At the end of the day, one pick won’t define the Houston Texans’ 2026 season, but the notion of missing out on an offensive lineman once again could make or break for the Texans once more.
The initial major wave of free agency has end, so the Texans know what their short-term needs are headed in the end of the month. While right tackle and left guard remain long-term issues, perhaps it’s not the most important position to address after the signing of Colts longtime right tackle Braden Smith and Browns lineman Wyatt Teller.
The same goes for the defensive line after Sheldon Rankins and Logan Hall each inked two-year deals to stick around NRG Stadium through 2028. As for safety, the Texans might need to worry about how to replace Calen Bullock should he become too expensive in the future, but the immediate arrival of Reed Blankenship should stabilize the strong safety spot after five players saw reps last fall on the No. 1.
So, where do the Texans turn next?
With less than a week before the No. 1 pick comes off the board in Pittsburgh, all eyes turn toward the draft and trades around the NFL. The big question now for general manager Nick Caserio; is trading out of Round 1 the best option?
If now, who’s is in play for the Texans at No. 28?
Texans Wire has rounded up the latest 2026 NFL mock drafts, where experts believe the Texans will more than likely shore up the trenches should they stay in the first round, and three names that constantly seem to appear as the favorites to call NRG Stadium home for the long haul.
Texans Wire will release its final mock draft on Tuesday, but our pick comes from the one set by from the universal draft selection with the USA Today Network.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. – Georgia DL Christen Miller
From Kiper: “Why would the Texans go defense? Yes, it’s their strength, but they need to keep it their strength. Smart teams plan ahead. And having the chance to put a disruptive interior lineman between Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter is exciting. Miller is active and quick, and he keeps getting better. With opponents focused on stopping Anderson and Hunter, Miller could get pressure inside and make some plays in the backfield. He had 7.5 tackles for loss over the past two years.”
ESPN’s Field Yates – Ohio State DL Kayden McDonald
From Yates: “Houston could use more youth at defensive tackle, and McDonald was the best at his position against the run in 2025. His sturdy frame and power make him a tough player to move around.”
ESPN’s Peter Schrager – Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor
From Schrager: “One of the players with the biggest upside in this class, Iheanachor is still relatively new to football. The Nigerian-born tackle got to the United States when he was 13 years old and picked up the sport in just the past few years. Still growing and learning, he could be a home run pick if a team is patient and capitalizes on his upside. Houston is always looking for talent on its O-line as the front office works through another makeover of the unit.”
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah – Texas A&M OL Chase Bisontis
From Jeremiah: “There are a lot of similarly graded interior offensive linemen that I have in the second-round range. I have a feeling one of them is going climb into Round 1. In this case, Houston stays in state to add Bisontis.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein – Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr.
From Zierlein: “Hill is fast, can rush or cover on third down and is a very good tackle finisher who rarely misses assignments in the run game. Both Texans starting linebackers (Henry To’oTo’o and Azeez Al-Shaair) are free agents after 2026; however, Hill should be able to supplant To’oTo’o this year.”
ESPN’s Matt Miller – Clemson OT Blake Miller
From Miller: “Signing 30-year-old Braden Smith to a two-year contract solves Houston’s right tackle need for the moment, but the Texans’ plan to build a young (and inexpensive) offensive line around C.J. Stroud is still in place. Miller started 54 college games at right tackle and improved every season, allowing only two sacks in 2025. With 34-inch arms and a strong base to block from, Miller profiles as a solid starter with higher-end potential as he develops his run-blocking talents.”
Texans Wire’s Cole Thompson – Ohio State DL Kayden McDonald
From Thompson: “Houston is known for trading back and given the Cardinals’ potential need to target Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, that’s very much in play. However, if there’s one player who might stand pat, it’s McDonald. The Buckeyes star is coming off one of the best seasons for a defensive tackle, racking up 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three sacks. Two of his best games were against Texas and Miami, arguably two teams loaded with future NFL talent. Add in that he’s only 21 and still growing, Houston could be getting a prospect who’s yet to reach even his floor that already has Day 1 production that teams covet for their defensive lines. The Texans would probably love to land McDonald on Day 2, but if they feel like he’s going to be out of the running to fall into Friday’s second round, Nick Caserio might just pull the trigger and call it a day. McDonald is already one of the better run-stoppers in the class, which is exactly what Houston wants to pair behind pass-rushing specialist Tommy Togiai and Sheldon Rankins.”
USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz – Georgia Tech OL Keylan Rutledge
From Middlehurst-Schwartz: “Even after a concerted effort in free agency to fortify their offensive line, the Texans’ work doesn’t quite feel finished. Rutledge’s unrelenting demeanor as a blocker could help Houston do a better job of setting the tone in the run game for new lead back David Montgomery.”
