The Texans should have good options at offensive tackle in the third round.

Stockpile looks deep at position of Texans’ most pressing need

General manager Brian Gaine’s No. 1 priority in the draft is finding the Texans an offensive tackle who can eventually become a starter.

Gaine’s job has been made more difficult because, barring a trade, he will not make his first selection until the third round Friday night.

The Texans have three picks in the third round. Fortunately for Gaine, there is good value for offensive tackles beginning midway through the second round and extending through the fourth round.

Of the Texans’ eight draft choices, four are in the third and fourth rounds, so they should have an interesting group of tackle prospects from which to choose.

Gaine hasn’t disclosed what positions he’s targeting, but everyone knows finding an offensive tackle who can help protect second-year quarterback Deshaun Watson is paramount.

“Without getting into particulars of what’s strong and what’s weak, I would say that when I’m looking at the draft board, I’m looking at it vertically and horizontally,” Gaine said. “What I mean by that is there are opportunities I see — regardless of position — to populate our roster with contributing players at every level of this draft: day one, day two and day three.

“The part that excites me is there are some late-round options we feel would be good developmental, upside players (with) potential to contribute for us as well.”

Son of ‘Zeus’

The Texans won’t have a shot at the two-best offensive tackles — Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey and Texas’ Connor Williams, both of whom project as first-round picks. UCLA’s Kolton Miller also could be a firstround selection.

Oregon’s Tyrell Crosby and Penn State’s Brian O’Neill are almost

guaranteed of being drafted in the second round.

Because of a shortage at the most important position on the offensive line and because a few tackle prospects project to guard early in their careers, others are expected to be gone before the Texans make the fourth pick in the third round.

As the Texans continue their offseason program, their topfour tackles are Julién Davenport, Seantrel Henderson, Kendall Lamm and David Quessenberry. And Quessenberry’s best position may be guard.

Gaine may also add to the competition with a second tackle taken with one of his three picks in the sixth round.

Davenport was a fourthround pick last year. He started four games, including two at left tackle, and that position is his to lose. But he’s going to be pushed.

Some tackles who could be available early in the third round are Oklahoma’s Orlando Brown, TCU’s Joseph Noteboom, Mississippi State’s Martinas Rankin, Western Michigan’s Chukwuma Okorafor, Ohio State’s Jamarco Jones, Louisville’s Geron Christian, North Carolina State’s Will Richardson and North Carolina A&T’s Brandon Parker.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Texans will take Brown if he’s available. Brown, son of the late offensive tackle, Orlando “Zeus” Brown, was projected as a firstround pick coming out of the season and before his horrendous performance at the combine, where he was slow, weak and not athletic.

Devlin’s opinion counts

Some scouts insist Brown will have to play the right side. Others believe he’ll have to move inside. But some think he’s still ticketed for left tackle, and a team that gets him after the first round could be getting a tremendous deal.

The scouts and offensive line coach Mike Devlin have thoroughly evaluated Brown and the other prospects for months. Devlin’s opinion counts.

Last year, Devlin played a significant role in the selection of Davenport. Devlin worked out Davenport at Bucknell and spent a lot of time visiting with him before recommending him to coach Bill O’Brien and former general manager Rick Smith.

This year, Devlin has to do it again. It’s essential the Texans improve their line in the draft, despite signing three unrestricted free agents — guards Zach Fulton and Senio Kelemete and Henderson, who started one game the last two years at Buffalo.

The only surprise in the third round would if Gaine used the three picks to fill other needs, but that’s not likely to happen because it’s not a secret that offensive tackle is the team’s most pressing need.