Notre Dame Draft Watch: Alex Bars makes sense for Houston Texans

In the 2018 NFL Draft, two Notre Dame offensive linemen were selected in the first nine picks. Alex Bars is arguably the best offensive line prospect coming out of South Bend this year.

Alex Bars spent the majority of the 2018 season on the sidelines. The senior captain suffered a season-ending knee injury during Notre Dame’s victory over Stanford in week five. Head coach Brian Kelly called the injury “devastating” for their locker room.

Bars had been playing very well through the early parts of the season, and his play on the field was definitely missed. He did not shirk his duties as a team captain, though. He remained engaged during practice and on the sideline during games.

It would have been understandable if Bars wanted to take a step back from the team to focus on rehabbing his knee and preparing for the NFL. That is not the type of player and person he is. He wanted to do anything and everything he could to continue to help his team.

During his career at Notre Dame, Bars spent time at both guard positions and at right tackle. While he will most likely be a guard in the NFL, playing multiple positions at the college level is impressive. It shows his versatility as an offensive line prospect.

As is the case every year, there are plenty of NFL teams hoping to improve their offensive line through the draft. A few teams that I think could be a good fit for Bars are: Minnesota, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami.

Of those four teams, I think Houston is the best fit.

The Texan offense allowed 62 sacks last season. That number was the worst in the league by a margin of six sacks. They also ranked 19th in yards per rush attempt. So, yeah, I think they might be looking to improve their offensive line this off-season.

Barring any trades, I would expect Houston to select multiple offensive linemen in the 2019 NFL Draft. They won’t all be high-round picks, but they will bring some quality and depth to that position group.

Bars would be reunited with former Notre Dame teammates Will Fuller and Nick Martin in Houston — the latter of which he would be playing next to on the Texans offensive line.

Both Fuller and Martin have been successful in Houston. Having two quality Notre Dame players on a roster surely gives the coaching staff and front office a bit of faith if they have the opportunity to draft another player from the school.

The Texans current head coach, Bill O’Brien, has held his position since 2014. He played a part in drafting both Fuller and Martin, and he has seen both players develop during their time in Houston. I think he would love to add Alex Bars to his team to improve their running game and protect their young quarterback.