2017 NFL Draft: Who Will The Houston Texans And The Dallas Cowboys Choose?

It’s here. The NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night in Philadelphia, and the time for researching, scouting, evaluating and meeting with potential draft picks is over.

Now, all that’s left praying the players teams in the later rounds want or need fall their way, or hopefully negotiate a trade for extra draft picks, or players with rival teams.

While there are teams who have the luxury of drafting the best player available, there are other franchises who will be drafting this year to fill significant holes in their rosters.

The Houston Texans are one of those franchises, and the biggest hole on the roster is quarterback.

Almost since the day he arrived in 2014, Texans Head Coach Bill O’Brien has been searching for the right man for the job, enjoying marginal success with a carousel of eight quarterbacks under center.

This season, four year veteran Tom Savage is the projected starter with Brandon Weeden backing him up, and a quarterback to be named later, which means quarterback is yet again a top priority for the Texans.

Other options in the first round include offensive tackle, where Derek Newton played on the right side until tearing both patellar tendons last season, and on the left side where former All-Pro Duane Brown has played since 2009.

In rounds two through seven, the Texans are expected to consider a safety or cornerback to fill the departure of A.J Bouye, and use as added depth for starters Kareen Jackson and Jonathan Joseph, and running back to fill in for starter Lamar Miller, and a linebacker to add versatility.

The Dallas Cowboys are in less of a conundrum, as far as their personnel are concerned.

The scored and found a rare gem when the drafted quarterback Dak Prescott in the fourth round last year, which helped ease the often-injured Tony Romo into retirement.

With a on offense loaded with star talent, the Cowboys are gunning to make their defense stronger to push the team to a six Super Bowl appearance.

The Cowboys needs include defensive back, defensive end, and tight end.

Pundits have the Cowboys picking Michigan safety Jabril Peppers in the first round, and Florida cornerback Teez Tabor in the second round.

Those two players alone will make the Cowboys secondary scary for NFL quarterbacks.

In the third, the Cowboys are rumored to be considering Florida Atlantic defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

In March, while the Cowboys were considering the fate of Tony Romo, they also floated the news that one of their favorite prospects was Wisconsin defensive end T.J. Watt, the youngest brother of Houston Texans star J.J. Watt.

Having the Watt brothers in Texas would be phenomenal for years, but having the younger Watt on the Cowboys defense might push them over the top.

The NFL draft gets underway Thursday, April 27 at 7 p.m. CDT, and continues through Saturday, April 29.

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