The Houston Texans selected offensive lineman Aireontae Ersery from the University of Minnesota with the 48th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Texans acquired the pick through a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday.
Houston sent the 58th and 99th overall selections to the Raiders to move up to the 48th spot and secure Ersery. This marked the Texans' third trade of the draft and first on Day 2.
Ersery, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, played his high school football at Ruskin High School. His path included navigating family hardship and periods of homelessness before his football career developed. His mother, Takita Charles, worked multiple jobs to support him and his siblings.
He began playing football later than many prospects, initially focused on basketball. Ersery met Ruskin coach William Perkins, who encouraged him to join the football team. By the end of his first season, Ersery played multiple positions.
Ersery developed into a projected first- or second-round left tackle during his college career at Minnesota. In his fifth year with the Golden Gophers, he was named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, an honor in a conference known for strong offensive line play.
Prior to the draft, analysts placed Ersery in the early rounds. In his mock draft this week, Cris Collinsworth projected Ersery could be taken near the end of the first round. The Kansas City Chiefs, his hometown team, were among teams that interviewed him at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
The Texans needed depth and a potential long-term option at offensive tackle. Ersery's selection adds a player with experience protecting the blindside.
Ersery is the second offensive lineman from the Minnesota Golden Gophers drafted in the first three rounds since 1989, following John Michael Schmitz.
Reflecting on his upbringing and football journey, Ersery emphasized his willingness to persevere.
“I’m willing to put in the work,” Ersery said, according to a Kansas City Star report.
