What do the Houston Texans do when on the clock at No. 23? According to one mock draft, bringing in another weapon for Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud seems to be the best move. In the latest mock from NFL.com, the Texans add another solidified pass-catcher in LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. to pair alongside breakout star Nico Collins and rookie sensation Tank Dell. Houston has been rumored to be in the market for another receiver entering the offseason.

“Bringing in Thomas to join Nico Collins and Tank Dell, Houston would rival any team in the league for the best trio at wide receiver. – NFL.com”

Serving as the No. 2 option in college football’s top-scoring offense, Thomas put up numbers that emulate No. 1 potential. Hauling in touchdown passes from Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, the 6-4 Louisiana native finished with 1,117 yards and career-setting 17 touchdowns. Thomas, who played the Robin role to fellow first-round target Malik Nabers, led the SEC in receiving touchdowns and finished fourth in receiving yards and catches (68). His 17.8 yards per reception ranked sixth among qualified receivers. Houston, which finished 7th in passing, must consider adding in at least one target due to injury concerns. Dell is coming off a season-ending broken leg. Collins, who became the third receiver in franchise history to total over 1,200 receiving yards in a single season, has missed 12 games since being drafted out of Michigan in 2021.

Robert Woods, a potential cap cut, missed three games while impending free agent Noah Brown finished the year on the injured reserve list. Tight end Dalton Schultz, who finished four in receiving yards, is also a free agent and is expected to garner anywhere between $10-12 million annually on his new contract. Thomas is a plug-and-play option regardless of positioning. Last season, 62 of his reps came in the slot. He also picked up 14 first downs while lined up inside and scored four times when inside the numbers. Most of Thomas’ success came in space. Of his over 1,100 receiving yards, 886 yards came after the catch. Thomas also has the speed needed as a vertical option to create separation at the line of scrimmage for gains of 20 yards or more downfield.

One of the only knocks on Thomas is his route tree. At LSU, most of his success came on fly patterns or slant routes. His acceleration is promising, but it also factors into sloppy footwork when getting in and out of breaks. The addition of Thomas wouldn’t force Dell to move inside. It actually could create more opportunities for Bobby Slowik to get creative with the play-calling and open up a new level to the passing as Stroud develops from Rookie of the Year to MVP candidate.

Free agency will be a substantial factor in general manager Nick Caserio’s decision. Receiver would move down the pecking order if Houston were to sign a high-profile veteran once the tampering period begins.

According to reports, the Texans are “in the mix” for Tampa Bay Buccaneers star and Galveston native Mike Evans.