2023 NFL mock draft: Houston Texans select OSU OL Paris Johnson Jr.

The Houston Texans are on the clock for a second time in our 2023 NFL Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft. With the second overall pick, the Texans got their franchise quarterback in Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. Now what will they do to complement that foundational pick?

Acting as Texans general manager in this year’s mock is commenter katmandoo122. If you want to see who was available with this 12th overall pick, you can see the previous picks in our community mock draft in our tracker here.

With the 12th overall pick in the 2023 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft, the Texans have chosen Paris Johnson Jr., offensive lineman out of Ohio State.

Here’s katmandoo122 explaining why they went back to the OSU well.

“In just around 50% of the simulations run in the Texans’ front office, Will Levis fell to the 12th pick. Caserio rated him highly enough to take him there and be very happy. But he couldn’t risk waiting. Now, Caserio is surprised to find four other players that are pretty close to equally ranked on their board at pick 12:

• RB Bijan Robinson
• DB Brian Branch
• OL Paris Johnson Jr.
• WR Quentin Johnston

“There is an argument to be made for each of them. Johnston would provide a long-term security blanket to Stroud, Robinson would bolster an underwhelming backfield, and Branch is the most instinctive defensive back in the draft. But Caserio cannot pass on a tackle he felt had no business falling out of the top ten.

“First, Paris has all the intangibles coaches want: he’s sharper than broken glass (he’s a two-time Scholar-Athlete), plays to just past the whistle and does not quit, is a leader in the locker room, and understands offensive line playbooks. Second, his measurables are everything you’d want. At 6-foot-6, 313 pounds with 36-inch arms, Johnson can hold the point of attack and move it. With coaching, his length, athleticism, and nasty streak will match perfectly with the new Texans’ zone blocking mindset. And having experience at guard, the young Texans introduce flexibility if hit with the injury bug. Johnson is not a finished product quite yet, but when complete, Caserio felt he was the highest rated offensive lineman in the draft.

“Having just signed Laremy Tunsil to a three-year, $75 million extension, Caserio takes a page out of the Detroit Lions’ playbook by finding a partner on the right side for the next three years while introducing plenty of flexibility. There were many high fives all around in the Houston war room for exiting the first round with long-term answers at quarterback and tackle.”

Time to offer your opinion on the pick. Grade the Texans’ pick below and offer your thoughts in the comment section by scrolling down.