John Harris follows the Houston Texans as close as anyone, and each year he breaks down the team’s 90-man roster as Training Camp presented by Xfinity begins. The first practice of camp is July 23, 2025.<\/p>\n
\n Quarterback<\/p>\n
\n #7 C.J. Stroud<\/p>\n
QB1\u2026Threw for 3,727 yards in 2024, 20 TD\u2026the future of this franchise is now and the offense is fully on his shoulders in year three\u2026two playoff wins in his first two years\u2026possessess more playoff wins (two) as the Texans’ starting quarterback than any other Texans QB\u2026revamped OL in front of him and WR corps alongside for 2025\u2026massive season for Stroud as he’ll be handed the keys to orchestrate the offense at the line of scrimmage more so than in his first two seasons.<\/p>\n
\n #10 Davis Mills<\/p>\n
26 games started in his four years in the league\u20266,167 yards passing and 35 TD\u2026signed one year extension for his fifth year in Houston\u2026has grown and improved each and every year\u2026missed time during minicamp, so hopefully he’s healthy and ready for training camp.<\/p>\n
\n #16 Kedon Slovis<\/p>\n
Got a ton of work this offseason with both Mills and Stroud missing some practice time\u2026throws a pretty ball and possesses movement skills out of the pocket when absolutely necessary\u2026teammate of Jared Wayne’s at Pitt during college\u2026will get a ton of reps during preseason games to put pressure on Mills as the backup QB.<\/p>\n
\n #18 Graham Mertz (Rookie)<\/p>\n
Not sure of his health status\u2026tore his ACL on October 12, 2024 in a game against Tennessee\u2026when healthy, he was accurate with the football and made excellent decisions\u2026exhibits true captain behavior and will fit the SWARM Texans’ mentality well\u2026loved his addition, just hope he can be healthy enough soon.<\/p>\n
\n Running back\/Fullback<\/p>\n
\n #21 Nick Chubb<\/p>\n
The WOW signing of the offseason\u2026signed for just one year, but says his knee feels as good as ever\u2026stated in his OTA\/minicamp press conference that he hit all of his offseason testing measurements before signing with the Texans\u2026downhill threat in any scheme\u2026rushed for 6,843 yards in his 85 games in Cleveland in seven years\u2026don’t know how much we’ll see him in preseason games, but he needs work to acclimate to the new system, new OL\u2026if he’s healthy\u2026my goodness.<\/p>\n
\n #22 Jawhar Jordan<\/p>\n
Lightning quick space player\u2026fantastic in preseason opportunities last year until he was injured late in the last preseason game\u2026can’t wait to see how far he’s progressed in this training camp\u2026with Mixon & Chubb probably getting some vet rest days, Jordan will get a ton of opps in both run and pass capacities.<\/p>\n
\n #26 J.J. Taylor<\/p>\n
Mark my words, Taylor will make a play or three in preseason games that will get your attention\u2026thick trunk, strong legs and a warrior’s spirit\u2026been tough for him to get consistent run during the regular season, but he does well when he gets the opps during TC and preseason games, which has put him in position to get on the 53-man roster.<\/p>\n
\n #27 Woody Marks<\/p>\n
Would’ve pounded the table for him in the draft room\u2026did pound the table in excitement when the Texans did draft him\u2026powerful build\u2026explosive cuts\/jump cuts\u2026make-you-miss-ability out in space\u2026quality inside runner with vision\u2026must learn special teams, especially early in his career\u202683 receptions in his sophomore season at Mississippi State\u2026over 200 receptions in five years in college<\/p>\n
\n #28 Joe Mixon<\/p>\n
Carried this Texans run game on his back last year\u2026made his second Pro Bowl as a result\u2026ran for over 1k, first Texan to do it since Carlos Hyde in 2019\u202611 TD on the ground\u2026missed the offseason rehabbing from injury, but projects to be ready for the season\u2026it’s Joe Mixon, you already know.<\/p>\n
\n #31 Dameon Pierce<\/p>\n
The most talked about player on the Texans roster, in my world\u2026EVERYONE asks me about Dameon when I’m out and about\u2026had brilliant games at New England and at Tennessee last year\u2026has solid hands and could be used more in that regard\u2026turned into one of the best kick returners in the NFL\u2026how he adapts to this offense and flourishes in this RB competition will be one of the stories in camp.<\/p>\n
