The Houston Texans may have arrived one season too early during their 2025 playoff run. Houston looked poised for a Super Bowl berth, but they got demolished by New England in the Divisional Round. If the Texans had a better offensive line and a few more defensive players, it could have been a very different story.
Houston has been hard at work plugging holes on the roster during NFL free agency. The Texans added Reed Blankenship to their secondary and are hard at work retrofitting their offensive line.
If the Texans really want to make some noise next season, they’ll need to nail the 2026 NFL Draft too.
Which prospects should Houston pursue in the first round? And should they go offense or defense with their first pick?
These are the players who analysts are mocking to the Texans following NFL free agency.
Note: This Texans 2026 NFL Mock Draft roundup only includes mock draft released on March 16th or later following the first week of NFL free agency.
G Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
Bisontis may be a bit of a reach at the bottom of the first round. But he would fill a major need on Houston’s offensive line.
Ed Ingram is the only Texans guard who is under contract past the 2027 season. That means guard could be a priority for Houston, even in the first round.
The Texans would ideally want Olaivavega Ioane as a first-round guard, but there’s just no way he falls that far down the draft board. Thankfully, Bisontis is an excellent consolation prize.
Bisontis projects as an eventual starter with plenty of room to grow. If scouts can get past his short arms, then they should see the appeal of his many strengths.
T Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
Joel Klatt, FOX Sports; Josh Edwards, CBS Sports
Iheanachor is a high-upside tackle prospect who could shoot up draft boards because of his impressive traits.
He primarily played basketball during high school and came to football later than most. The combination of his range and strength should allow Iheanachor to thrive early in his career as a run blocker.
Iheanachor does not currently have the best technique in pass protection. However, he put some excellent reps on tape against Texas Tech and at the Senior Bowl.
Perhaps the Texans could stash Iheanachor on the bench for his rookie season to learn behind Braden Smith.
T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald, Yahoo Sports; Tim Crean, ClutchPoints
Houston’s war room will be jumping for joy if Proctor falls all the way to pick 28.
The Texans could easily fall in love with Proctor’s versatility. He primarily played left tackle for the Crimson Tide, but Proctor projects as an excellent guard in the NFL.
Proctor is a large man at 6-foot-7, 352 pounds. Power rushers have a hard time moving him off his spot because of his massive size. He can also punch massive holes in opposing defenses on rushing plays.
The biggest knock on Proctor is his inconsistency in pass protection, which sometimes allows speedier pass rushers to squirt past him. That would be less of a problem playing at guard with a teammate on either side.
Houston’s offensive line would be a lot better with Proctor on the interior.
T Blake Miller, Clemson
McGuinness paired Houston with Miller, a player who has been shooting up draft boards.
“The Texans signed Braden Smith, who has played right tackle in the NFL but may move to his college position of guard,” McGuinness wrote. “Even if he sticks at right tackle, a future replacement would still be a good investment. Miller has been rising on draft boards, coming off an 83.5 PFF pass-blocking grade this past season.”
The possibility of Smith moving back to guard opens up some interesting possibilities for Houston. But even if he plays at tackle, investing in the future of the position still makes sense.
Miller projects as a solid starting right tackle, so long as he can up his game in a few important areas. Scouts question his pad level and how he uses his hands.
Ultimately, any addition on the o-line will be a good thing for Houston. So it is hard to argue with this pick.
DT Christen Miller, Georgia
Texans fans may not be excited about drafting a nose tackle in the first round. But Houston could be an ideal landing spot for Miller.
The fact that Houston has two elite edge rushers changes how offenses prepare for them. Adding a solid nose tackle in the middle of the defensive line could do wonders for the Texans on first and second downs. That could be huge for the Texans, as Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter live for third downs that are obvious passing situations.
Miller would offer a long-term answer on the interior next to Sheldon Rankins and newcomer Logan Hall. He projects as a starting-caliber NFL nose tackle who could become even better if he adds more mass.
If the Texans go defense in the first round, they could get the most bang for their buck with a guy like Miller.
DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
The same rationale described above for Miller could lead Houston to picking McDonald.
McDonald is an accomplished run defender who flashed some surprising production at Ohio State for an interior defender. He may not be the perfect run defender against double teams because of his size. But it is fair to wonder how often he would face double teams if opponents are worried about Anderson and Hunter, even on running downs.
McDonald offers limited value as a pass rusher, which could limit him exclusively to obvious running downs early in this career.
It is good to know that Houston has options at nose tackle if they decide to go that direction in the first round.
The post Texans’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft roundup after NFL Free Agency appeared first on ClutchPoints.
