Until they find a franchise replacement for Laremy Tunsil, the Houston Texans are going to be frequently linked to next year’s class of offensive tackles. Tay Ersery could be the right answer on the left side, but the Texans can’t think going into 2026 that they’ll be content after allowing 54 sacks in 20224.

With a potential mid-round pick come Thursday night in Pittsburgh, Houston plans to address its biggest need on the offensive line, and that’s exactly what ESPN’s latest mock draft has the franchise doing. Matt Miller ordered the draft based on ESPN’s Football Power Index, which landed the Texans at No. 21, still a playoff team, but one sent packing after the wild-card round.

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With their selection, Miller has them selecting Florida offensive tackle Austin Barber, who some consider to have the highest upside in the Southeastern Conference this season. A 6-foot-6 blindside protector tackle, Barber improved with each snap as Florida finished 8-5 last fall behind quarterback D.J. Lagway and future Texans draft pick Graham Mertz.

He’s a viable replacement for Blake Fisher should he struggle at right tackle, or perhaps a better long-term play on the blindside.

“The Texans went through a massive offensive line overhaul after surrendering 52 sacks in 2024, trading left tackle Laremy Tunsil, signing several free agents and selecting tackle Aireontae Ersery in Round 2 of the past draft. But the work in finding better protection for C.J. Stroud is far from over,” Miller wrote. “The 6-foot-6, 314-pound Barber started 12 games at left tackle last season, showing pro-level starting upside thanks to efficient hand placement in pass protection and ideal quickness for zone running schemes.”

Barber is expected to be one of the breakout stars in the SEC this fall. If he lives up to the billing, there’s a chance he could be well out of reach for Houston when on the clock, but no one around here would complain if he ended up transforming into a Pro Bowl talent.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans land All-SEC OT in Round 1 of ESPN’s 2026 mock draft