\n #33 Dare Ogunbowale<\/p>\n
Where is this team without Dare Ogunbowale?…the ultimate Swiss Army knife but all of his tools are useful at all times (unlike a Swiss Army knife)\u2026evolved into the team’s third down specialist at RB\u2026early in the 2024 season he made plays that directly led to late game wins over Jacksonville and Buffalo\u2026ran for 112 yards and had 19 receptions on the year as well (28 targets in the passing game)…almost don’t think of him as a running back anymore\u2026he’s seemingly his own positional category<\/p>\n
\n #43 Jakob Johnson<\/p>\n
Never truly understood how BIG Jakob truly is, until he walked into our radio studio this spring\u2026has soft hands and made a handful of truly remarkable catches in team work in OTAs and minicamp\u2026offense can do unique\/different things with him at fullback because of his size and ability to block inside players\u2026intriguing German national who has grown as a football player since he started to play late in his high school years.<\/p>\n
\n #44 British Brooks<\/p>\n
One of the most impressive players in TC\/preseason last year\u2026earned a 53-man rosters spot and reps at FB and on special teams as a result in the regular season, until he tore his ACL early in the season\u2026built like a brick outhouse\u2026wants to destroy anyone in a different colored jersey\u2026would anticipate more fullback reps, but tailback reps too throughout the preseason.<\/p>\n
\n Wide Receiver<\/p>\n
\n **#3 Tank Dell<\/p>\n
Won’t see Tank for a while, but not sure whether that while starts in 2025 or 2026\u2026going to really miss him, but he’s rehabbing each and every day to come back with a vengeance.<\/p>\n
\n #8 John Metchie III<\/p>\n
This is THAT preseason for Metchie III\u2026started slow last preseason, but he dominated the Giants in week two of the preseason and that propelled him onto the 53-man roster\u2026has transformed his body this offseason and looked great at times in the offseason\u2026had a couple of key catches in the Divisional playoff loss to the Chiefs\u202640 catches for 412 yards and one TD in 2024<\/p>\n
\n #12 Nico Collins<\/p>\n
The alpha in this WR room\u2026one of the best overall WR in the NFL\u2026missed five games last year after a hamstring injury on a 67-yard BOMB TD against Buffalo\u2026however, still went over 1k receiving yards for the second straight season\u2026had seven TD in just 12 games and he only played a quarter of the Bills game and a series in the Titans game\u2026can play inside at slot and run over LB and S on slants and catch-and-run situations\u2026can be the Texans TRUE DEEP threat on the outside as well<\/p>\n
\n #13 Christian Kirk<\/p>\n
I asked for him in the offseason and the Texans went and got him\u2026when healthy, he was a monster for the Jaguars receiving corps while he was there\u2026returns to the state where he played his college football\u2026has a HIGH level understanding how to win as an interior receiver in this offense\u2026started well in 2024 with 27 receptions in eight games and then his season was ended by injury\u2026seemed to mesh well with the Texans QB this offseason already.<\/p>\n
\n #14 Jared Wayne<\/p>\n
Might be a little mysterious to Texans fans still, but he’s improved each and every year\u2026big (6-4, 210 lb) with soft hands and excellent body control\u2026with two highly drafted rookies on the roster, along with Kirk, Justin Watson, Metchie III, he is in for a fight for a roster spot but he’ll compete his tail off\u2026that said, he’s got a ton of skills that excite the Texans coaching staff.<\/p>\n
\n #17 Braxton Berrios<\/p>\n
One of the more exciting space players in the league, whether as an interior receiver or as a punt returner\u2026missed seeing him in the offseason as he rehabbed an injury\u2026even though, he didn’t start in New York or Miami, he had seasons of 37 receptions and 46 receptions in back-to-back years, so he could find a role moving the sticks from the interior if he’s healthy.<\/p>\n
\n #19 Xavier Hutchinson<\/p>\n
