Report: Texans HC O'Brien 'absolutely loves' top QB prospect Patrick Mahomes

Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien is reportedly enamored with one of this year's top quarterback prospects.

O'Brien "absolutely loves" former Texas Tech standout Patrick Mahomes, one anonymous NFL coach told Tom Pelissero of USA TODAY Sports.

Mahomes has been gaining momentum as a first-rounder in recent months thanks to his elite arm strength and impressive improvisational skills. But due to that hype and the importance of the quarterback position, it's unlikely he's still on the board when the Texans pick 25th overall.

Even if Mahomes is unrealistic without a trade up, the Texans must come out of the draft with a rookie pivot who can at least compete with Tom Savage for the starting job after trading 2016 free-agent bust Brock Osweiler to the Cleveland Browns in a salary dump move.