Should the Texans select Max Iheanachor?
NFL analyst Gennaro Filice released his 2026 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 on Monday, April 13 where the Houston Texans selected offensive tackle Max Iheanachor - the high upside option from Arizona State. Tackle is a necessity for the Texans during the draft, as they must protect CJ Stroud and give him time to operate. This makes Iheanachor an enticing option as the team's future right tackle.
Ihanachor is still a raw prospect, but that makes sense given his background. Filice dives into this in his article and explains how that’s intriguing to NFL teams.
“A Nigeria native who moved to the States as a teenager, Iheanachor didn’t start playing football until 2021, when he went out for the JUCO team at East Los Angeles College,” Filice wrote. “But the former basketball and soccer player possesses rare athletic traits at 6-6 and 321 pounds. Swift growth over the last three years at Arizona State makes Iheanachor one of the most tantalizing developmental prospects in this draft.”
Iheanachor’s improvements through his collegiate career are the primary reason he’s a first-round prospect. He has surprisingly great technique and is able to eliminate opposing pass rushers. He has impressive punch timing and accuracy, which helps disrupt defenders’ timing and mitigate their rush.
Additionally, his superb movement skills let him keep up with any foe. Iheanachor’s aforementioned basketball and soccer background translates to the field, giving him exceptional footwork and balance. He fires smoothly out of his stance and gets ample depth in his opening steps to eliminate the outside shoulder. Then, his agility helps him respond to counter moves and stay in front of the opposition.
Although the Big 12 isn’t known for its elite competition, Iheanachor is battle-tested. He held his own against David Bailey and Romello Height, performing better than any other tackle against them. This should assure NFL teams that he’s able to match up against elite defenders.
While Ihanachor’s an elite prospect, he isn’t perfect. There are instances where he throws his entire body at the defender. This leaves him in a subpar position and lets the defender easily use a countermove to reach the quarterback. Also, he hasn’t developed a nasty streak in the run game. He’s capable, but doesn’t have that mauler mentality yet.
Overall, Max Iheanachor is a promising offensive tackle who would be a perfect addition to the Texans in round one of the draft. He’s still developing, but his pure athleticism and improvements throughout college should make teams feel comfortable with the selection. Iheanachor is the ideal selection at pick 28 and would help protect CJ Stroud for the foreseeable future.