One of the SWARM-iest Texans on the roster\u2026whatever he’s asked to do, he does it as well as can be asked\u2026finds a way to make plays\u2026was on the receiving end of Stroud’s Scramble in the playoffs against Los Angeles\u2026had four receptions for 52 yards in the final game of the season at Kansas City\u2026immensely improved the past couple of seasons\u2026a staunch special teams contributor as a returner, blocker or cover guy\u2026will know this offense inside and out at every single receiver position and often gets WRs lined up during games and practices.<\/p>\n
\n #81 Jayden Higgins (Rookie)<\/p>\n
During offseason practice, it became evident that if Higgins is healthy, he’s going to be a major factor for this offense in 2025\u2026drafted early in the second round, but GM Nick Caserio said that they considered drafting him in the first round\u20266-4 with outstanding ball skills, great agility and serious speed\u2026a few times during offseason practice, it was pointed out to me by those in the building how unique Higgins is.<\/p>\n
\n #82 Jaylin Noel (Rookie)<\/p>\n
Higgins’ teammate the past two years, teammate of Xavier Hutchinson for a year at Iowa State\u2026outstanding movement skills\u2026gets in and out of breaks like none other\u2026thought he was one of the two or three most outstanding receivers at the 2025 Senior Bowl\u2026team captain at Iowa State\u2026punt return skills, really worked on them during the offseason practices\u2026missed the last two weeks of the offseason practices so hope he’s okay and good to go.<\/p>\n
\n #84 Justin Watson<\/p>\n
The forgotten piece in this receiving corps\u2026not forgotten by the staff, but most fans fail to bring him up when discussing the receivers\u20266-4, well built, reliable and tough\u2026an Ivy Leaguer, so he’s cool to me, of course\u2026played in a TON of big games and produced in those situations as well\u2026starting in 2020, he’s played in four Super Bowls, four Conference Championship games and has three Super Bowl rings.<\/p>\n
\n #85 Daniel Jackson (Rookie)<\/p>\n
Tough and competitive, Jackson won’t wow anyone with elite traits\u2026GREAT hands, though, and catches everything thrown his way\u2026caught 75 passes for 863 yards and four TD in his final season at Minnesota\u2026TD catch against Michigan in the Big House in 2024 was ridiculous<\/p>\n
\n #88 Johnny Johnson<\/p>\n
Seen Johnson improve each and every season\u2026even though he hasn’t had a chance to stick consistently on the 53-man roster, his game has improved each year\u2026became a better catch-and-run receiver, sticking his foot into the ground and getting upfield after the catch\u2026will, again, get a ton of opps in preseason games to fight for a 53-man roster spot.<\/p>\n
\n #89 Xavier Johnson<\/p>\n
Intrigued by Johnson after what I saw him do at Ohio State\u2026was a teammate of C.J. Stroud\u2026played some WR and some RB\u2026in the Peach Bowl against Georgia in the 2022 season (Stroud’s last game in college), Johnson caught a Stroud pass for a TD right before the half\u2026since he’s been here, his receiver skills have improved\u2026quick and elusive after the catch.<\/p>\n
\n Tight end<\/p>\n
\n #9 Brevin Jordan<\/p>\n
We missed Brev last year\u2026point blank, end of story\u2026can play ANY of the TE positions and is one of the better athletes on this team\u2026hurt in week two against Chicago and missed the entire season\u2026not sure when he’ll be cleared medically, but hopefully he can get opps in the preseason and showed that speed and tenacity that highlights his all-around skills.<\/p>\n
\n #42 Luke Lachey (Rookie)<\/p>\n
Thought he would just be an inline Y-TE, but he has SOFT hands\u2026receives the ball very well\u2026injuries at Iowa curtailed much of his last two seasons\u2026Dad played OT in the NFL (former Ohio State All-American)\u2026wouldn’t surprise me if Lachey’s ability to get open AND catch the ball creates opps for him throughout the preseason and perhaps beyond.<\/p>\n
\n #83 Irv Smith Jr.<\/p>\n
Smith Jr. re-signed with the Texans late in the offseason\u2026so incredibly glad that he did\u2026tough as all get out, he’ll fight his guts out in the run game\u2026better hands than you’d think\u2026competitor whose Dad was a first round draft selection in the 1990s.<\/p>\n
