2020 NFL Draft: 5 Texans who landed in the perfect situation

Jim Klenke

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WR CeeDee Lamb (Richmond Foster)

Pick: Round 1, Pick 17 by the Dallas Cowboys

Lamb is moving just a few hundred miles down the road from Norman, Okla., to Arlington. The Cowboys were rumored to be searching for either pass rush or defensive back help. When the All-American Lamb was still on the board, it made the decision easy.

Lamb is in the perfect situation with star quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver Amari Cooper taking attention. He’ll just be able to do what he does best – get open and make plays. 

P Braden Mann (Cy-Fair)

Pick: Round 6, Pick 191 by the New York Jets

Make all the jokes you want about the Jets’ ineffective offense, but Mann might legitimately become a folk hero on Broadway. The Texas A&M product didn’t punt enough times in two seasons as a starter to qualify for the NCAA record (which makes no sense), but his 48.9 yards per punt blows the previous record of 45.2 out of the water.

Mann's 2018 season average of 51 yards per punt set an all-time record. No one in college football history punts balls as far as Braden Mann. Now, he'll punt footballs all the way into the Hudson River. 

RB Eno Benjamin (Wylie East)

Pick: Round 7, Pick 222 by the Arizona Cardinals

Running backs have lost some of their value, but Benjamin falling to the seventh round is insane. All he did during his final two seasons at Arizona State is post 2,725 rushing yards, 610 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns on 4.9 yards per carry.

Now, the versatile Benjamin is joining a Kliff Kingsbury offense featuring Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald? You messed up, NFL. You messed up. Oh, and you know Kingsbury will throw in a few shots about Benjamin picking the Sun Devils over Texas Tech out of high school.

LB Clay Johnston (Abilene Wylie)

Pick: Round 7, Pick 234 by the Los Angeles Rams

There was no guarantee that Johnston would be drafted from Baylor after tearing his ACL halfway through a potential All-American season. However, the Rams trusted his insane tape and likely had a great interview with him.

It’s rare for a seventh round pick to turn into a contributor, but Johnston is very well poised to outplay his draft slot. Had the COVID-19 shutdown not occurred, there’s no question that he would have impressed enough at Pro Day to move up. 

WRs Devin Duvernay (Sachse) and James Proche (DeSoto)

Pick: Round 3, Pick 92 and Round 6, Pick 201 by the Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore drafted five players who played Texas high school football, but teaming up receivers Duvernay and Proche – arguably the two best in the state last year – with the MVP of the league is simply unfair.

On a combined 681 targets in their college careers, Duvernay and Proche had a combined 14 drops. As seniors, the pair combined for an absurd 217 catches. Pairing them with Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins and a plethora of other playmakers will be tons of fun. 

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