Nick Caserio worked the phones relentlessly, attempting to wheel and deal as the Texans general manager explored potential trade-up scenarios.

Rather than make a selection in the first round with multiple offensive linemen and wide receivers off the draft board, the Texans traded back.

KPRC 2 had reported previously that Caserio was exploring trade-up and trade-back scenarios. Ultimately, Caserio traded back with the New York Giants.

The Texans sent their original 25th overall pick to New York in exchange for the Giants’ 2025 second-round draft pick at No. 34 overall along with a third-round pick at 99th overall this year and the Giants’ 2026 third-round pick.

By the time the Texans were on the clock, wide receivers Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka were both off the board along with offensive linemen Kelvin Banks Jr., Tyler Booker and Donovan Jackson.

Jackson went one pick before the trade to the Minnesota Vikings with the 24th overall selection. The versatile All-American from Ohio State, an Episcopal graduate, had hoped to join his hometown team, but went off the board before they could pick him. Jackson was under consideration at No. 25. He was also a potential trade-back option.

Trade inquiries to go up and get Banks, the Outland trophy and Lombardi award winner and a consensus All-American from Texas who went ninth overall to the New Orleans Saints, weren’t feasible in terms of how much the Texans would have to give up. David Mulugheta, the agent for Banks, told KPRC 2 hours before the draft that the Summer Creek graduate’s ceiling as far as draft outlook was in the top seven to 10 selections with a floor of 12th. Banks went right in the middle of that range.

The Dallas Cowboys drafted Booker, a massive Alabama guard described as the Will Anderson Jr. of the Crimson Tide offense with the 12th overall selection. The Cowboys preferred picking Booker, a potential replacement for retired Pro Bowl guard Zach Martin, rather than work a trade with their NFL state rival. The Cowboys wanted the player, not a trade.

“We’re in a good spot,” Caserio said during a late night press conference at NRG Stadium. “We had three different scenarios: trade up, stay a 25 and pick, trade back. I don’t want to say we talked to the whole league, but probably talked to the whole league on every different level. There were some players we identified, some were out of reach.

“We think we’re going to get some pretty good football players. We felt like value of the draft was basically in the middle, so we’ll try to take advantage of some our opportunities here. We put ourselves in pretty good position for next year as well.”

The predicted run on offensive linemen unfolded in a major way as LSU All-American Will Campbell went fourth overall to the New England Patriots, followed by Missouri tackle Armand Membou to the New York Jets with the seventh pick, Banks to New Orleans, Booker to Dallas, North Dakota State standout Grey Zabel, who excelled at the Senior Bowl all-star game, to the Seattle Seahawks at 18th overall.

Why couldn’t the Texans trade up? Well, a trade requires a trading partner. The other teams preferred to pick, not trade out.

“Trades are just two parties have to agree on what they think the value is,” Caserio said. “I say for the most part you’re in the ballpark. Now, if something is so egregious you have to make the determination, OK, is it worth essentially forfeiting three for one, for who for what?

“You have to weigh that calculus. Most teams kind of view the trade value similarly. Some teams, they view it a little bit differently. So, we can’t control that, but here are the terms. Here is what we think that position is worth. Here is what we think that spot is worth. If you agree, great. If you don’t, no problem. Keep moving.”

Even before the Texans were close to their pick, they began positioning themselves to move back when the draft was in the upper teens, per Caserio. The Giants engaged in a trade so they could land Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.

“Yeah, probably like way before we probably were picking,” Caserio said. “So, I mean, we were kind of looking, I would say, in the upper teens there a little bit. There were some opportunities. So, we were talking about it. It wasn’t like we waited until 25 and all of a sudden ..

“At one point, we had I think three or four trades potentially on the board before we got to 25. Then, we got to 25 still had a couple scenarios. Teams were looking at some situations. We took what we felt was the best offer and what the best decision for us was at that time, so we made the move.”

Once the Texans traded out of the first round, Oregon All-American tackle Josh Conerly Jr. joined the Washington Commanders at 29th overall as he’ll team up with former Texans Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. And the final pick of the first round was Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons, who’s coming off a torn patellar tendon.

“I don’t think there was really a consensus on a lot of grades,” Caserio said. “Honest to God, if you look at some of the mocks, where some of guys were mocked and where they went, it wasn’t even close. Again, players come off the board when they come off the board.

“That’s all we can do is, go through our information, try to figure out where we think the best spot for us to take that player. So, again, we made multiple calls I would say picking a lot higher than where we are, so if teams aren’t interested, they’re not interested. Nothing we can do about it.”

When it came to the Vikings’ pick for Jackson, Caserio indicated that the Texans were already ready to move back at that point.

“I think we were prepared for either way,” he said. “So, look, we were always prepared to pick at 25. We had some parameters in place already before we got to our pick, like I said a little bit earlier. So, I would say that pick isn’t really have any bearing or relevance necessarily. When the pick goes in, the pick goes in, and then you adjust and react accordingly.”

In The Trenches