\n #86 Dalton Schultz<\/p>\n
112 catches in his first two years in Houston in 32 games\u2026had only two TD in 2024 v. five in 2023\u2026does a little bit of everything in this offense\u2026reliable in every facet of the tight end universe\u2026five straight seasons of 53+ receptions for Dallas (three seasons) and Houston (two seasons)<\/p>\n
\n #87 Cade Stover<\/p>\n
Said OFTEN this offseason that he’s my “breakout candidate” for this offense in 2025\u2026OC Nick Caley is a former TE coach, so one of these TEs could easily fit into that category\u2026one of the hardest workers on the roster\u2026tough, physical and honest, almost to a fault\u2026told us a few times how valuable it was to go through ups and downs as a rookie\u2026if he takes that year one to year two leap, as I expect, look the heck out.<\/p>\n
\n Offensive line<\/p>\n
\n #54 Jarrett Patterson<\/p>\n
Started at center to start the 2023 season\u2026took over as the starting center to finish the 2024 season\u2026fewer and fewer protection mistakes took place when he was in the starting lineup\u2026will be in a fight for the starting position\u2026smart as can be\u2026tough as hell\u2026found money in the Texans’ draft pockets after being a 6th round pick in 2023.<\/p>\n
\n #57 Blake Fisher<\/p>\n
Started every game at right tackle after the Texans Week 14 bye\u2026faced some serious dudes out on the edge\u2026year one to year two leap is desperately needed for Fisher to lock down the right tackle position for 2025 and beyond\u2026feisty and tough and needs to stay healthy.<\/p>\n
\n #60 Jake Andrews<\/p>\n
Not a soul mentioned Andrews’ name prior to the first open-to-the-media OTA practice\u2026when he lined up at center with the first group, people started finally asking the right questions\u2026a former HS wrestler\u2026saw him at the Senior Bowl and thought he’d be a Texan after that Draft\u2026hasn’t played a ton of NFL football due to injuries, but new OL coach Cole Popovich is quite familiar with him after coaching Andrews at Troy.<\/p>\n
\n #65 Eli Cox (Rookie)<\/p>\n
Huge fan of Cox at Kentucky, reminded me of Andrews, honestly\u2026four year starter at center in the SEC\u202647 starts in 56 career games\u2026two-time captain\u2026didn’t miss any of the last 38 games of his career\u2026stout and thick\u2026perfect center body but he can move and play in the zone game as well.<\/p>\n
\n #69 Ed Ingram<\/p>\n
Selected in the second round by the Vikings a few years ago\u2026traded to Houston this past offseason to compete for a guard position\u2026built like a tank with very little body fat\u2026in a staunch competition to get on the field at guard, but curious how new surroundings could help him after some struggles early in his career.<\/p>\n
\n #70 Juice Scuggs<\/p>\n
Played the best ball of his NFL career at right guard in the second half of the 2024 season\u2026injuries slowed him down a bit in his first two years\u2026started the 2024 season at center, then transitioned to guard\u202619 starts in his career\u2026when healthy, he produced some excellent moments, especially once he went to guard\u2026the competition for the interior spots is going to be fierce, but Juice is up for it.<\/p>\n
\n #71 Tytus Howard<\/p>\n
Amazing to think Tytus is in his seventh year\u2026spoke often this offseason about making the change to guard and that he’s up for the challenge\u2026in years past, I don’t know that he saw the value\/reasons for a move to guard, but he does now\u2026I thought he played some of his best football at guard last year\u2026stood up to Chris Jones (Chiefs) in the Divisional playoff game, such that Jones had to move outside to DE to get pressure on the QB\u2026thicker and more powerful than he’s ever been, but he’s still got agility to be an excellent guard, right or left side.<\/p>\n
\n #72 Jaylon Thomas<\/p>\n
Stay healthy\u2026Thomas is built like a tank and when it seemed last year that he was ready to make some headway, he got injured\u2026played tackle in college, but he’s seems more suited to play guard in the future\u2026will get plenty of opps in training camp with competition at all five spots\u2026JUST STAY HEALTHY<\/p>\n
