Texans boast a draft windfall. With rivals missing first-rounders, Houston can snag premium talent and build a dominant 2026 squad.
The Houston Texans have a rare opportunity in the 2026 NFL draft. Both the team's biggest challengers in the AFC South start the three days of selections with no picks in the first round.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts spent much of the first half of the 2025 season ahead of the Houston Texans in the division standings. A slow start put the Texans behind the two teams. The Jaguars were able to hold their own and make the postseason, but the Texans would go on to effectively swap places with the rival Colts within the division.
Now, the Texans, with three picks in the first two rounds have a chance to vault ahead of the Jags and Colts.
It's not as if the Colts and Jaguars have no draft picks. The Jaguars will have three third round picks after their second-round selection to highlight their 11-pick weekend. They also will have two fifth rounders and three seventh rounders to cap the showing.
The Colts have a lighter draft with seven picks including two seventh rounders after a pick in every round but the first. The low volume of picks could prove costly for the team's 2026 prospects and beyond.
The Texans will select at No. 28, No. 38 (early second round), No. 59 and No. 69 (early third round). Add to that the sixth pick of the fourth round and the first pick of the fifth round and Houston will seem premium draft positioning for a while after the first round of picks.
Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (81) walks on the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesIn a sense, Houston is at a disadvantage in a draft where it almost certainly has to find a right tackle, and perhaps as early as the first round. Even so, the other side of the coin sees the Texans selecting the top player in nearly every round from the second to the fifth round with five picks in the first 106.
The Texans do enter the draft with urgency, but they are in a good spot. Recent mock draft predictions have the team adding offensive linemen in Utah's Caleb Lomu and Arizona State's Max Iheanachor. If they are able to find a good fit, look out for Houston in 2026.
The Texans are set for a heated three-team divisional race barring a surprise breakthrough season for the Tennessee Titans. If they want to move closer to a first place finish a strong 2026 draft would go a long way.