NFL Draft Rumors: C.J. Stroud could get major boost as $6.1B franchise eyes Texas' star OT

Modified Apr 11, 2025 01:41 GMT

NFL Draft Rumors: C.J. Stroud could get major boost as $6.1B franchise eyes Texas' star OT (Image credit: Imagn)

The Houston Texans are one of the teams with a bright future in the NFL. After drafting C.J. Stroud in the 2023 draft, the AFC South team turned into the ruler of the division, winning it in back-to-back seasons with Stroud leading the way.

After two seasons with the talented quarterback, the front office applied some changes to the offensive line, moving on from left tackle Laremy Tunsil, left guard Kenyon Green and right guard Shaq Mason.

The 2025 draft presents a good opportunity for the Houston Texans, currently valued at $6.1 billion (according to Forbes), to keep adding talent to their ranks. On Thursday, analyst Matt Miller reported that Kelvin Banks Jr. from Texas is seen with good eyes by Houston's executives.

"Yeah, the offseason retooling of the offensive line will continue into the draft. The Texans have four picks in the top 90; expect at least one of those to be a bodyguard for quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

"We've heard from numerous scouts that Houston is high on offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas) if he makes it to No. 25. Getting another pass-catching option for Stroud is in play early, too," Miller wrote.

The Houston Texans' offense allowed 47 sacks in 2023 (38 against C.J. Stroud) and 54 in 2024 (52 against Stroud), showing clear signs that changes need to be made. Despite losing Stefon Diggs to the New England Patriots in free agency, they still have a solid wide receiver lineup for the 2025 campaign.

That said, the front office needed to focus on their weakest link to try to make it past the divisional round for the first time since Stroud was drafted.

DeMeco Ryans raves about Christian Kirk as he joins C.J. Stroud's list of weapons

After seeing Stefon Diggs go during free agency, the Houston Texans brought in another veteran to replace Diggs. Christian Kirk joined the team from the Jacksonville Jaguars. DeMeco Ryans has high expectations for the wideout as he joins C.J. Stroud.

“I love Christian. His speed is the one thing that jumps out about him. He’s a fast player," Ryans remarked. "I’m excited to see what he brings on third down. I think he can really open up a lot of options for us on third down, especially from the inside position. I think he’ll be a friendly target for C.J. Stroud."

The Texans are eager to improve their 2024 performance and put up a challenge against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC.

About the author

Orlando Silva joined the Sportskeeda team in 2024 as a member of the NBA roster as an analyst. After completing his bachelor's in English studies in 2016, he decided to pursue a career in sports journalism. Being an avid fan of the NBA, Orlando has covered the league for five years now, with a big focus on trending stories, the latest rumors and reports.
He's expanded his area of expertise to the NFL, one of his biggest passion since discovering the competition in 2007.

Orlando is a huge fan of the San Antonio Spurs, and his favorite player of all time is Tim Duncan. Of course, Greg Popovich is his favorite coach of all time and Victor Wembanyama is already his favorite player in the league. In the NFL, he supports the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.

Besides being a writer, Orlando is also an entrepreneur while pursuing a music production career.

Know More

Houston Texans Fans! Check out the latest Houston Texans Schedule and dive into the Texans Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Neha