{"id":857686,"date":"2026-04-06T22:46:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/857686\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T22:46:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:46:29","slug":"houston-texans-2026-nfl-draft-preview-the-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/857686\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston Texans 2026 NFL Draft Preview \u2013 The Lead"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>All season long, the narrative surrounding the Houston Texans was that they had a generational defense but would be held back in the end by their putrid offense; the postseason proved that to be 100 percent true.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The 2025 Texans yet again made it to the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, but then fell flat on their face when the moment was brightest, losing in embarrassing fashion to the New England Patriots.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So, as it pertains to the 2026 offseason, the targets have been offense, offense, and more offense (with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/B\/BlanRe00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Reed Blankenship<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/videos\/garafolo-texans-sign-reed-blankenship-to-3-year-24-75-million-deal-the-insiders\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">signing<\/a> mixed in for good measure).<\/p>\n<p>Texans Draft Picks:<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, the 2025 offseason <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/news\/texans-trading-lt-laremy-tunsil-to-commanders-for-draft-picks\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">trade<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/T\/TunsLa00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Laremy Tunsil<\/a> netted the Texans high-end second-round and fourth-round selections from the Washington Commanders, meaning the Texans have six selections in the first four rounds.<\/p>\n<p>Round 1:\u00a0Pick 28<br \/>\nRound 2: Pick 38<br \/>\nRound 2: Pick 59<br \/>\nRound 3: Pick 69<br \/>\nRound 4: Pick 106<br \/>\nRound 5: Pick 141<br \/>\nRound 5: Pick 167<br \/>\nRound 7: Pick 243<\/p>\n<p>General Manager Nick Caserio called any speculation about a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/S\/StroCJ00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">C.J. Stroud<\/a> trade \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/story\/_\/id\/48023841\/cj-stroud-trade-speculation-moronic-texans-gm-says\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">moronic<\/a>\u201d. He then proceeded to get ahead of the team\u2019s problems and trade for Lions RB <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/M\/MontDa01.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">David Montgomery<\/a>, as well as sign two offensive line pieces in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/S\/SmitBr06.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Braden Smith<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/T\/TellWy00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wyatt Teller<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Texans Positions of Need:<\/p>\n<p>Now that the offense has been shaped up, and given their solid WR depth, including a true WR1 in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/C\/CollNi00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Nico Collins<\/a> and the hopeful resurgence of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/D\/DellNa00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tank Dell<\/a>, the Texans can go with a best-player-available strategy to try and hit a few home runs. Still, though, offense should be the focal point.<\/p>\n<p>Key Draft Targets for Texans:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/kadyn-proctor-1.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_cfb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Kadyn Proctor<\/a> \u2013 OT \u2013 Alabama\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Even with the additions of Teller and Smith, the Texans could use more offensive line help. Kadyn Proctor is a monster of a man and has all the physical tools to be immensely successful in the NFL. That size makes him versatile, and the Texans could work him into proper shape, coax him as a lineman of the future, and utilize him in run blocking more immediately. There\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/draft\/bestavailable\/_\/position\/ot\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">solid chance<\/a> he\u2019s available at the end of the first round.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/emmanuel-pregnon-1.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_cfb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Emmanuel Pregnon<\/a> \u2013 OG \u2013 Oregon\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Emmanuel Pregnon is a four-year starter who played two years at USC and last season with the Ducks. He\u2019s rated by many mock drafts as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/draft\/bestavailable\/_\/position\/og\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">second-best guard<\/a>, and that\u2019s the part of the offensive line the Texans need the most help with.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/eli-stowers-1.html?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_cfb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Eli Stowers<\/a> \u2013 TE \u2013 Vanderbilt<\/p>\n<p>Although the Texans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/story\/_\/id\/48126215\/houston-texans-dalton-schultz-agree-1-year-extension\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">re-signed<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/S\/SchuDa00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dalton Schultz<\/a>, and have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/J\/JordBr00.htm?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=theleadsm.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-06_pfr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Brevin Jordan<\/a> returning to the fray after missing all of last season with an injury, TE is a position they could improve in. Adding a bona fide stud like Stowers, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/contributor\/pete-thamel\/bcc026399327d\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">won<\/a> the Mackey Award in 2025 and earned first-team All-SEC honors, seems like a worthy shot at a franchise player if he drops to later in the second round.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"All season long, the narrative surrounding the Houston Texans was that they had a generational defense but would&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":857687,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2056],"tags":[4955,7,221,253,2368,6,15,222],"class_list":{"0":"post-857686","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston-texans","8":"tag-2026-nfl-draft","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-houston","11":"tag-houston-texans","12":"tag-houstontexans","13":"tag-nfl","14":"tag-nfl-draft","15":"tag-texans"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116360196306592841","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/857686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=857686"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/857686\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/857687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=857686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=857686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=857686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}