USA Today’s Ayrton Ostly – Florida DL Caleb Banks
From Ostley: “Houston’s defense is one of the scariest units in the NFL and should be that once again in 2026 but they have a need on the interior. Banks could shore that up in a big way. A foot injury at the combine may drop his stock but he’s one of the best at the position in the class at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds.”
USA Today’s Nate Davis – Alabama QB Ty Simpson (pick made by Cardinals)
From Davis: ” Could Arizona be the team that comes up for the highly scrutinized ‘Bama quarterback, though Simpson is still widely regarded as this draft’s clear-cut No. 2 passer? It could make sense given veteran Jacoby Brissett remains in place as an ideal bridge option, and the weapons are fairly plentiful when you’ve got the league’s best receiving tight end (Trey McBride) and a solid group of backs and receivers − and that’s potentially an understatement if Marvin Harrison Jr. blossoms.
Maybe the Cards need to jump the Jets at No. 33 and maybe not. But coming up here from No. 34 probably only costs GM Monti Ossenfort a fourth-rounder while also conferring the fifth-year option that comes with being a first-rounder.
The Athletic’s Mike Jones – Clemson OT Blaker Miller
From Jones: “The Texans continue their upgrade of the offensive line with Miller. Yes, they signed veteran right tackle Braden Smith in free agency, but the former Indianapolis Colt has battled injury in recent years, and Miller gives the Texans the long-term answer at the position. At 6-7 and 317 pounds, he has great size. He is a four-year starter and has great durability. Paired with 2025 second-round pick Aireontae Ersery, who starts at left tackle, Houston now has its bookends of the future to help keep C.J. Stroud upright for years to come.”
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks – Clemson DT Peter Woods
From Brooks: “Slotting in a disruptive defensive tackle between a pair of All-Pro edge rushers (Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.) would make the Texans’ defense even nastier.”
Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Alexander – Texas A&M OL Chase Bisontis
Note: Alexander has the Texans moving back from No. 28 to No. 34 to allow the Arizona Cardinals to move up for QB Ty Simpson
From Alexander: “Bisontis fills an immediate need at guard, where Houston has little depth. But he also doesn’t have to start right away with the recent addition of Wyatt Teller, who is projected to play left guard for the first time since his rookie season. It also gives Houston a fallback option and allows the Texans to continue to build their offensive line, which has struggled to protect quarterback C.J. Stroud in recent years.”
Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice – Alabama OL Kadyn Proctor
From Tice: “General manager Nick Caserio loves his big school players. And Proctor is the literal biggest of big school players in this year’s draft class. Yes, the Texans signed offensive tackle Braden Smith to a two-year deal, but Smith has missed time essentially every season of his career. Proctor would be gigantic at the position, but he could start his career at guard and provide depth at tackle before kicking out down the road. The Texans should keep addressing their offensive line, and while a guard or center option would be preferable, adding beef of some sort, even if there is not a clean path right away, should not stop the Texans from adding a talented player at offensive line.”
Fox Sports Henry McKenna – Clemson DT Peter Woods
From McKenna: “This really should be an offensive line pick, but six of them are off the board already. Going defensive tackle makes much more sense if Sheldon Rankins isn’t re-signed in free agency. Houston will need to address their line, but can do so in the second or third round. To let the Texans get the second defensive tackle off the board is a rich-get-richer problem for the NFL.”
Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzano – Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
From Manzano: “Iheanachor’s stock might have gone up recently after Patriots coach Mike Vrabel showed interest in working with him during his pro day. Iheanachor is a raw prospect, but the Texans have time to develop him after signing Braden Smith and getting promising results from 2025 second-round pick Aireontae Ersery.”
Athlon Sports Luke Easterling – Clemson DL Peter Woods
From Easterling: “It’s hard to imagine this defense having any glaring needs after the way they played last season, but finding a disruptive interior defender with pass-rushing potential would be ideal. Woods is a somewhat polarizing prospect due to inconsistent production (mostly due to odd alignment and usage at Clemson), but his full potential could be unlocked by DeMeco Ryans, who knows how to put his players in position to maximize their respective skill sets.”
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman – Ohio State DL Kayden McDonald
From Feldman: “This is a need spot for Houston, and McDonald is a load against the run. He’s 6-2, 326, and just turned 21. McDonald was a force for the Buckeyes in 2025, making 65 tackles with nine TFLs and three sacks. He also forced two fumbles. Against Texas to start the season, he had eight tackles, the same as he had against Miami to finish the season. That’s a lot of production for an interior D-lineman.”
Fox Sports’ Rob Rang – Ohio State DL Kayden McDonald
From Rang: “In a case of the rich getting richer, the Texans boost one of the league’s dominant defenses with this year’s top interior lineman. Houston might be able to get McDonald at No. 28 overall, but they shouldn’t balk at giving up a Day 3 pick if it means ensuring they land one of the few nose guards with legitimate pass rush ability.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: 2026 Texans mock draft roundup: A new consensus top player for Houston
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
