March 3, 2026, 6:22 p.m. CT

What’s the plan for the Houston Texans when on the clock at No. 28?

How about on Day 2, where three picks could make or break the roster entering a prove-it year for C.J. Stroud? Well, Bleacher Report might have the best answer in fixing Houston’s dire needs.

In their latest three-round mock draft, the scouting department ensured that Houston wouldn’t skimp out on addressing the offensive line. At pick No. 28, the Texans land a potential long-term answer at right tackle opposite Aireontae Ersery in Utah’s Caleb Lomu.

While the 6-foot-6 junior is far from a finished product, the tape is promising. A two-year starter for the Utes, Lomu has outstanding movement and quick timing to develop into a stable starter with All-Pro potential.

“Lomu is a natural left tackle with the movement skills to match up one-on-one with rushers on the blind side,” Brandon Thorn wrote. “His potential by itself is why he will likely land in the first round, regardless of his underdeveloped play-strength. The Texans could move him to the right side. In this scenario, it seems more likely that he would stick on the left side, with Ersery making the switch instead.”

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One thing that has been brought up is the Texans’ potential willingness to move Ersery over to right tackle. Last season, the Minnesota product was expected to start at right tackle before Cam Robinson suffered a lower-body injury that kept him out of training camp for most of the year. Lomu, a natural left tackle, should at least compete with Ersery for the left side gig, but a shift to the other side wouldn’t be terrible.

A selling point for Lomu’s Day 1 buzz is his technique in pass protection. After allowing two sacks in 2024, he allowed zero last season, largely thanks to hand timing, ability to mirror in space, and his composure against complex rush patterns. As a run blocker, he remains a work in progress thought the traits are promising.

At pick No. 38, Houston shores up the defensive tackle spot with Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter, a stable run blocker with tremendous strength to win when taking on one-on-one blocks against interior linemen. He was the anchor opposite first-round pick David Baliey in securing the No. 2 run defense in the country last season out in Lubbock amid a run to the College Football Playoff.

At No. 59, the Texans continue to enhance the run game with the addition of Penn State’s Kaytron Allen. The offensive side of the ball was addressed again with the selection of Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon, a solid receiving threat who still must improve as a run blocker. Some scouts compared his tape to All-Pro tight end Trey McBride from Arizona, though it was based on the tape coming out of Colorado State.

To read all of Bleacher Report’s mock draft, click here.