The Houston Texans are filled with elite talent on defense, but how many would be considered “All-Pro” level entering the playoffs?
It’s based on everyone’s initial opinion, but there’s a case to be made for at least six or seven players.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell disagrees, but he still made sure to mention a handful of options when putting together his 2025 All-Pro teams. Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins was listed as an honorable mention, but given several other receivers’ breakout campaigns, he was left by the wayside.
As for the defensive side, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. was named a first-team by Barnwell after racking a career-high 12 sacks in 17 games. Tack on three forced fumbles and six pass deflections, the former No. 3 overall pick has more than earned his shot of getting a new contract with the Texans this offseason en route to potentially becoming the highest-paid defensive end in the league.
“In 2025, his missed tackle rate improved past league-average, and he has set career highs in sacks (12) and knockdowns (23) with a game to go,” Barnwell wrote. “Anderson’s even better than those figures if we use the data from Next Gen Stats. He has turned 8.3% of his pass-rush snaps into quick pressures this season, trailing only Nik Bonitto and Abdul Carter. Anderson gets chipped or double-teamed more than either player, and I think he’s a little better against the run than Bonitto, who was Anderson’s closest competition here. According to the Next Gen Stats models, Anderson’s pressure rate is 6.5% better than what an average edge rusher would have accomplished in the same situations, which is the best mark in the league. He has also generated four turnovers with pressures this season, which is second behind Jared Verse.”
In the secondary, Barnwell listed Pro Bowler Derek Stingley Jr. as his top cornerback. While there have been some lulls this season in man coverage, the highlight moments and attention to detail in man coverage elevated the Texans’ secondary, thus creating game-changing advantages for the Texans.
“In terms of cumulative impact, I’d say Stingley has been the best cornerback in football in 2025. He has played all 16 games so far, which means something relative to the competition,” Barnwell wrote. “Playing behind an elite pass rush helps, of course, but Stingley’s even great on extended plays and scramble drills. He has allowed a scarcely believable 49.4 passer rating in coverage this season, the best mark in football among full-time players. The Texans don’t play man as often as many other teams, but Stingley’s as good in his role as anybody in the league.”
The Texans close out the regular season at home on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.