The Texans made a splash in the first round of the NFL draft.

After taking Derek Stingley Jr. with the third overall selection of the draft, a selection which some praised and some said was a reach, the Texans traded back from their No. 13 pick to No. 15 where they selected Texas A&M offensive lineman and Atascocita graduate Kenyon Green to help shore up what was a subpar unit last season.

Those two first round picks set the Texans up in future years for two of the most important positions on the field with players the teams feel can make a humongous difference.

“It was a lifelong dream fulfilled right there when I heard my name called by the Texans,” Stingley said. “I can’t wait to get out there and get to work. I just can’t wait to get there and show everyone how hard I work and how I won’t give up.”

Stingley was a much talked about pick at No. 3. As some praised the pick for Stingley’s natural talent and ability as a cover corner, while some did not like the pick for what they cited as Stingley’s decline in production over the past two seasons.

Stingley stepped in as a true freshman for LSU in 2019 and played in 15 games for the national champions, totaling six interceptions, 15 passes deflected and 38 tackles while becoming known as one of the best cover corners in the nation. But in his final two years of college, Stingley combined to play just ten games and didn’t intercept another pass as he dealt with injuries and quarterbacks did not challenge him in the same manner.

But the Texans saw enough out of Stingley that they felt he was worth the No. 3 pick, and with learning from Lovie Smith the Texans are confident he can become one of the premier corners in the league.

“Everyone around the Texans made me feel good from the first time - met them at the combine,” Stingley said. “It was a good vibe, you could tell that things were going to be different than the past and everything is just trending up here.”

Green played at right guard, left guard, right tackle and left tackle during his time at A&M and earned first team All-American honors and All-Conference honors in 2021.

He projects mostly as a left guard at the next level but his versatility is something that intrigued the Texans during the draft process along with his 6-foot four-inch, 323 pound frame.

“That versatility helped me a lot,” Green said. “Playing different positions, knowing how to come in and do my best in different spots, it lets me come in and be a team player. I just want to come in and be the best I can be and help the team in whatever form or fashion that is.”

Green, an Atascocita graduate, is excited to join his hometown team and the team he grew up watching.

It’s just a blessing,” Green said. “Staying in Houston, it’s just awesome. I’m a hometown kid so we are going from there. I know where my roots are and I have to show out. It’s time to work and get down there and grind.”

The Texans took Baylor safety Jalen Pitre in the second round and then traded up to draft John Metchie III, a wide receiver out of Alabama, to add to their receiving corps, as he has the ability to jump all the way up to the No. 2 receiver for Houston if he has a good offseason and preseason.

“Coach Pep (Hamilton) and I actually go way back,” Metchie said. “I’ve had a great relationship with him since I was in high school, so it’s going to be really cool to see him again and be around him again. So we have some history, and I just love Coach Lovie (Smith), we’ve had some great conversations and I’m excited to be a part of the team.”

The draft included three Houston area selections, as along with Green, Pitre graduated from Stafford and sixth round pick Austin Decelus graduated from Cy-Fair.

“We have a saying over at Cy-Fair, ‘Bobcat fight never dies,” Deculus said. “That was the first thing (Cal McNair) told me. It was an amazing moment. It is crazy because of what a small world it is.”

Following is the full list of the Houston Texans draft selections from the 2022 NFL draft.