Despite winning 12 games, the Houston Texans had their streak of AFC South division titles snapped last season. They still qualified for the playoffs as the No. 5 seed, winning on the road in the Wild Card Round before falling to the New England Patriots.<\/p>\n
CJ Stroud struggled in the Divisional Round loss, raising some questions about his long-term outlook. In his defense, he has dealt with poor pass protection over the last two seasons, which has clearly made him uncomfortable.<\/p>\n
On the other side of the ball, Houston fielded one of the best defenses in the NFL a season ago. GM Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans will now be tasked with maintaining that level of play while addressing key positional needs in the draft.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at the full list of 2026 Houston Texans NFL Draft picks, team needs and first-round mock drafts.<\/p>\n
Houston Texans NFL Draft Picks 2026<\/p>\n
RoundPick OverallFrom128238via WAS259369via NYG4106via WAS5141via CLE51677243via SF<\/p>\n
Houston Texans NFL Draft Needs<\/p>\n
Defensive Tackle<\/p>\n
The Texans\u2019 defensive front is nasty, but could use some added depth on the interior. At 32 years of age, Sheldon Rankins is not getting any younger either. Thus, Houston will almost certainly prioritize adding youth at the position in the 2026 NFL Draft<\/a> in an effort to maintain their success against the run from a year ago.<\/p>\n Interior Offensive Line<\/p>\n Although Houston traded away Tytus Howard, they acquired Braden Smith in free agency to re-fortify the right tackle spot. Thus, the primary point of need is the interior of the offensive line. The Texans also signed Wyatt Teller as a free agent this offseason, but this draft class offers an excellent opportunity to further address their blocking woes.<\/p>\n Defensive Back<\/p>\n The Texans already made a splash in the secondary during free agency with the addition of Reed Blankenship at safety. While the starting spot at every position is pretty well set, there\u2019s plenty of room for Houston to fortify its depth across the defensive backfield.<\/p>\n Other Texans Draft Needs\u00a0<\/p>\n Running Back<\/p>\n Linebacker<\/p>\n Tight End<\/p>\n With these needs in mind, let\u2019s take a look at how analysts are projecting the Texans to approach the first round.<\/p>\n Texans Mock Drafts | First-Round Picks<\/p>\n Here are four Houston Texans mock drafts for the first round from ESPN<\/a>, CBS<\/a>, NFL Network<\/a> and FlurrySports<\/a>. Who do draft pundits think the Texans will select with the 28th overall pick?<\/p>\n No. 28 | Texans NFL Draft Pick<\/p>\n![\"Kayden](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Kayden-McDonald-Ohio-State-1024x682.webp.webp\"\/)
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