The Houston Texans are on the cusp of something special. They have a Super Bowl-caliber defense, but need an infusion of talent on the other side of the ball—paired with more consistent play from quarterback C.J. Stroud—to take that next step.
Houston has the No. 28 overall pick and eight in total in 2026. Let’s see how they can best use those picks to regain their spot atop the AFC South. We’ve conducted a seven-round Texans mock draft using our Mock Draft Machine.
Texans 7-Round NFL Mock Draft
Round 1 (No. 28 overall): Lee Hunter, IDL, Texas Tech
The Texans have a good group of pass rushers already. Here, they add a massive human who's a space-eater and run-stuffer. Lee Hunter has the desired mass and length for the position and will make his teammates' lives easier just with his presence up the middle.
Round 2 (No. 38 overall): Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Max Iheanachor has been a fast riser since the Panini Senior Bowl, and that hype continued in Indianapolis at the 2026 NFL Combine. He looks to be a top-50 lock. Iheanachor has tremendous growth potential as the Texans’ long-term right tackle. In fact, he hasn’t even been playing football that long, starting in 2021. He’s a high-end athlete with desired measurables for the position, too.
Round 2 (No. 59 overall): Gennings Dunker, IOL, Iowa
Gennings Dunker brings an infectious attitude and powerful blocking ability, and he’s put some impressive reps on tape this season as Iowa’s right tackle and also at the Panini Senior Bowl. He’s expected to move inside at the NFL level to help accentuate his positives. He’ll be a big plus right away in Houston’s run game.
Round 3 (No. 69 overall): Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama
The Texans may need long-term pieces in their linebacker room with three expiring contracts after 2026 in that group. Deontae Lawson is an athletic, high-IQ linebacker who has a knack for being a disruptive blitzer. He’s also a positive player in coverage. He needs to work on his tackling, though. He can get to ball carriers, but he’s not always bringing them down one-on-one. If he can fix that issue, there’s no reason he can’t be an NFL starter.
Round 4 (No. 106 overall): Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
Kaytron Allen may not have high-end speed, but he sure can set the offensive tone with his runs. He’s a highly experienced college rusher who knows how to read defenses with the desire to fight for every blade of grass. He carries the Texans’ defensive mentality on the offensive side of the ball and projects as a long-term 1B in Houston’s backfield.
Round 5 (No. 141 overall): CJ Daniels, WR, Miami
The Texans have invested a good amount of draft capital in wide receivers lately, but I think they should make one more addition here on day three. Only Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel are under contract past this season, and Tank Dell’s health is a question mark. Pick No. 141 is a solid value for CJ Daniels, a possession receiver and a route artist. He is alignment-versatile and can be a short-to-intermediate safety blanket for Stroud.
Round 5 (No. 167 overall): Quintayvious Hutchins, EDGE, Boston College
Quintayvious Hutchins is undersized, but he plays a strong, physical style. He’s likely only a rotational player at the NFL level, but the Texans need to look at who their long-term backup EDGEs are going to be beyond 2026. Hutchins should be able to carve out a full-time role on special teams in addition to the backup role on defense.
Round 7 (No. 243 overall): Jager Burton, IOL, Kentucky
Jager Burton is best at center, but I think he can be a backup guard as well. He’s quick, has adequate strength, and just doesn’t miss football games. Get him in your locker room and I bet he carves out a role for himself long-term as a backup and spot starter anywhere on the interior of the offensive line.