clear impact. Quarterback Graham Mertz ended the season as the Texans’ third quarterback and primarily played quarterback on the Houston scout team. While the Texans’ offense did not improve as much as Houston had hoped, their defensive additions were a big hit. Houston will enter the 2026 NFL draft looking to add more weapons to its offense so it can take the next steps towards winning a championship.

Make sure that you check out, Re-Grading the New Orleans Saints 2025 Draft