March 4, 2026, 5:55 a.m. PT

Lake McRee showed out at the NFL scouting combine and improved his draft stock quite a bit. He has been a serviceable tight end in his tenure at USC, and he has all the traits to be that same kind of player in the NFL. The Texans have seemed to like their return when it comes to taking a player from USC. Could they do it again?

In a recent tweet, Texans reporter Cody Stoots breaks down his thoughts on the Texans taking a meeting with Lake McRee at the combine. Here is what he had to highlight on the topic in his tweet:

“USC tight end Lake McRee said he wants to prove he’s a player that doesn’t have to come off the field. Willingness is important to blocking like technique.

Met with the Texans at Shrine Bowl. Came to USC with Calen Bullock and remembered how everyone called Bullock “Sticks” because he was so skinny.”

The Texans already have many former Trojans on their roster, two of whom made a big impact last season. Callen Bullock is already in conversation for being a top safety in the NFL in his first two seasons. He has been a consistent irritant for quarterbacks all across the league for his ball-hawking ability. Woody Marks’ last season stepped up to lessen the blow for Joe Mixon missing the entire season. He did as good a job as you would expect from a 4th round draft pick.

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Lake McRee could step in and be the next former Trojan to make an impact for the Texans. The Texans have Dalton Schultz, who is that elite tight end and reliable weapon. They also have backup tight end Brevin Jordan, who is beloved by the whole organization, and when he is healthy, he can make a play every now and then. The Texans could add in Lake McRee, who would be a great #3 tight end. McRee is a great blocking tight end, and he is skilled enough to make his catches count.

The Texans are trying to be more dominant as a run-heavy team, and adding a tight end in the mix like Lake McRee will definitely help them get there. McRee fits the scheme, and if called upon, he could be a tight end who becomes a reliable weapon for C.J. Stroud someday.

So far, the Texans have not gotten it wrong with drafting players from USC. The hit rate has been high, why not bring in another player that can make an impact early, just like the others.