We are 14 days out from the start of the NFL Draft. Houston enters with eight total picks including four in the top 70. That draft capital will inevitably move and shake according to the whims of General Manager Nick Caserio. What’s more prevalent is not when the Texans draft, but who.
Houston Texans 2026 Draft Picks: Nos. 28, 38, 59, 69, 106, 141, 167, 243
Each draft, Caserio surprises fans and draft pundits with a selection in a position not considered “a need” for the team. Last year, it was doubling
down at wide receiver in the second and third rounds, then adding a cornerback in the third round to sit behind Kamari Lassiter and Derek Stingley Jr. Fans can also point to Blake Fisher in the second, Juice Scruggs in the second, and John Metchie in the second as all surprise picks early in the draft.
That leads us to our Groupthink of the week:
Nick Caserio can draft for best player available this year in a feat of free agency maneuvering. What position do you believe the Texans will draft earlier than analysts or experts expect?
VBallRetired:
I personally would expect a defensive tackle fairly early in the draft if not in round one. They have a few decent guys that are good rotational pieces, but a starting quality guy could really elevate this defense a notch.
Plus, a defensive end early would make a lot of sense. The Texans rotate guys a lot and they let Derek Barnett and Denico Autry walk. They have some rotational guys but getting an eventual replacement for Daniele Hunter makes a ton of sense.
Mike Bullock:
Since there’s zero chance anything I toss out will likely come to fruition, I’m gonna lean into the unknown. Now that Ole St. Nick managed to shore up most of the roster via free agency, he doesn’t necessarily need all the draft picks. With that in mind, he packages a few into a blockbuster trade to jump up and draft RB “sure thing” Jeremiyah Love. Love immediately becomes one part of the most ridiculous tailback tandem in the NFL alongside David Montgomery. Suddenly, C.J. Stroud doesn’t have to do it all. Tank Dell doesn’t need to play 17 full games and Nico Collins/Jayden Higgins gash gassed defenders at will. Granted, the o-line has to function for this to work, but we are dreaming here, right?
VBallRetired:
I like the way you think.
Kenneth L.:
Defense. Houston needs a long-term defensive end behind Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.. Dylan Horton has been resourceful, but will also be a free agent after this season. The DE position has been extremely vital to their success and if either starter goes down, there’s a major drop off in talent. I expect an either a Day Two pick could go to this position.
The other group I believe could receive an early draft pick is the defensive back room. This safety class is top tier and there are several great options including A.J. Haulcy, Zakee Wheatley, and Bud Clark. Similar to DE, the cornerback depth is highly suspect. Jaylin Smith is a complete unknown after spending the season on IR. Another third round corner could be in the works in Houston.
L4Blitzer:
In one respect, it is hard to consider what position Houston might draft before expectations. They can argue (however loosely) that they are in position to draft BPA. That opens the board to just about anything. They could fortify the O-line (still needed) or get some underrated offensive weapon (explosive RB/WR). [KITTEN], they could go nuts and draft another CB.
However, I think that if Houston is going to draft a position before expectations, it would be at DE. Most mocks have Houston taking either an OL or interior DL prospect. Sure, I would love to see this defense with a massive run-stuffing interior nightmare. However, while Hunter and Anderson are arguably the best DE-duo in the league, Hunter is only on a one-year deal and has fewer playing days ahead vs. behind. If Houston can get a talented DE replacement at a cap-friendly price, I would not be shocked to see one of Houston’s early picks go that way.
Joe Critz:
While I don’t think they’ll target this position with their first pick, I think the Texans are going to target CB/S earlier than people expect. Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter make up arguably the best CB duo in the NFL, but the depth behind them is suspect at best. I could see the Texans using a 2nd or 3rd round pick on a CB like Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds or Miami’s Keionte Scott in order to improve depth as well as prepare for a potential world without Lassiter in 2027 or 2028.