\n #73 LaDarius Henderson<\/p>\n
Strangely enough after rehabbing an injury all last year, he’s the one OL most Texans fans asked me about this offseason\u2026guard and tackle reps at both Arizona State and Michigan in his college career\u2026played left tackle for the 2023 National Champion Wolverines\u2026strong upper body, but after rehabbing the lower body, how he moves will determine where this goes for him and the Texans OL\u2026will get as many reps in practice, joint practices and preseason games that he can handle<\/p>\n
\n #74 Cam Robinson<\/p>\n
Former Jag\/Viking signed a one year deal with the Texans\u2026impressively built to say the least\u2026never liked facing him when he was in Jacksonville\u2026adds some leadership and some mauler tendencies in the run game, in particular\u2026looked spry and active for a guy in his ninth season in the league.<\/p>\n
\n #75 Laken Tomlinson<\/p>\n
I get it\u2026after spending some time in our radio studio this spring with him, I totally understand why he’s a Texan\u2026SWARM-y\u2026smart and tough\u2026experienced\u2026willing to put team over self\u2026heading into the twilight of his career, but has good football left in him\u2026has played left guard throughout his career and did that throughout OTAs and minicamp here as well\u2026Pro Bowler back in 2021.<\/p>\n
\n #76 Austin Deculus<\/p>\n
When he returned to Houston for the back end of the 2024 season, he was even more improved than I remembered him\u2026thought he struggled a bit in the 2024 preseason but looked much better in game action at the end of last season\u2026matured for sure and his game has improved\u2026possesses a nasty side and can see that in his run blocking improvement\u2026just stay healthy and stack good days\u2026at that point, who knows\u2026nothing will surprise me with how he’s grown already.<\/p>\n
\n #77 Trent Brown<\/p>\n
Big Trent is bigger than the biggest OL you’ve ever seen\u2026however, the key for him is being fully healthy\u2026only played three games last year in Cincinnati due to injury and last played a full slate in 2022\u2026But, BUT, he’s a heck of a leader and helps young guys a ton with an offense that he’s quite familiar\u2026if he’s healthy??? That could be fun.<\/p>\n
\n #78 Zach Thomas<\/p>\n
Joined the Texans midway through the 2024 campaign\u2026tackle and guard reps throughout his time here and his time in New England\u2026the versatility can help him throughout TC and preseason games, getting 40-45 reps per game at different spots\u2026with only eight spots on game day, having the ability to play all five spots will come in handy.<\/p>\n
\n #79 Aireontae Ersery (Rookie)<\/p>\n
The only OL the Texans drafted and just one of two rookies in the entire group (Eli Cox being the other)…enormous and strong\u2026made Bruce Feldman’s Freaks’ List back in college\u2026ran a 5.01 in the 40-yard dash at 6-6, 330 lb\u2026Relative Athletic Score was 16th out of 1379 tackles since 1987\u2026plays the game with an edge and much better in the run game at this point than in pass protection\u2026improving in that arena, though\u2026at the Senior Bowl, he dominated dudes in the run game\u2026will need some time adapting to the varied pass rushers that dominate this league, though.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"John Harris follows the Houston Texans as close as anyone, and each year he breaks down the team’s…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":86443,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5130],"tags":[55799,32614,15930,58320,11822,4345,50349,56385,55786,58321,358,20026,3187],"class_list":{"0":"post-86442","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston","8":"tag-2025-training-camp","9":"tag-c-j-stroud","10":"tag-christian-kirk","11":"tag-davis-mills","12":"tag-homepage-cp","13":"tag-houston","14":"tag-joe-mixon","15":"tag-john-harris","16":"tag-nico-collins","17":"tag-tank-dell","18":"tag-texas","19":"tag-training-camp","20":"tag-tx"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114903656914676360","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}