Jordan Reid projects Ole Miss standout Kewan Lacy to Houston, providing a violent, high-scoring solution for a backfield seeking long-term stability behind an aging David Montgomery.
The 2026 NFL Draft just wrapped up, but draft junkies are already looking forward to the event in 2027. ESPN's Jordan Reid has already dropped a way-too-early first-round mock draft for 2027, and the Texans hold the 22nd overall pick in his hypothetical mock.
For the Texans, Reid has them taking Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy at No. 22 overall. This move makes sense in some regards, but it is also important to remember that the Texans just traded for running back David Montgomery. He is going to be 29 years old when the 2026 season begins, which could make drafting a running back in 2027 pretty reasonable.
Lacy had a monster season at Ole Miss in 2025, rushing for over 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns which was the third-most in a single season in SEC history. That's not a typo. Reid clearly came away impressed enough to make Lacy a first-round pick, and here's what he wrote about the pick: "Lacy is one of my favorite players to watch on tape in the 2027 class regardless of position. He's a long-striding, slashing runner whose sudden movements give him the A-level short-area quickness to create explosive plays. His 24 rushing touchdowns last season were the third most in SEC history. His outstanding vision and awareness keeps runs on track and creates positive yardage. He's also a competitive pass protector. The Texans need all of this, as they've struggled to find a long-term solution at running back to help take pressure off the passing game."
The pass protection note is something worth paying attention to. That's usually the thing that holds college backs back at the next level, backs who look unstoppable in college suddenly find themselves on third down watching from the sideline because they can't pick up a blitz. If Lacy is already drawing praise for it, that's a good sign for where his draft stock could go.
It is important to note that these mocks are more of a conversation starter than a prediction. A lot changes over a full college football season, and half the names on any April 2027 board won't end up where they're projected today. The draft order could also be wildly incorrect. If the Texans did end up picking with the 22nd overall pick, it would mean that the team had not won a playoff game for the first time in three years.