The NFL draft is just a week away. The Houston Texans’ draft board is set.
Yet, no one knows for sure what will happen because it depends on how the board will fall.
The Texans currently have eight picks, but expect that number to change at some point next week. Houston has several needs it can address. Guard and defensive tackle are perhaps the biggest.
For this mock draft, we used Pro Football Network’s mock draft. I wanted to provide the Texans with a little adversity, assuming one of their top options, Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, comes off the board before they pick.
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We’ll have one final mock draft that will publish next Wednesday. Stay tuned.
Let’s get into this one:
Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis would help the Texans address a need at guard while also getting better value after trading down.
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Round 2, No. 34 (via Arizona): Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M
Mock trade: Texans receive Cardinals’ Nos. 34, 104 and a 2027 fifth-round pick for No. 28 and a 2027 seventh-round pick.
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Trading down for this pick does a couple of things for the Texans. It allows them to pick their biggest need at a spot with better value. And it also gives them an extra fourth-round pick to use at their disposal in a trade up scenario.
Bisontis fills an immediate need at guard, where Houston has little depth. But he also doesn’t have to start right away with the recent addition of Wyatt Teller, who is projected to play left guard for the first time since his rookie season.
It also gives Houston a fallback option, and allows the Texans to continue to build their offensive line, which has struggled to protect quarterback C.J. Stroud in recent years.
Tackle Blake Miller saw plenty of action at Clemson, starting 54 games for the Tigers.
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Round 2, No. 38: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
A defensive tackle would have been the obvious choice here, but their top option, McDonald, whom the Texans have researched and met with, was off the board. The next logical option was Miller, who had surprisingly fallen past the first round.
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Miller has a ton of experience, starting in 54 games in college. He allowed only two sacks in 2025. He could be their future starter at right tackle, and this pick will continue the trend of attempting to strengthen the offensive line.
Jadarian Price was productive at Notre Dame despite not being the Fighting Irish’s top running back.
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Round 2, No. 61 (via L.A. Rams) : Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
Mock trade: Texans receive Rams’ Nos. 61 and 93 for Nos. 59 and 104.
We considered linebacker here. But drafting Price was too enticing. He’s the second-best running back in this draft and he could provide a fallback option if Houston decides not to extend David Montgomery’s contract past the end of his current deal.
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Price was the No. 2 back at Notre Dame, but he still had success, averaging 6 yards per carry, while scoring 13 total touchdowns (11 rushing, two receiving).
At 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks provides an imposing presence.
Julio Cortez/AP
Round 3, No. 69: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
We considered Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun here, but once Banks fell, it became a no-brainer. The Texans are looking to add a defensive tackle.
Banks was once thought to be a first-round pick but fell because of a foot injury he suffered at the NFL combine. It was the same injury that kept him out for most of the 2025 season at Florida. So it’s certainly a concern.
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But if he is healthy, he has elite traits at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, and a chance to be an immediate contributor for Houston next season.
De’Zhaun Stribling of Ole Miss helped the Rebels make a long run in the College Football Playoff.
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Round 4, No. 93 (via L.A. Rams): De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
Stribling may go higher, maybe even as high as the second round. But he happened to be here.
The Texans want to add a wide receiver in this draft and have looked at several options. Nick Caserio was asked about it at a recent press conference, and said Tank Dell’s return won’t prevent them from going after a receiver.
Stribling finished with 55 catches for 811 yards and six touchdowns in 2025, but he averaged 92.7 receiving yards in his team’s three College Football Playoff games.
Jake Slaughter would provide further depth at center for the Texans and could compete for the starting spot.
Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
Round 4, No. 106: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida
Another Florida Gator. Slaughter gives the Texans much-needed depth at center and would be a good fit for offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s duo system. He started three seasons at Florida and was a team captain his final two years.
He might even compete for the starting job.
Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek is a strong blocker who could enhance the Texans’ rushing attack.
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Round 5, No. 141 (via Cleveland via Las Vegas): Will Kacmarek TE, Ohio State
The most revealing thing Caserio said during his 50-minute press conference was that tight end was a position they hoped to further address. The inconsistency of Cade Stover and the injuries to Brevin Jordan made it necessary.
Kacmarek was the No. 2 tight end at Ohio State, and he wasn’t much of a receiving threat there, but he’s considered one of the best blocking tight ends in this draft and would be a benefit to their running game.
LSU’s Harold Perkins, a Cypress Park graduate, could provide long-term depth at linebacker.
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Round 5, No. 167: Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
With Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o entering the final year of their contracts, it makes sense for the Texans to add a linebacker, even with the logjam they have on their roster.
Perkins, a Cypress Park graduate, had four sacks, eight tackles for loss and three interceptions last season and was third-team All-SEC.
Mikail Kamara had an impact on special teams for Indiana during its national championship season.
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Round 7, No. 243: Mikail Kamara, edge, Indiana
The Texans lack depth at edge rusher after losing Derek Barnett and Denico Autry to free agency. So we went with the best one available. Kamara had only two sacks in 2025. But in 2024, he had 10.